MEMO TO THE PARTNER PROPOSED ANTI-DILUTION PROVISION

Similar documents
THE COMPANIES LAW, A LIMITED LIABILITY BY SHARES COMPANY ARTICLES LTD. INTERPRETATION; GENERAL

New NYSE and NASDAQ Listing Rules Raise the Accountability of Company Boards and Compensation Committees Through Flexible Standards

INTEGRITY APPLICATIONS, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Negative Assurance in Securities Offerings

MEMO TO THE PARTNER PROPOSED EARNOUT AGREEMENT PROVISIONS ELIZABETH A. CLIPPARD * Proposed Earnout Agreement Provisions I.

annotated term sheet

MEMO TO THE PARTNER STOCK TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS FOR MARYLAND REIT MICHAEL CRUM *

FIRST SUPPLEMENT TO THIRD-PARTY LEGAL OPINION CUSTOMARY PRACTICE IN FLORIDA REPORT

FASB Emerging Issues Task Force

An Introduction To Antidilution Provisions

Concept Release on possible revisions to PCAOB Standards related to reports on audited financial statements

Taiwan. Proxy Voting Guidelines Benchmark Policy Recommendations. Effective for Meetings on or after February 1, 2016

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER. among TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOX, INC. THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TWC MERGER ENTERPRISES 2 CORP. and

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF CLEARWATER PAPER CORPORATION

[NAME OF COMPANY] SUMMARY OF TERMS SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK FINANCING ([DATE])

Articles of Incorporation

I. VENTURE CAPITAL DEAL TALK

SEABRIDGE GOLD INC. ARTICLE ONE DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED December 31, 2014 LIVEWORLD, INC. (Exact Name of issuer as specified in its charter) Delaware

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF VANTIV, INC. (effective May 10, 2016) ARTICLE I. Name ARTICLE II. Registered Address ARTICLE III

Form 10-Q. Veritas DGC Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION KKR & CO. INC. ARTICLE I NAME. The name of the Corporation is KKR & Co. Inc. (the Corporation ).

MEMO TO THE PARTNER I. GENERAL

$100,000,000. Common Stock

Form of Warrant. Warrant to Purchase Common Stock. MVP REIT II, Inc. WARRANT. Dated: [ ], 2016

Proposed Statement of Financial Accounting Standards

Reducing Pension And Retiree Health Benefit Costs

Presenting a live 90-minute webinar with interactive Q&A. Today s faculty features:

Venture Capital Term Sheet (Long Form) The form is very pro-investor oriented.

PROSPECTUS DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND SHARE PURCHASE PLAN 500,000 SHARES COMMON STOCK $1.00 PAR VALUE

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

SAFE PRIMER. Why. When

Disposition of AU sections 508 and 9508

Term Sheet for Series A Round of Financing of XCorp

INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNTING

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2018 AND 2017 (EXPRESSED IN CANADIAN DOLLARS)

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington D.C FORM 10-Q. For the quarterly period ended December 31, 2010

Understanding Anti-Dilution Provisions in Convertible Securities

JUDICIAL DISSOLUTION IN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES: SO WHAT S HAPPENING IN TENNESSEE?

CHAPTER 17 EARNINGS PER SHARE AND RETAINED EARNINGS. E17-1 Weighted Average Shares. (Moderate) Stock dividend, stock split, reacquisition.

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY ARTICLE I NAME. The name of the Corporation is The Walt Disney Company.

2018 Edition CPA. Preparatory Program. Financial Accounting and Reporting. Sample Chapters: Earnings Per Share & State and Local Governments

Seed Capital re view Semi-annual RepoRt SeCond Half, 2013 published by: members of the entrepreneurial SeRviCeS GRoup at GRay plant mooty

58,000,000 Depositary Shares. Each Representing a 1/1,000th Interest in a Share of 6.5% Non-Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series T

Data Mining the Venture-Backed Company Charter

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock

The Notice and Proxy Statement on the following pages contain details concerning the business to come before the special meeting.

CHAPTER 16. Dilutive Securities and Earnings Per Share 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Warrants and debt. 3, 8, 9 4, 5 7, 8, 9, 10, 29

Financial reporting developments. A comprehensive guide. Earnings per share

SEC FINALIZES REGULATION CROWDFUNDING

Down-Round Treatment Simplified

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF ADVANCED EMISSIONS SOLUTIONS, INC.

