EX-4.2 2 ftci-ex4_2.htm EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES

The following summary describes the material provisions of the common stock of FTC Solar, Inc. (“we”, “our”, “us”, the “Company”) that is registered under Section 12 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). Copies of these documents are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K to which this summary is also an exhibit. For a complete description of the terms and provisions of our common stock, we urge you to read our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.

General

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes capital stock consisting of:

• | 850,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; and

• | 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

Description of Common Stock

Voting Rights

Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors elected by our stockholders generally. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.

Dividends

Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock.

Liquidation

Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably our remaining assets legally available for distribution.

Rights and Preferences

Our common stock is not subject to further calls or assessments by us. Holders of shares of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock or any other series or class of stock we may authorize and issue in the future.

Fully Paid and Non-Assessable

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All shares of our common stock outstanding are fully paid and non-assessable.

Description of Preferred Stock

Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock is 10,000,000 shares. We have no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

Under the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock) without stockholder approval, unless required by law or any stock exchange. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation:

• | the designation of the series;

• | the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);

• | whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

• | the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable;

• | the redemption or repurchase rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

• | the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

• | the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs;

• | whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of us or any other entity, and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;

• | restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and

• | the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.

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, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the holders of our common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which the holders of our common stock might receive a premium over the market price of the shares of our common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock or subordinating the liquidation rights of the common stock. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

Registration Rights

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Certain holders of our common stock, options, restricted stock units and similar instruments have certain registration rights pursuant to the registration rights agreement entered into on April 29, 2021, as amended from time to time (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The registration rights set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement expires on the earlier of April 29, 2024 or, with respect to any particular stockholder, when such stockholder is able to freely sell all of its shares pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”). We will pay the registration expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) of the holders of the shares registered pursuant to the registrations described below. The Registration Rights Agreement does not provide for any cash penalties or any penalties connected with delays in registering our common stock.

In an underwritten offering, the managing underwriter, if any, or in the case of a demand registration not being underwritten, our board of directors, has the right, subject to specified conditions, to limit the number of shares such holders may include.

Demand Registration Rights

Any holder or group of holders that, together with its respective affiliates, beneficially own at least 15% of our shares of common stock and equity rights that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common stock (the “Company Shares”) entitled to certain demand registration rights can make a request that we register all or a portion of their shares. Such request for registration must cover securities the aggregate offering price of which, after payment of underwriting discounts and commissions, would equal or exceed $5,000,000. We are not required to effect more than two registrations on Form S-1 within any 12-month period. At the holders’ request, an offering pursuant to a demand registration may be underwritten.

Form S-3 Registration Rights

Any holder or group of holders that, together with its respective affiliates, beneficially own at least 15% of the Company Shares entitled to certain Form S-3 registration rights can make a request that we register their shares on Form S-3 if we are qualified to file a registration statement on Form S-3 and if the reasonably anticipated aggregate gross proceeds of the shares offered would equal or exceed $2,000,000. We are not required to effect more than four registrations on Form S-3 per calendar year in the aggregate in addition to the registrations on Form S-1.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile or abusive change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors, which we believe may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of our stockholders. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock

The authorized but unissued shares of 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 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.

Business Combinations

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, regulating corporate takeovers. This statute prevents certain Delaware corporations, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a “business combination” with:

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• | a stockholder who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock (otherwise known as an “interested stockholder”);

• | an affiliate of an interested stockholder; or

• | an associate of an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder.

A “business combination” includes a merger or sale of more than 10% of our assets. However, the above provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL do not apply if:

• | our board of directors approves the transaction that made the stockholder an “interested stockholder” prior to the date of the transaction;
• | after the completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, that stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, other than statutorily excluded shares of common stock; or

• | on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at a meeting of our stockholders, and not by written consent, by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.

No Cumulative Voting

Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority of the shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all our directors.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes, with the number of directors in each class being as nearly equal in number as possible. The directors in each class will serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders, with staggered terms. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that directors may only be removed from our board of directors for cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control of us or our management.

Special Stockholder Meetings

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of a majority of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control of our management.

Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our

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amended and restated bylaws allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings that may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of us.

Stockholder Action by Written Consent

Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding capital stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our capital stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent at any time. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock would not be able to amend our amended and restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our amended and restated bylaws. Further, our amended and restated bylaws provide that only the chairperson of our board of directors or a majority of our board of directors may call special meetings of our stockholders, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws

The DGCL 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 amended and restated bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors is required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

The foregoing provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares of common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management or delaying or preventing a transaction that might benefit stockholders.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of FTC Solar, Inc. Pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Stockholders’ Derivative Actions

Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s shares thereafter devolved by operation of law.

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Exclusive Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Delaware Court of Chancery shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees or stockholders to us or our stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against us, any director or our officers and employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or as to which the DGCL confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery, (iv) action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, (v) action asserting a claim against us, any director or our officers or employees that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, or (vi) any action asserting an “internal corporate claim” as defined in Section 115 of the DGCL; provided, however, that the exclusive forum provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, or to any claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our certificate of incorporation further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts are the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, subject to a final adjudication in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive forum provision. We note that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe the provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. Our governing documents also provide that the Delaware Court of Chancery is the sole and exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders and federal district courts is the sole and exclusive forum for Securities Act claims, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees.

Officers and Directors

The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages to us or our stockholders for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any breaches of the director’s duty of loyalty, any acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, any authorization of dividends or stock redemptions or repurchases paid or made in violation of the DGCL, or for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Our amended and restated bylaws generally provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, an investment in our common stock may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

Indemnification Agreements

We have entered into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors or executive

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officers, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “FTCI.”

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