UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): May 17, 2023
NOV INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Delaware | 1-12317 | 76-0475815 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
10353 Richmond Ave. Houston, Texas |
77042 | |||
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code 346-223-3000
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐ | Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communication pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communication pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
||
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | NOV | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On May 17, 2023, the Board of Directors of NOV Inc. (the “Company”) approved and adopted a form of indemnification agreement to be entered into by the Company with its directors, officers and certain other key employees (the “Indemnification Agreement”). Additionally, on May 17, 2023, the Company entered into Indemnification Agreements with each of its directors and executive officers.
The Indemnification Agreement requires the Company to indemnify the Company’s directors and officers, to the fullest extent permitted by law, for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, penalties, fines and settlement amounts actually and reasonably incurred in any action or proceeding arising out of or related to out of their services as one of the Company’s directors or officers or as a director or officer of any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at the Company’s request.
The foregoing description of the indemnification agreements is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the form of indemnification agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
At the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company held on May 17, 2023, the stockholders of the Company approved an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to provide for exculpation of liability for officers of the Company for certain breaches of fiduciary duties, similar to the protections currently available for directors of the Company. The Company filed the Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State’s office, which became effective as of May 17, 2023.
A copy of the Company’s Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is attached as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.07 | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders |
On May 17, 2023, the Company held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders where the following matters were voted upon and approved by the Company’s stockholders:
1. the election of eight members to the Board of Directors;
2. the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for 2023;
3. the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers;
4. the frequency for the advisory vote on named executive officer compensation to be conducted on an annual basis; and
5. the approval of an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to provide for exculpation of liability for officers of the Company.
The following is a summary of the voting results for each matter presented to the Company’s stockholders:
1. Election of directors: | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON- VOTES |
||||
Clay C. Williams |
339,830,912 | 10,812,123 | 388,028 | 19,046,107 | ||||
Greg L. Armstrong |
324,298,984 | 26,457,394 | 274,685 | 19,046,107 | ||||
Marcela E. Donadio |
333,312,952 | 17,441,465 | 276,646 | 19,046,107 | ||||
Ben A. Guill |
326,414,848 | 24,317,137 | 299,078 | 19,046,107 | ||||
David D. Harrison |
326,637,940 | 24,117,496 | 275,627 | 19,046,107 | ||||
Eric L. Mattson |
329,542,898 | 21,210,937 | 277,228 | 19,046,107 | ||||
William R. Thomas |
347,358,299 | 3,392,725 | 280,039 | 19,046,107 | ||||
Robert S. Welborn |
295,360,621 | 54,041,260 | 1,629,182 | 19,046,107 |
The eight directors nominated by the Board of Directors were re-elected to serve one-year terms expiring in 2024. There were no nominees to office other than the directors elected.
FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON- VOTES |
|||||
2. Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for 2023 |
348,865,203 | 20,936,043 | 275,924 | 0 |
FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON- VOTES |
|||||
3. Approval of the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers |
336,552,287 | 14,138,035 | 340,741 | 19,046,107 |
ONE YEAR | TWO YEARS | THREE YEARS |
ABSTAIN | BROKER NON-VOTES |
||||||
4. Frequency for the advisory vote on the Company’s named executive officer compensation |
343,485,630 | 34,541 | 7,169,185 | 341,707 | 19,046,107 |
The stockholders approved the advisory vote on named executive officer compensation to be conducted on an annual basis. Based on the vote, the Company intends to hold a say on pay vote every year.
FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | BROKER NON- VOTES |
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5. Approval of an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to provide for exculpation of liability for officers of the Company |
317,476,553 | 33,199,335 | 355,175 | 19,046,107 |
Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit |
Exhibit Title or Description |
|
3.1 | Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NOV Inc. | |
10.1 | Form of Indemnification Agreement | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: May 18, 2023 | NOV INC. | |||||
/s/ Brigitte M. Hunt |
||||||
Brigitte M. Hunt | ||||||
Vice President |
Exhibit 3.1
SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOV INC.
NOV Inc. a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. The present name of the Corporation is NOV Inc. and the original name of the Corporation was Now Holdings, Inc. The Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on July 14, 1995.
2. This Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as set forth in Title 8 of the Delaware Code.
3. The text of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
FIRST: The name of the Corporation is NOV Inc.
SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle 19801. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: CAPITAL STOCK.
I. AUTHORIZED SHARES
The total number of shares of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is, 1,010,000,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of (i) 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share (“Common Shares”) and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).
The Common Shares shall have the rights, preferences and limitations set forth below. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in Parts I or II of this Article Fourth are defined in Part III of this Article Fourth.