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AMAG PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (Pursuant to Section 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

In light of the permanent increase in the gift, estate and generation-skipping tax exemptions

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C FORM 10-Q

LESTI-bm14-Appendix C. Staff Summary of GAAP for Convertible Instruments

Paperweight Development Corp. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF VMWARE, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TERRAFORM POWER, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016 (EXPRESSED IN CANADIAN DOLLARS)

DRAFT. Right of first refusal modifications North Pacific Fishery Management Council June 2009

An Update on Implementation of New Management Contract Safe Harbors for Property Financed with Tax-Exempt Bonds

January 30, Proxy Statements under Maryland Law 2017

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. ORION MARINE GROUP, INC. (a Delaware corporation)

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF Pitney Bowes Inc.

ORIGINAL PRONOUNCEMENTS

WORLD FINANCIAL SPLIT CORP. NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CIRCULAR

Attorneys for Applicant Insurance Commissioner of the State of California SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Financial reporting developments. A comprehensive guide. Earnings per share. July 2015

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM. 12 CFR Part 204. [Regulation D; Docket Nos. R-1334 and R-1350] Reserve Requirements for Depository Institutions

VIRTUAL PIGGY, INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Endurance International Group Holdings, Inc. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

A plan under which the company matches employee contributions using company stock:

Special Report of the TriBar Opinion Committee Opinions on Secondary Sales of Securities

TOGA CAPITAL LTD FORM 10-Q. (Quarterly Report) Filed 08/14/15 for the Period Ending 06/30/15

AnnaBidiol Corp. dba; First Harbor Capital A Delaware Corporation (833) For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2018

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION. Adopted March 3, 2017 to be effective April 3, 2017

EXPORT TRADING COMP ANY ACT OF 1982

Client Alert Latham & Watkins Corporate Department

ENGILITY HOLDINGS, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN ARTICLE I. INTRODUCTION

ARMED SERVICES BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS. Appeal of -- ) ) C. Martin Company, Inc. ) ASBCA No ) Under Contract No. N D-0501 )

30MAY MAY

One World Ventures, Inc. For the Period Ended December 31, 2018

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED December 31, 2011 LIVEWORLD, INC. (Exact Name of issuer as specified in its charter) Delaware

Lead Innovation Corporation Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 66,835 $ -

New Zealand Equivalent to International Accounting Standard 33 Earnings per Share (NZ IAS 33)

RESTRICTED STOCK PROGRAM FEBRUARY 7, 2013 KEY EMPLOYEE AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Unofficial English translation - For information purposes only

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc

Voya IUL Global Choice

Regulatory Notice 11-14

SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION EDGAR FILING SONIC FOUNDRY INC. Form: 8-K. Date Filed:

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

EITF Roundup. June 2005 Table of Contents. Audit and Enterprise Risk Services. by Gordon McDonald, Deloitte & Touche LLP

FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL YEAR 2018 Earnings Conference Call & Presentation. December 6, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. CT (10:00 a.m. ET)

Sections 13 and 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act )

IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE ) ) ) ) ) C.A. No. VERIFIED PETITION FOR RELIEF UNDER 8 DEL. C. 205

SEC ADOPTS NEW FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND PERIODIC REPORTING RULES FOR GUARANTEED SECURITIES

Transcription:

MEMO TO THE PARTNER PROPOSED ANTI-DILUTION PROVISION TO: FROM: RE: ADAM G. SMITH Senior Partner New Associate Proposed Anti-dilution Provision for the Certificate of Designations, Rights, and Preferences of $2.33 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, of Marine Voyages, Inc. Establishing the Series A Preferred Stock to Be Issued to Sea Coast Capital I. INTRODUCTION As you requested in your Memorandum of April 7, 2006, I have drafted one of the key anti-dilution provisions that will be included in the Certificate of Designations establishing the $2.33 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share (the Series A Preferred Stock ), of Marine Voyages, Inc. ( Marine or the Corporation ), which will be issued to our client, Sea Coast Capital ( Sea Coast ). Attached to this Memorandum for your review is Rider C, which contains a draft of the requested anti-dilution provision and a list of certain defined terms relevant to that provision. Subject to your approval, the anti-dilution provision and associated defined terms contained in Rider C should be incorporated into the appropriate sections of the Certificate of Designations. The remainder of the terms and provisions of the Certificate of Designations have been drafted, in part, by other associates at our firm and, in part, by attorneys at Harris, McGee & Wagner, the law firm representing Marine in this transaction. In the remainder of this Memorandum I will (i) describe the transactional context in which Marine s issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock to Sea Coast will occur, (ii) describe the key substantive issues raised by Marine s issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock to Sea Coast in this transactional context and the key substantive issues addressed by the draft provisions contained in Rider C, and (iii) explain the rationale underlying the majority of my drafting choices. Unless otherwise indicated, any defined term used in this Memorandum has the same meaning given to that term in the attached provisions of Rider C. Any term not defined in this Memorandum or Adam G. Smith is an associate with the law firm of Watkins & McNeilly, PLLC in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 2006 Graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and a 2003 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. Mr. Smith practices primarily in the areas of estate planning and corporate law. 433

434 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 in the attached provisions of Rider C has the meaning given to that term in previously drafted provisions of the Certificate of Designations. II. TRANSACTIONAL CONTEXT Our client, Sea Coast, is an up-and-coming venture capital firm organized under the laws of the State of New York. Sea Coast was recently approached by Marine, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware that is in need of an immediate capital infusion. In the last three years, Marine has emerged as a leader in the recreational deep-sea fishing industry. It currently owns and operates more than seventy-five deep-sea fishing charters along the United States East and Gulf Coasts. Despite Marine s past success and profitability, however, Marine is currently in a financial crunch as a result of several critical oversights on the part of Marine s senior management. On August 29, 2005, seventeen charter boats previously operated by Marine on an almost daily basis were damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Katrina. Unbeknownst to Marine s senior management, the Corporation s insurance policies on eleven of these boats had expired nearly six months prior to the catastrophe. Marine now desires to replace the eleven uninsured charter boats with new, improved charter boats and is in need of the capital necessary to do so (the Needed Capital ). Marine estimates that eleven new charter boats will cost approximately five million dollars. Marine contacted numerous potential investors prior to contacting Sea Coast; however, these potential investors showed little, if any, interest in providing Marine with the Needed Capital. Marine currently has one issued and outstanding class of common stock, which stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE ). Marine desires to designate a new series of cumulative convertible preferred stock (i.e., the Series A Preferred Stock) for issuance to Sea Coast in order to raise the Needed Capital. Pursuant to section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL ), Marine s certificate of incorporation contains a provision establishing blank check preferred stock. Under this provision of Marine s certificate of incorporation, Marine s board of directors (the Board ) may establish by resolution of the Board and in accordance with Delaware law series of preferred stock with those voting powers... and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as may be determined by the Board. 1 1 This language from the fictitious Marine Voyages, Inc. s certificate of incorporation is taken from DGCL section 151(a). See DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 8, 151(a) (2007).

2007] MEMO TO THE PARTNER 435 Marine s certificate of incorporation authorizes Marine to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of common stock and up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Marine has issued 10,000,000 shares of common stock to date, all of which are currently outstanding. Marine has issued no preferred stock. Based on Marine s past profitability and, more importantly, its planned expansion to the United States West Coast (the West Coast Expansion ) within the next five to seven years, Sea Coast believes that investing in Marine could be very profitable. Sea Coast is concerned, however, about Marine entering into future financing arrangements to fund the West Coast Expansion. Specifically, Sea Coast is extremely concerned that the per share value of its investment in Marine will decline if Marine issues additional common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into its common stock, to finance the West Coast Expansion. Marine and Sea Coast already have reached a tentative agreement on a majority of the provisions to be included in the Certificate of Designations. Marine and Sea Coast have not yet reached an agreement, however, regarding the type of anti-dilution provisions and protections to be included in the Certificate of Designations. Sea Coast has asked us to draft certain anti-dilution provisions that will be a part of the Conversion provisions contained in the Certificate of Designations establishing the Series A Preferred Stock. Specifically, Sea Coast has asked that we draft the anti-dilution provisions necessary to protect it from a future decline in the per share value of its upcoming investment in Marine resulting from Marine selling or issuing, after the Original Issue Date and at a price below the then applicable Conversion Price, additional shares of its common stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into its common stock. 2 III. KEY SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES A. Does Marine s Board have the authority to issue the Series A Preferred Stock by Board resolution? If so, does Marine s Board have the authority to provide for the inclusion of anti-dilution provisions in the Certificate of Designations establishing the Series A Preferred Stock? B. Which of the two primary types of anti-dilution provisions most commonly used to protect an investor against a decline in the per share value of its 2 The sale or issuance by a company of its common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into its common stock, under these circumstances is sometimes referred to as a down round of financing or a dilutive stock issuance. See Dan M. Mahoney, Down Round Financings: How to Cope With Lower Valuations for Your Client Company, BUS. L. TODAY, Jan.-Feb. 2002, at 20, available at http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/blt/2002-01-02/mahoney.html [hereinafter Mahoney]. For convenience, the term dilutive stock issuance will be used consistently throughout this Memorandum.