II. COMMON SHARES
Except as otherwise provided in this Part II or as otherwise required by applicable law, all shares of Common Stock shall be identical in all respects and shall entitle the holders thereof to the same rights and privileges, subject to the same qualifications, limitations and restrictions.
SECTION 1. VOTING RIGHTS. Except as otherwise provided in this Part II or as otherwise required by applicable law, all holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation’s stockholders.
SECTION 2. STOCK SPLITS AND STOCK DIVIDENDS. The Corporation shall not in any manner subdivide (by stock split, stock dividend or otherwise) or combine (by stock split, stock dividend or otherwise) the outstanding Common Shares of one class unless the outstanding Common Shares of the other class shall be proportionately subdivided or combined. All such subdivisions and combinations shall be payable only in Common Stock to the holders of Common Stock.
SECTION 3. REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER. The Corporation shall keep at its principal office (or such other place as the Corporation reasonably designates) a register for the registration of Common Shares. Upon surrender of any certificate representing shares of any class of Common Shares at such place, the Corporation shall, at the request of the registered holder of such certificate, execute and deliver a new certificate or certificates in exchange therefore representing in the aggregate the number of shares of such class represented by the surrendered certificate, and the Corporation forthwith shall cancel such surrendered certificate. Each such new certificate will be registered in such name and will represent such number of shares of such class as is requested by the holder of the surrendered certificate and shall be substantially identical in form to the surrendered certificate. The issuance of new certificates shall be made without charge to the holders of the surrendered certificates for any issuance tax in respect thereof or other cost incurred by the Corporation in connection with such issuance.
SECTION 4. REPLACEMENT. Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation (an affidavit of the registered holder will be satisfactory) of the ownership and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any certificate evidencing one or more shares of any class of Common Shares, and in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction, upon receipt of indemnity reasonable satisfactory to the Corporation (provided that if the holder is a financial institution or other institutional investor its own agreement will be satisfactory), or, in the case of any such mutilation upon surrender of such certificate, the Corporation shall (at its expense) execute and deliver in lieu of such certificate a new certificate of like kind representing the number of shares of such class represented by such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate and dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate.
SECTION 5. NOTICES. All notices referred to herein shall be in writing, shall be delivered personally or by first class mail, postage prepaid, and shall be deemed to have been given when so delivered or mailed to the Corporation at its principal executive offices and to any stockholder at such holder’s address as it appears in the stock records of the Corporation (unless otherwise specified in a written notice to the Corporation by such holder).
SECTION 6. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Article Fourth shall be effective without prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding Common Shares voting as a single class; provided that no amendment as to any terms or provisions of, or for the benefit of, any class of Common Shares that adversely affects the powers, preferences or special rights of such class of Common Shares shall be effective without the prior consent of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of such affected class of Common Shares, voting as a single class.
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III. DEFINITIONS
“DISTRIBUTION” means each distribution made by the Corporation to holders of Common Shares, whether in cash, property or securities of the Corporation or any other entity and whether by a dividend, liquidating distributions or otherwise; provided that neither of the following shall be a Distribution: (a) any redemption or repurchase by the Corporation of any Common Shares for any reason or (b) any recapitalization or exchange of any Common Shares for other securities of the Corporation, or any subdivision (by stock split, stock dividend or otherwise) or any combination (by stock split, stock dividend or otherwise) of any outstanding Common Shares.
“GENERAL CORPORATION LAW” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time.
IV. PREFERRED STOCK
The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more classes or series, the shares of each class or series to have any designations and powers, preferences, and rights, and qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof as are stated and expressed in this Article IV and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such class or series adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation as hereinafter prescribed.