436 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 investment in the convertible preferred stock of a corporation resulting from a dilutive stock issuance (i.e., full-ratchet and weighted average provisions) is most appropriate in light of both Marine s and Sea Coast s goals and concerns, and the transactional context in general? C. What, if any, sales or issuances (or deemed sales or issuances) of Marine common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into Marine common stock, should be exempted from triggering an adjustment to the Conversion Price of the Series A Preferred Stock? IV. ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC DRAFTING CHOICES A. Major Drafting Choices 1. Authority to Issue the Series A Preferred Stock by Board Resolution DGCL section 151(a) provides, in pertinent part, that a corporation may issue... [one] or more series of stock with such voting powers... and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as are provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such stock adopted by the board of directors pursuant to authority expressly vested in it by the provisions of its certificate of incorporation. 3 Further, as previously noted, Marine s certificate of incorporation contains a provision establishing blank check preferred stock. Under this provision, Marine s Board may establish, by resolution, series of preferred stock having those voting powers,... and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as may be determined by the Board. 4 Accordingly, both DGCL section 151(a) and Marine s certificate of incorporation give the Board the necessary authority to issue the Series A Preferred Stock by resolution. 2. Authority for the Inclusion of Conversion and Anti-dilution Provisions in the Certificate of Designations Establishing the Series A Preferred Stock The DGCL expressly provides for a corporation s issuance of convertible stock. DGCL section 151(e) provides that any shares of any series of a corporation s stock may be made convertible into... shares of any other class or classes or any 3 DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 8, 151(a). 4 This language from the fictitious Marine Voyages, Inc. s certificate of incorporation is taken from DGCL section 151(a). See id.

2007] MEMO TO THE PARTNER 437 other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the corporation. 5 Further, Marine s certificate of incorporation specifically provides that the Board may issue one or more series of preferred stock that are convertible into, or exchangeable for,... shares of any other class or classes or any other series of... any other class or classes of stock of the corporation. 6 Accordingly, under both the DGCL and Marine s certificate of incorporation, the Board has the authority to include in the Certificate of Designations establishing the Series A Preferred Stock the provisions necessary to make the Series A Preferred Stock convertible into Marine common stock. DGCL section 151(e) also provides that shares of any convertible stock may be convertible at such price or prices... and with such adjustments as [are] stated in the certificate of incorporation or in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such stock adopted by the board of directors. 7 Additionally, Marine s certificate of incorporation provides, in part, that the Board may fix, by resolution, the times, prices, rates, adjustments, and other terms and conditions of conversion associated with any convertible preferred stock to be issued by the Corporation. Therefore, under both DGCL section 151(e) and Marine s certificate of incorporation, the Board has the authority to include anti-dilution provisions in the Certificate of Designations establishing the Series A Preferred Stock. 3. Choice of Type of Anti-dilution Provision In order to protect Sea Coast from a decline in the per share value of its initial investment in Marine, provision should be made for the Conversion Price to be adjusted in the event Marine sells or issues (or is deemed to sell or issue) additional shares of its common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into its common stock, at a price below the Conversion Price in effect immediately before the sale or issuance (or deemed sale or issuance) after the Original Issue Date. 8 5 Id. 151(e). 6 This language from the fictitious Marine Voyages, Inc. s certificate of incorporation is taken from DGCL section 151(e). See id. 7 Id.; see also Wood v. Coastal States Gas Corp., 401 A.2d 932 (Del. 1979) (implicitly sanctioning the inclusion of anti-dilution provisions in a certificate of designations establishing convertible preferred stock and discussing and construing anti-dilution provisions in the context of convertible preferred stock). 8 See Michael A. Woronoff & Jonathan A. Rosen, Understanding Anti-dilution Provisions In Convertible Securities, 74 FORDHAM L. REV. 129, 143 (2005) ( A conversion-price formula protects against