Authority is hereby expressly granted to and vested in the board of directors of the Corporation to authorize the issuance of the Preferred Stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, and with respect to each class or series of the Preferred Stock, to state by the resolution or resolutions from time to time adopted providing for the issuance thereof the following:
(i) | whether or not the class or series is to have voting rights, special, or limited, or is to be without voting rights, and whether or not such class or series is to be entitled to vote as a separate class either alone or together with the holders of one or more other classes or series of stock; |
(ii) | the number of shares to constitute the class or series and the designations thereof; |
(iii) | the preferences and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, if any, with respect to any class or series; |
(iv) | whether or not the shares of any class or series shall be redeemable at the option of the Corporation or the holders thereof or upon the happening of any specified event, and, if redeemable, the redemption price or prices (which may be payable in the form of cash, notes, securities, or other property), and the time or times at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such shares shall be redeemable and the manner of redemption; |
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(v) | whether or not the shares of a class or series shall be subject to the operation of retirement or sinking funds to be applied to the purchase or redemption of such shares for retirement, and, if such retirement or sinking fund or funds are to be established, the periodic amount thereof, and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof; |
(vi) | the dividend rate, whether dividends are payable in cash, stock of the Corporation, or other property, the conditions upon which and the times when such dividends are payable, the preference to or the relation to the payment of dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of stock, whether or not such dividends shall be cumulative or noncumulative, and if cumulative, the date or dates from which such dividends shall accumulate; |
(vii) | the preferences, if any, and the amounts thereof which the holders of any class or series thereof shall be entitled to receive upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation; |
(viii) | whether or not the shares of any class or series, at the option of the Corporation or the holder thereof or upon the happening of any specified event, shall be convertible into or exchangeable for the shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock, securities, or other property of the Corporation and the conversion price or prices or ratio or ratios of the rate or rates at which such conversion or exchange may be made, with such adjustments, if any, as shall be stated and expressed or provided for in such resolution or resolutions; and |
(ix) | any other special rights and protective provisions with respect to any class or series as may to the board of directors of the Corporation seem advisable. |
The shares of each class or series of the Preferred Stock may vary from the shares of any other class or series thereof in any or all of the foregoing respects and in any other manner. The board of directors of the Corporation may increase the number of shares of the Preferred Stock designated for any existing class or series by a resolution adding to such class or series authorized and unissued shares of the Preferred Stock not designated for any other class or series. The board of directors of the Corporation may decrease the number of shares of the Preferred Stock designated for any existing class or series by a resolution subtracting from such class or series authorized and unissued shares of the Preferred Stock designated for such existing class or series, and the shares so subtracted shall become authorized, unissued, and undesignated shares of the Preferred Stock. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holder is required pursuant to any Preferred Stock Series Resolution.
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V. NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS
No holder of shares of stock of the Corporation shall have any preemptive or other rights, except such rights as are expressly provided by contract, to purchase or subscribe for or receive any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock of the Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized, or any warrants, options, bonds, debentures or other securities convertible into, exchangeable for or carrying any right to purchase any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock; but such additional shares of stock and such warrants, options, bonds, debentures or other securities convertible into, exchangeable for or carrying any right to purchase any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock may be issued or disposed of by the board of directors to such persons, and on such terms and for such lawful consideration, as in its discretion it shall deem advisable or as to which the Corporation shall have by binding contract agreed.
VI. REGISTERED OWNER
The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the person in whose name any share of its stock is registered as the owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such share on the part of any other person, whether or not the Corporation shall have notice thereof, except as expressly provided by applicable law.
VII. GENERAL
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation may issue shares of its Preferred Stock and Common Stock from time to time for such consideration (not less than the par value thereof) as may be fixed by the board of directors of the Corporation, which is expressly authorized to fix the same in its absolute discretion subject to the foregoing conditions. Shares so issued for which the consideration shall have been paid or delivered to the Corporation shall be deemed fully paid stock and shall not be liable to any further call or assessment thereon, and the holders of such shares shall not be liable for any further payments in respect of such shares.
The Corporation shall have authority to create and issue rights and options entitling their holders to purchase shares of the Corporation’s capital stock of any class or series or other securities of the Corporation, and such rights and options shall be evidenced by instrument(s) approved by the board of directors of the Corporation. The board of directors of the Corporation shall be empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise, and other terms of such rights or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock subject thereto shall not be less than the par value thereof.
FIFTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:
I. DIRECTORS
The number, classification, and terms of the board of directors of the Corporation and the procedures to elect directors, to remove directors, and to fill vacancies in the board of directors shall be as follows:
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(a) The number of directors that shall constitute the whole board of directors shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by the board of directors by a resolution adopted by a majority of the whole board of directors serving at the time of that vote. In no event shall the number of directors that constitute the whole board of directors be fewer than three. No decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. Directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the by-laws of the Corporation otherwise provide.
(b) Commencing at the annual meeting of stockholders held in calendar year 2012 (the “2012 Annual Meeting”), each director shall be elected annually for a term of one year and
shall hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting; provided, however, each director elected at the annual meeting of stockholders in calendar year 2010 shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in calendar year 2013 and each director elected at the annual meeting of stockholders in calendar year 2011 shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in calendar year 2014. In all cases, each director shall hold office until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.
(c) Vacancies in the board of directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or other cause and newly-created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled by no less than a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, though less than a quorum or by the sole remaining director (but not by the stockholders except as required by law), and each director so chosen shall hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, or removal from office.
(d) A director of any class of directors of the Corporation elected prior to the 2012 Annual Meeting may be removed before the expiration date of that director’s term of office, only for cause, by an affirmative vote of the holders of not less than eighty percent (80%) of the votes of the outstanding shares of the class or classes or series of stock then entitled to be voted at an election of directors of that class or series, voting together as a single class, cast at the annual meeting of stockholders or at any special meeting of stockholders called by a majority of the whole board of directors for this purpose. Any other director may be removed from office with or without cause.
II. POWER TO AMEND BY-LAWS
The by-laws may be altered or repealed and new By-laws may be adopted (a) at any annual or special meeting of stockholders if notice of the proposed alteration, repeal or adoption of the new by-law or by-laws be contained in the notice of such annual or special meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, voting together as a single class, or (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at any regular meeting of the board of directors, or at any special meeting of the board of directors, without any action on the part of the stockholders, if notice of the proposed alteration, repeal or adoption of the new by-law or by-laws be contained in the notice of such regular or special meeting.
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III. STOCKHOLDERS’ ACTION — SPECIAL MEETINGS
After October 15, 1996, no action required to be taken or that may be taken at any meeting of common stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, and, after such date, the power of common stockholders to consent in writing, without a meeting, to the taking of any action is specifically denied.
Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation, and any proposals to be considered at such meetings, may be called and proposed exclusively by (i) the Chairman of the Board, (ii) the President or (iii) the board of directors, pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the members of the board of directors at the time in office, and no stockholder of the Corporation shall require the board of directors to call a special meeting of common stockholders or to propose business at a special meeting of stockholders. Except as otherwise required by law or regulation, no business proposed by a stockholder to be considered at an annual meeting of the stockholders (including the nomination of any person to be elected as a director of the Corporation) shall be considered by the stockholders at that meeting unless, no later than ninety (90) days before the annual meeting of stockholders or (if later) ten days after the first public notice of that meeting is sent to stockholders, the Corporation receives from the stockholder proposing that business a written notice that sets forth (1) the nature of the proposed business with reasonable particularity, including the exact text of any proposal to be presented for adoption, and the reasons for conducting that business at an annual meeting; (2) with respect to each such stockholder, that stockholder’s name and address (as they appear on the records of the Corporation), business address and telephone number, residence address and telephone number, and the number of shares of each class of stock of the Corporation beneficially owned by that stockholder; (3) any interest of the stockholder in the proposed business; (4) the name or names of each person nominated by the stockholder to be elected or re-elected as a director, if any; and (5) with respect to each nominee, that nominee’s name, business address and telephone number, and residence address and telephone number, the number of shares, if any, of each class of stock of the Corporation owned directly and beneficially by that nominee, and all information relating to that nominee that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for elections of directors, or is otherwise required, pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (or any provision of law subsequently replacing Regulation 14A), together with a duly acknowledged letter signed by the nominee stating his or her acceptance of the nomination by that stockholder, stating his or her intention to serve as director if elected, and consenting to being named as a nominee for director in any proxy statement relating to such election. The person presiding at the annual meeting shall determine whether business (including the nomination of any person as a director) has been properly brought before the meeting and, if the facts so warrant, shall not permit any business (or voting with respect to any particular nominee) to be transacted that has not been properly brought before the meeting. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than eighty percent (80%) of the shares of the Corporation then entitled to be voted in an election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article Fifth.
SIXTH: ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS AND INDEMNIFICATION
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I. ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, directors and officers (as defined in Section 102(b)(7) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the “Officers”) of the Corporation shall have no personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except that this Article Sixth shall not eliminate or limit the liability of (i) a director or officer for any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) a director or officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) a director under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, (iv) a director or officer for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit, or (v) an officer in any action by or in the right of the Corporation. Any amendment or repeal of this Part I of this Article Sixth shall be prospective only, and neither the amendment nor repeal of this Part I of this Article Sixth shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Part I of this Article Sixth in respect to any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Part I of this Article Sixth would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law hereafter is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director or officer of the Corporation, in addition to the limitation on personal liability provided herein, shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended from time to time.
II. INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE
SECTION 1. RIGHT TO INDEMNIFICATION. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer, or in any other capacity while serving or having agreed to serve as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said Law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to serve in the capacity which initially entitled such person to indemnity hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators.