438 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 Each of the precedent documents that I reviewed while drafting Rider C (the Precedent Documents ) contained either a full-ratchet conversion price adjustment provision ( CPAP ) or a weighted average CPAP. 9 For the reasons stated below, I believe that including a full-ratchet CPAP in the Certificate of Designations establishing the Series A Preferred Stock is most appropriate in light of Marine s and Sea Coast s goals and concerns, and the transactional context in general. Generally, in the event of a dilutive stock issuance, a typical weighted average CPAP reduces the then applicable conversion price to the average price received by the issuer for subsequent stock issuances. 10 This reduction to the then applicable conversion price usually is made by taking into account the amount of capital raised by the issuer, the price at which this capital is raised, and the issuer s overall capitalization both before and after the dilutive stock issuance. 11 Although often regarded as being fairer than full-ratchet CPAPs, 12 and almost always favored by issuers of convertible securities, 13 weighted average CPAPs simply do not provide investors with as much protection against dilutive stock issuances as full-ratchet CPAPs. On the other hand, in the event an issuer of convertible preferred stock issues additional common stock (or securities convertible or exchangeable into its common stock) at a price below the conversion price in effect immediately before the issuance, a full-ratchet CPAP serves to reduce the conversion price in effect immediately before the issuance to the exact price per share at which the new shares are issued. 14 Although issuers of convertible stock are typically opposed to providing economic dilution from initial investment, adjusting the conversion price whenever additional shares of common stock are issued at a price below the then-current conversion price. ) [hereinafter Woronoff & Rosen]. 9 Full-ratchet and weighted average are the two most common types of conversion price formulas used to protect investors from dilutive stock issuances. See id. at 145. 10 See id. at 147 (stating that, under a weighted-average conversion price adjustment provision, the conversion price is reduced to the weighted-average price per share of securities issued (or deemed issued) both prior to and in the dilutive issuance, generally treating all stock outstanding (or deemed outstanding) prior to the dilutive issuance as being issued at the conversion price in effect immediately prior to the dilutive issuance (footnote omitted)). 11 See id. at 147-48. 12 See id. at 145 (stating that [f]ull-ratchet anti-dilution protection is viewed by many as unfair ). 13 See Mahoney, supra note 2, at 22 (stating that a company should be aware of the different types of anti-dilution provisions the preferable weighted-average and the more punitive full-ratchet ). 14 See Woronoff & Rosen, supra note 8, at 145 ( Under the full-ratchet approach, the conversion price

2007] MEMO TO THE PARTNER 439 the use of full- investors with the protections afforded by a full-ratchet CPAP, 15 ratchet CPAPs is appropriate in certain circumstances. 16 My decision to include a full-ratchet CPAP in the Certificate of Designations is based on two primary factual observations. First, Marine is presently between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Marine is in dire need of the capital necessary to purchase eleven new charter boats. Marine has determined that it cannot operate its business profitably without purchasing and operating eleven new charter boats to replace the eleven uninsured charter boats damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Further, despite numerous attempts, Marine has been unable to obtain the Needed Capital from other reliable sources. For various undisclosed reasons, other potential investors contacted by Marine have shown little, if any, interest in investing in Marine. Thus, if Marine is unable to obtain the Needed Capital from Sea Coast, Marine may ultimately be forced to discontinue its operations entirely. Based on these observations, one can rationally conclude that Sea Coast enjoys a very strong bargaining position and should be able to demand the heightened protections of a full-ratchet CPAP. Second, Sea Coast has (as would any potential investor) some justifiable concerns about the competence of Marine s senior management. As mentioned above, Marine is ultimately in this position because of several critical managerial oversights. Again, this fact weakens Marine s bargaining position, strengthens Sea Coast s bargaining position, and provides a reasonable justification for Sea Coast to demand the heightened protections of a full-ratchet CPAP. 4. Exempted Issuances The Precedent Documents (and, in general, most anti-dilution provisions) provide for a varying number of types of sales or issuances of a corporation s common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into the corporation s common stock, that are specifically exempted from triggering a conversion price adjustment (collectively, the Exempted Issuances ). 17 After carefully reviewing the Precedent Documents and other applicable legal commentary, I concluded that five is reduced to the exact price per share paid in the dilutive issuance, in effect allowing the holder of the convertible security to receive stock at that lower price. ). 15 Id. at 146-47. 16 See Mahoney, supra note 2, at 22 (stating that the existence of a full-ratchet anti-dilution provision is usually an indication that the company [obtaining financing from a venture capital firm] had minimal leverage during the negotiating process ). 17 Note that in the absence of these Exempted Issuances, the conversion price would be subject to adjustment.