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The right to indemnification conferred in this Part II of this Article Sixth shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a current, former or proposed director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer or proposed director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is or has been agreed to be rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnified person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Part II or otherwise. The Corporation may, by action of its board of directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation, individually or as a group, with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
SECTION 2. RIGHT OF CLAIMANT TO BRING SUIT. If a written claim from or on behalf of an indemnified party under Section 1 of this Part II is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty days after such written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its board of directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its board of directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
SECTION 3. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS. The right to indemnification and the advancement and payment of expenses conferred in this Part II shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
SECTION 4. INSURANCE. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
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SECTION 5. SAVINGS CLAUSE. If this Part II or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each director and officer of the Corporation, as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Part II that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
SECTION 6. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Part II, reference to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the Corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger prior to (or, in the case of an entity specifically designated in a resolution of the board of directors, after) the adoption hereof and which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Part II with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
SEVENTH: No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors, officers, or stockholders or between the Corporation and any person (as used herein “person” means any corporation, partnership, association, firm, trust, joint venture, political subdivision, or instrumentality) or other organization in which one or more of its directors, officers, or stockholders are directors, officers or stockholders, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the board of any committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his, her, or their votes are counted for such purpose, if: (i) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the board of directors or the committee, and the board of directors or the committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested be less than a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by majority vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved, or ratified by the board of directors, a committee thereof, or the stockholders. Interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the board of directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
EIGHTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, change, or repeal any provision contained in the Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law, and all rights and powers conferred herein on stockholders, directors, directors, and officers are subject to this reserved power.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Corporation has caused this Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer and the foregoing facts stated herein are true and correct.
Dated: May 17, 2023
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NOV INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Craig L. Weinstock |
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Its: |
Craig L. Weinstock Vice President |
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Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”), effective as of , is made by and between NOV Inc., a Delaware corporation with its offices located at (the “Company”), and , [Title] of the Company residing at (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
A. The Company is aware that competent and experienced persons are increasingly reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations unless they are protected by comprehensive liability insurance or indemnification, or both, due to increased exposure to litigation costs and risks resulting from their service to such corporations, and due to the fact that the exposure frequently bears no reasonable relationship to the compensation of such directors and officers;
B. The statutes and judicial decisions regarding the duties of directors and officers are often difficult to apply, ambiguous, or conflicting, and therefore fail to provide such directors and officers with adequate, reliable knowledge of legal risks to which they are exposed or information regarding the proper course of action to take;
C. Plaintiffs often seek damages in such large amounts and the costs of litigation may be so substantial (whether or not the case is meritorious), that the defense and/or settlement of such litigation is often beyond the personal resources of officers and directors;
D. The Company believes that it is unfair for its directors and officers and the directors and officers of its subsidiaries to assume the risk of large judgments and other expense that may be incurred in cases in which the director or officer received no personal profit and in cases where the director or officer was not culpable;
E. The Company recognizes that the issues in controversy in litigation against a director or officer of a corporation such as the Company or a subsidiary of the Company are often related to the knowledge, motives and intent of such director or officer, that he or she is usually the only witness with knowledge of the essential facts and exculpating circumstances regarding such matters and that the long period of time which usually elapses before the trial or other disposition of which litigation often extends beyond the time that the director or officer can reasonably recall such matters; and may extend beyond the normal time for retirement or in the event of his or her death, his or her spouse, heirs, executors or administrators, may be faced with limited ability and undue hardship in maintaining an adequate defense, which may discourage such a director or officer from serving in that position;
F. Based upon their experience as business managers, the Board of Directors of the Company has concluded that, to retain and attract talented and experienced individuals to serve as officers and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and to encourage such individuals to take the business risks necessary for the success of the Company and its subsidiaries, it is necessary for the Company to contractually indemnify its officers and directors and the officers and directors of its subsidiaries, and to assume for itself maximum liability for expenses and damages in connection with claims against such officers and directors in connection with their service to the Company and its subsidiaries, and has further concluded that the failure to provide such contractual indemnification could result in great harm to the Company and its subsidiaries and the Company’s stockholders; G. The Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) require the Company to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). The Bylaws expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and contemplate that agreements may be entered into between the Company and its directors and officers with respect to indemnification;
H. Section 145 of the DGCL, under which the Company is organized (“Section 145”), empowers the Company to indemnify by agreement its officers, directors, employees and agents, and persons who serve, at the request of the Company, as directors, officers, employees or agents of other corporations or enterprises, and expressly provides that the indemnification provided by Section 145 is not exclusive;
I. Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL allows a corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision limiting or eliminating the personal liability of directors and officers for monetary damages in respect of claims by shareholders and corporations for breach of certain fiduciary duties, and the Company has so provided in its Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that each director and officer shall be exculpated from such liability to the maximum extent permitted by law;
J. The Company, after reasonable investigation prior to the date hereof, has determined that the liability insurance coverage available to the Company and its subsidiaries as of the date hereof is inadequate and/or unreasonably expensive. The Company believes, therefore, that the interest of the Company’s stockholders would best be served by a combination of such insurance as the Company may obtain, or request a subsidiary to obtain, pursuant to the Company’s obligations hereunder, and the indemnification by the Company of the directors and officers of the Company and its subsidiaries;
K. The Board of Directors has determined that contractual indemnification as set forth herein is not only reasonable and prudent but also promotes the best interests of the Company and its stockholders;
L. The Company desires and has requested the Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director or officer of the Company and/or the subsidiaries of the Company free from undue concern for claims for damages arising out of or related to such services to the Company and/or a subsidiary of the Company; and
M. The Indemnitee is willing to serve, or to continue to serve, the Company and/or the subsidiaries of the Company, provided that he or she is furnished the indemnity provided for herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
(a) Agent. For the purposes of this Agreement, “agent” of the Company means any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company; or is or was serving at the request of, for the convenience of or to represent the interest of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise; or was a director, officer, employee or agent of a foreign or domestic corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of or to represent the interests of such predecessor corporation.
(b) Expenses. For purposes of this Agreement, “expenses” includes all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, and other out-of-pocket costs) actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with either the investigation, defense or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement, Section 145 or otherwise; provided, however, that expenses shall not include any judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties or amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding.
(c) Proceeding. For the purposes of this Agreement, “proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or any other type whatsoever.
(d) Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, “subsidiary” means any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities is owned directly or indirectly by the Company, by the Company and one or more other subsidiaries, or by one or more other subsidiaries.
2. Agreement to Serve. The Indemnitee agrees to serve and/or continue to serve as an agent of the Company, at its will (or under a separate agreement, if such agreement exists), in the capacity the Indemnitee currently serves as an agent of the Company, so long as he or she is duly appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bylaws or any subsidiary of the Company or until such time as he or she tenders his or her resignation in writing or he or she is removed from such position, provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to create any right to continued employment by the Indemnitee.
3. Maintenance of Liability Insurance.
(a) The Company hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as the Indemnitee shall continue to serve as an agent of the Company and thereafter so long as the Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible proceeding by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee was an agent of the Company, the Company, subject to Section 3(b), shall use reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in full force and effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (“D&O Insurance”) in reasonable amounts from established and reputable insurers.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain D&O Insurance if the Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, the coverage is reduced by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or the Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary of the Company.
4. Mandatory Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Company shall indemnify the Indemnitee from:
(a) Third Party Actions. If the Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company an agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by him or her in any such capacity, against any and all expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; and (b) Derivative Actions.
If the Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he or she is or was or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company as an agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by him or her in any such capacity, against any amounts paid in settlement of any such proceeding and all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement, or appeal of such proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; except that no indemnification under this subsection shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been finally adjudged to be liable to the Company after the time for an appeal has expired by a court of competent jurisdiction due to willful misconduct of a culpable nature in the performance of his or her duty to the Company unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such amounts which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper; and
(c) Actions Where Indemnitee is Deceased. If the Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company as an agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by him or her in any such capacity, against any and all expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and prior to, during the pendency or after completion of such proceeding the Indemnitee is deceased, except that in a proceeding by or in the right of the Company no indemnification shall be due under the provisions of this subsection in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been finally adjudged to be liable to the Company after the time for an appeal has expired, by a court of competent jurisdiction due to willful misconduct of a culpable nature in the performance of his or her duty to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such amounts which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper;
(d) Standard of Conduct. The indemnification provided by this Section 4 shall be from and against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such proceeding and any appeal therefrom, but shall only be provided if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; and
(e) Exception for Amounts Covered by Insurance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fees, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which have been paid directly to Indemnitee under D&O Insurance.
5. Successful Defense; Partial Indemnification. To the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Section 4 hereof or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.
For purposes of this Agreement and without limiting the foregoing, if any action, suit or proceeding is disposed of, on the merits or otherwise (including a disposition without prejudice), without (i) the disposition being adverse to Indemnitee, (ii) an adjudication that Indemnitee was liable to the Company, (iii) a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by Indemnitee, (iv) an adjudication that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and (v) with respect to any criminal proceeding, an adjudication that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful, Indemnitee shall be considered for the purposes hereof to have been wholly successful with respect thereto.
If the Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) incurred by him or her in the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of a proceeding but not entitled, however, to indemnification for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify the Indemnitee for such total amount except as to the portion thereof to which the Indemnitee is not entitled.