440 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 Exempted Issuances should be provided for in Rider C. I incorporated these five Exempted Issuances into Rider C by defining them as Exempted Securities. This term is, in turn, expressly excluded from the definition of Additional Common Stock. My rationale for providing each of the Exempted Issuances follows. First, I provided that the issuance of shares of Common Stock... upon the conversion or exercise, as appropriate, of Convertible Securities, Options, or Warrants issued prior to the Original Issue Date will not trigger an adjustment of the Conversion Price. Because the number of Convertible Securities, Options, and Warrants issued by Marine and currently outstanding is known, these Convertible Securities, Options, and Warrants already have been taken into account in a previously completed valuation of Marine and in establishing the per share price that Sea Coast will pay for the Series A Preferred Stock. 18 Second, I defined Exempted Securities to include shares of Common Stock issued or deemed issued as a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock[.] No Conversion Price adjustment is needed upon the issuance or deemed issuance of Marine common stock as a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock because whatever dilutive effect [the] dividend [or distribution] might have on stockholders generally, [the] dividend [or distribution] would be accretive to the Series A Preferred Stock. 19 Third, I defined Exempted Securities to include shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock[.] Although it is unlikely that a holder of Series A preferred Stock would elect to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock at a price below the then applicable Conversion Price, conversion on these terms is theoretically possible. 20 Accordingly, I chose to err on the side of caution and make clear that the conversion of Series A Preferred Stock at a price below the then current Conversion Price will not trigger a Conversion Price Adjustment. 21 18 See David A. Broadwin, An Introduction to Antidilution Provisions (Part 1), PRAC. LAW., June 2004, at 27, 31, available at http://www.fhe.com/files/tbl_s47details%5cfileupload265%5c120%5ctpl0406- broadwinjun04.pdf ( Because outstanding securities are known at the time of the transaction, they can, and should, be taken into account in the valuation of the issuer and its securities ) [hereinafter Broadwin]. 19 Id. 20 As we discussed, a rational investor only would elect to convert at a price below the then current conversion price if the investor gets something valuable (e.g., voting rights) to make up for the negative spread (i.e., the difference between the high Conversion Price and the lower market price). 21 The author acknowledges that providing for this Exempted Issuance is, arguably, unnecessary. See Broadwin, supra note 18, at 31 (recognizing such an Exempted Issuance, but stating that an exception

2007] MEMO TO THE PARTNER 441 Fourth, I defined Exempted Securities to include shares of Common Stock issued or issuable by reason of a dividend, stock split, split-up, or other distribution on shares of Common Stock, to the extent the dividend, stock split, split-up, or other distribution results in an adjustment to the Conversion Price under another provision of the Certificate of Designations. This exemption is needed to promote consistency within the Certificate of Designations and to ensure that a single dividend, stock split, split-up, or other distribution on the Marine common stock does not result in multiple adjustments to the Conversion Price. Finally, I defined Exempted Securities to include any shares of Common Stock the issuance or deemed issuance of which has been approved by the holders of a majority of the then issued and outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock. This exemption is important for at least two somewhat interrelated reasons. First, this exemption provides Marine with the flexibility to pursue and engage in future business transactions without the threat of an automatic Conversion Price adjustment. 22 Second, including this exemption and, thus, providing Marine with the abovementioned flexibility, makes it much more likely that Marine will not object to the provisions of Rider C as drafted. In essence, this exemption serves indirectly to lessen the harsh impact that the full-ratchet CPAP could have on Marine in the future. B. Other, Less Significant Drafting Choices In addition to the major drafting choices discussed above, I made the following less significant, but notable, drafting choices when drafting Rider C: Rather than list the issuances or deemed issuances of Marine common stock that will not trigger an adjustment to the Conversion Price under the anti-dilution provision in Rider C within the provision entitled Adjustment of Conversion Price Upon Issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock, I chose to use the term Additional Shares of Common Stock in the anti-dilution provision and then define Additional Shares of Common Stock to expressly exclude these issuances or deemed issuances of Marine common stock. This drafting choice significantly simplifies and improves the readability of the anti-dilution provision. for issuances of [s]ecurities issued upon the conversion of the [convertible] preferred stock itself... does not seem necessary since preferred stock is never converted below the applicable conversion rate ). 22 See id. at 32 (providing that the purpose of an exception for approved issuances is to provide an issuer with flexibility to pursue reasonable business activities ).