6. Mandatory Advancement of Expenses. Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall advance all expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of any proceeding to which the Indemnitee is a party or is threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company as an agent of the Company or by reason of anything done or not done by him or her in any such capacity. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized hereby. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to the Indemnitee within twenty (20) days after receipt by the Company of (i) a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, and (ii) an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay such amount or amounts, only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized by this Agreement or otherwise. Such undertaking shall be accepted without reference to the financial ability of Indemnitee to make such repayment. Advances shall be unsecured and interest-free.
7. Advance Payment of Expenses; Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) Promptly after receipt by the Indemnitee of notice of the commencement of or the threat of commencement of any proceeding, the Indemnitee shall, if the Indemnitee believes that indemnification with respect thereto may be sought from the Company under this Agreement, notify the Company of the commencement or threat of commencement thereof. The failure to promptly notify the Company of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding, or Indemnitee’s request for indemnification, will not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have to Indemnitee hereunder, except to the extent the Company is prejudiced in its defense of such action, suit or proceeding as a result of such failure.
(b) If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of the commencement of a proceeding pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof, the Company has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event the Company shall be obligated to advance the expenses for any proceeding against the Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Indemnitee, upon the delivery to the Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do.
After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by the Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that (i) the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her counsel in any such proceeding at the Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been previously authorized in writing by the Company, (B) counsel to the Company or the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such proceeding, the fees and expenses of the Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s corporate status with respect to the Company or any corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company, a witness or otherwise participates in any action, suit or proceeding at a time when Indemnitee is not a party in the action, suit or proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith..
8. Procedure for Indemnification.
(a) To obtain indemnification, Indemnitee shall promptly submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) The Company’s determination whether to grant Indemnitee’s indemnification request shall be made promptly, and in any event within 60 days following receipt of a request for indemnification pursuant to Section 8(a). The right to indemnification as granted by Section 4 of this Agreement shall be enforceable by Indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction if the Company denies such request, in whole or in part, or fails to respond within such 60-day period. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for the advance of costs, charges and expenses under Section 7 hereof where the required undertaking, if any, has been received by the Company) that Indemnitee has not met the standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 hereof, but the burden of proving such defense by clear and convincing evidence shall be on the Company. Neither the failure of the Company (including its Board of Directors or one of its committees, its independent legal counsel, and its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 hereof, nor the fact that there has been an actual determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors or one of its committees, its independent legal counsel, and its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct. The Indemnitee’s expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with successfully establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such proceeding or otherwise shall also be indemnified by the Company.
The Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement upon submission of a request for indemnification pursuant to this Section 8, and the Company shall have the burden of proof in overcoming that presumption in reaching a determination contrary to that presumption. Such presumption shall be used as a basis for a determination of entitlement to indemnification unless the Company overcomes such presumption by clear and convincing evidence.
9. Limitation of Actions and Release of Claims. No proceeding shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary against the Indemnitee, his or her spouse, heirs, estate, executors or administrators after the expiration of one year from the act or omission of the Indemnitee upon which such proceeding is based; however, in a case where the Indemnitee fraudulently conceals the facts underlying such cause of action, no proceeding shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted after the expiration of one year from the earlier of (i) the date the Company or any subsidiary of the Company discovers such facts, or (ii) the date the Company or any subsidiary of the Company could have discovered such facts by the exercise of reasonable diligence. Any claim or cause of action of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, including claims predicated upon the negligent act or omission of the Indemnitee, shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the filing of a legal action within such period. This Section 9 shall not apply to any cause of action which has accrued on the date hereof and of which the Indemnitee is aware on the date hereof, but as to which the Company has no actual knowledge apart from the Indemnitee’s knowledge.
10. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to the Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought voluntarily by the Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under Section 145, but such indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate; or
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify the Indemnitee for any expenses incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by the Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by the Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
(c) Action for Indemnification. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, unless Indemnitee is successful in establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification in such proceeding, in whole or in part, or unless and to the extent that the court in such action, suit or proceeding shall determine that, despite Indemnitee’s failure to establish their right to indemnification, Indemnitee is entitled to indemnity for such expenses; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 10(c) is intended to limit the Company’s obligation with respect to the advancement of expenses to Indemnitee in connection with any such proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, as provided in Section 7 hereof.
(d) Unauthorized Settlements. To indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding unless the Company consents to such settlement; or
(d) Claims by the Company for Willful Misconduct. To indemnify or advance expenses to the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any expenses incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding or claim brought by the Company against the Indemnitee for willful misconduct, unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of such claims was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or (e) Section 16(b).
To indemnify Indemnitee on account of any proceeding with respect to which final judgment is rendered against Indemnitee for payment or an accounting of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.; or
(f) Willful Misconduct. To indemnify the Indemnitee on account of the Indemnitee’s conduct which is finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest, or to constitute willful misconduct; or
(g) Unlawful Indemnification. To indemnify the Indemnitee if a final decision by a court having jurisdiction in the matter shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful; or
(h) Forfeiture of Certain Bonuses and Profits. To indemnify Indemnitee for the payment of amounts required to be reimbursed to the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or any similar successor statute; or
(i) Non-compete and Non-disclosure. To indemnify Indemnitee in connection with proceedings or claims involving the enforcement of non-compete and/or non-disclosure agreements or the non-compete and/or non-disclosure provisions of employment, consulting or similar agreements the Indemnitee may be a party to with the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company or any other applicable foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, if any.
11. Nonexclusivity; No Duplication of Payments. The provisions for indemnification and advancement of expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which the Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, the vote of the Company’s stockholders or disinterested directors, other agreements, or otherwise, both as to actions in his or her official capacity and to actions in another capacity while occupying his or her position as an agent of the Company, and the Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after the Indemnitee has ceased acting as an agent of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of the Indemnitee. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any expenses, judgments and fines or any other amounts paid to or incurred by Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise received payment, including, without limitation, under any insurance policy or any agreement between Indemnitee and any of the Company or its subsidiaries (each, an “Alternative Source”), for such expenses, judgments and fines or amounts that are otherwise indemnifiable by the Company hereunder. In the event that Indemnitee receives from the Company and an Alternative Source a duplicate payment in respect of the same expenses, judgments and fines or any other amounts incurred by Indemnitee, Indemnitee shall promptly reimburse the Company in the amount of such duplicate payment.
12. Certain Settlement Provisions. The Company shall have no obligation to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement for amounts paid in settlement of any proceeding without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall not settle any action, suit or proceeding in any manner that would impose any fine or other obligation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
13. Interpretation of Agreement. It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to the Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law. In this Agreement any reference to any statute shall be construed as a reference to that statute as extended, modified, replaced or re-enacted from time to time (whether before or after the date hereof) and all statutory instruments, regulations and orders from time to time made thereunder or deriving validity therefrom (whether before or after the date hereof).
14. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of the Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable and to give effect to Section 13 hereof.
15. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for herein is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part, it is agreed that, in such event, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, contribute to the payment of Indemnitee’s costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in an amount that is just and equitable in the circumstances, taking into account, among other things, contributions by other directors and officers of the Company or others pursuant to indemnification agreements or otherwise; provided, that, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such contribution shall not be required where such holding by the court is due to (i) the failure of Indemnitee to meet the standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 hereof, or (ii) any limitation on indemnification set forth in Section 4(e), 10 or 12 hereof.
16. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
17. Successors and Assigns. The terms of this Agreement shall bind, and shall inure to the benefit of, the successors, heirs, executors, and administrators and assigns of the parties hereto. The Company shall require and cause any direct or indirect successor (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
18. Notice. Any notice, demand or request required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be in writing and shall be (i) delivered by hand, (ii) delivered by overnight courier with tracking capabilities, (iii) mailed postage prepaid by first class, registered or certified mail, or (iv) transmitted by facsimile or electronic mail, in either case (facsimile or electronic mail) with receipt confirmed by the recipient or followed by a confirmation copy by mail as provided in (iii), and in each case (clauses (i) through (iv)) addressed to the recipient party’s address, email address, or fax number as set forth on the signature page of this Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice. Further, (A) with respect to any notice delivered pursuant to clauses (i) or (iv), such notice shall be deemed effective upon submission to such other party, (B) with respect to any notice delivered pursuant to clause (ii), such notice shall be deemed effective the business day following the date of submission to the carrier, and (C) with respect to any notice delivered pursuant to clause (iii), such notice shall be deemed effective three (3) business days after the earlier of (x) confirmation of receipt by the recipient or (y) the date of submission of such facsimile or electronic mail, as applicable.
19. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware.
20. Subsequent Legislation. If the DGCL is amended after the adoption of this Agreement to expand further the indemnification permitted to directors or officers, then the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.
21. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement.
22. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the documents expressly referred to herein constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and any other prior or contemporaneous oral or written understandings or agreements with respect to the matters covered hereby are expressly superseded by this Agreement.
23. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument, notwithstanding that both parties are not signatories to the original or same counterpart.
24. Right to Directorship; Employment Rights. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to create in Indemnitee any right to continued directorship, employment or continued employment with the Company or any affiliated entity of the Company.
25. Headings. The section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
The parties hereto have entered into this Indemnity Agreement effective as of the date first above written.
[Signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
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