442 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 I chose to include the following introductory statement immediately following the heading Adjustments to Conversion Price : The Conversion Price and, as a result, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section ( ). Although most of the Precedent Documents did not contain a similar introductory statement, I believe that including the introductory statement is beneficial because it succinctly clarifies what is subject to adjustment. It also serves as a transition into the Conversion Price adjustment provisions that follow. Empty parentheses ( ( ) ) have been left to denote the Section or Subsection numbers of various provisions in Rider C. This drafting choice will facilitate the incorporation of the provisions of Rider C into the complete Certificate of Designations. As you requested, to the greatest extent possible, I drafted the provisions of Rider C in plain English.

RIDER C CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS, RIGHTS, AND PREFERENCES OF $2.33 CUMULATIVE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES A, OF MARINE VOYAGES, INC. SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS. Unless expressly provided otherwise, for purposes of this Certificate of Designations, Rights, and Preferences of $2.33 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, of Marine Voyages, Inc. (the Certificate of Designations ), the following terms shall have the following meanings: 23 ( ) Additional Shares of Common Stock shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued or sold (or, under Section ( ) of this Certificate of Designations, deemed to be issued or sold) by the Corporation after the Original Issue Date, other than Exempted Securities; ( ) Conversion Price shall have the meaning set forth in Section ( ) of this Certificate of Designations; ( ) Corporation shall mean Marine Voyages, Inc., a Delaware corporation; ( ) Exempted Securities shall mean: (i) shares of Common Stock issued or deemed issued upon the conversion or exercise, as appropriate, of Convertible Securities, Options, or Warrants issued prior to the Original Issue Date, provided, however, that the Convertible Securities, Options, or Warrants have not been amended after the Original Issue Date so as to increase the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Convertible Securities, Options, or Warrants or to lower the conversion or exercise price, as appropriate, of the Convertible Securities, Options, or Warrants; (ii) shares of Common Stock issued or deemed issued as a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock; 23 Note that for further clarification, with terms defined in the singular having comparable meanings when used in the plural and terms defined in the plural having comparable meanings when used in the singular could be inserted immediately following meaning. I believe, however, that the insertion of a plurals clause in the boilerplate or miscellaneous provisions section of the Certificate of Designations is a better way to provide any needed clarification.

444 TRANSACTIONS: THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LAW [VOL. 8 (iii) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock; (iv) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable by reason of a dividend, stock split, split-up, or other distribution on shares of Common Stock, but only to the extent the dividend, stock split, splitup, or other distribution results in an adjustment to the Conversion Price under Section ( ) of this Certificate of Designations; or (v) shares of Common Stock the issuance or deemed issuance of which has been approved by the holders of a majority of the then issued and outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock; 24 ( ) Original Issue Date shall mean the date on which the first share of Series A Preferred Stock is issued. --------------------------------------- SECTION ( ). CONVERSION. ( ) Adjustments to Conversion Price. The Conversion Price and, as a result, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section ( ). ( ) Adjustment of Conversion Price Upon Issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock. If the Corporation issues or sells (or, under Section ( ) of this Certificate of Designations, is deemed to issue or sell) Additional Shares of Common Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date for no consideration or for a consideration per Additional Share of Common Stock that is less than the Conversion Price in effect on the date of and immediately prior to the issuance or sale (or deemed issuance or sale), then the Conversion Price will be reduced concurrently with the issuance or sale (or deemed issuance or sale) to a price equal to the lowest price per share at which any Additional Share of Common Stock is issued or sold (or deemed to be issued or sold). 24 With regard to these approved issuances, Marine may seek to obtain a Certificate of Designations provision providing that the approval of the holders of a majority of the then issued and outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock will not be unreasonably withheld. If it so desires, Sea Coast can use its agreement to the insertion of an approval will not be unreasonably withheld clause as a bargaining chip in future negotiations. Further, even if an approval will not be unreasonably withheld clause is agreed upon, we may want to insert the clause in the Certificate of Designations as a stand alone provision and then define what will and will not amount to approval being unreasonably withheld.