adom-ex48_247.htm



Exhibit 4.8

 

Description of the Registrant’s Securities 

Registered Under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

The following is a description of the capital stock of ADOMANI, Inc. Our common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, while our preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, is not so registered. This description does not describe every aspect of our capital stock and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, each as currently in effect, each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, to which this description is filed as an exhibit. References to “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to ADOMANI, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

General

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of 355,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 350,000,000 shares are designated as common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, and of which 5,000,000 shares are designated as preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share.

 

As of December 31, 2020, there were 112,670,580 shares of our common stock outstanding and held of record by 139 stockholders. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock which we may issue in the future.

 

Common Stock

 

Dividend Rights

 

Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of our preferred stock outstanding at the time, for as long as such stock is outstanding, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. 

 

As a Delaware corporation, we are subject to certain restrictions on dividends under the Delaware General Corporation Law. Generally, a Delaware corporation may only pay dividends either out of “surplus” or out of the current or the immediately preceding year’s net profits. Surplus is defined as the excess, if any, at any given time, of the total assets of a corporation over its total liabilities and statutory capital. The value of a corporation’s assets can be measured in a number of ways and may not necessarily equal their book value.

 

Voting Rights

 

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on any matter to be voted upon by stockholders. We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation establishes a classified board of directors that is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only the directors in one class will be subject to election at each annual meeting of stockholders, with the directors in other classes continuing for the remainder of their three-year terms.

 

No Preemptive or Similar Rights

 

Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights, and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.

 

Liquidation Rights

 

If we become subject to a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock outstanding at that time, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights of and the payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

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Redemption Rights

 

There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.

 

Undesignated Preferred Stock

 

Subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, our board of directors may issue preferred stock in one or more series, establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and determine for each such series of preferred stock the voting powers, designations, preferences, and special rights, qualifications, limitations, or restrictions as permitted by law, in each case without further vote of action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may also increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.

 

Registration Rights

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

Pursuant to the warrant issued on June 26, 2017, Boustead Securities, LLC may demand registration of the shares of common stock underlying such warrant. Subject to certain exceptions, within 60 days after receipt of such a demand notice, we are obligated to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering such shares of common stock and use our reasonable best efforts to have such registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter. Such demand right expires four years after the initial exercise date of the warrant. Further, unless all the shares of common stock underlying the warrant are included in an effective registration statement with a current prospectus, Boustead Securities, LLC is entitled, at any time during the five-year period beginning December 22, 2017, to include such shares as part of certain other registration statements we file, subject to exceptions.

 

December 2020 PIPE Financing

 

On December 24, 2020, we entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain institutional and accredited investors, whereby we sold shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase additional shares of our common stock. The first closing of the financing occurred on December 29, 2020, at which we raised gross cash proceeds of $5,425,000 through the sale and issuance of 11,500,000 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 8,625,001 additional shares of our common stock. The second closing of the financing is subject to, and contingent upon, the effectiveness of a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) registering the shares of our common stock sold, or issuable under the warrants, in connection with the financing and the closing of our acquisition of Envirotech Drive Systems, Inc., which transaction was completed on March 16, 2021. At the second closing, we have agreed to sell and issue an additional 38,333,334 shares of our common stock and additional warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 19,166,670 shares of our common stock. 

 

The securities sold in the financing have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. However, in connection with the first closing of the financing, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the participating investors, pursuant to which we agreed to register, on behalf of such investors, the shares of common stock issued to such investors in the financing, including the shares of common stock underlying the warrants.

 

Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, on or before the date that is 20 calendar days following the earlier of (i) the date on which we file the audited financial statements of Envirotech Drive Systems, Inc. in connection with the completion of our acquisition thereof with the SEC on a Current Report on Form 8-K, and (ii) March 31, 2021, we  agreed to file an initial registration statement covering the resale of all of the shares of common stock issued or issuable pursuant to the securities purchase agreement and the warrants issued pursuant thereto. We further agreed to file additional 

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registration statements covering the resale of such securities in the event that the SEC informs us that all such registrable securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, be registered for resale as a secondary offering on a single registration statement or in certain other circumstances described in the registration rights agreement. 

 

The registration rights agreement provides that we must pay all registration expenses in connection with effecting any registration. The registration rights agreement contains customary indemnification and contribution provisions by us for the benefit of the stockholders party thereto and their affiliates and, in limited situations, by the stockholders party thereto for the benefit of us and any underwriters with respect to written information furnished to us by such stockholders and stated by such stockholders to be specifically included in any registration statement, prospectus or related document.

 

The registration rights remain in effect with respect to the securities covered by the securities purchase agreement and the related warrants until the earlier of (i) all such shares have been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, or (ii) such time as all such shares are eligible for resale under Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”) without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.

 

Anti-Takeover Matters

 

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company and discouraging takeover bids. These provisions may also have the effect of encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.

 

Board Composition and Filling Vacancies

 

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that directors may be removed only for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. Furthermore, any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our board of directors, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office even if less than a quorum.

 

Classified Board of Directors

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for a classified board of directors, as a result of which the successors to the directors whose terms have expired will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following their election.

 

No Cumulative Voting

 

The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that there will be no cumulative voting.

 

No Written Consent of Stockholders

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

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Meetings of Stockholders

 

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that a majority of the members of our board of directors then in office, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may call special meetings of stockholders and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws will limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.

 

Advance Notice Requirements

 

Our amended and restated bylaws include advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual or special meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. The notice must contain certain information specified in the amended and restated bylaws.

 

Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

 

The amendment of the provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation require approval by holders of at least 66 2⁄3% of our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, in addition to any rights of the holders of our outstanding capital stock to vote on such amendment under the Delaware General Corporation Law. The amendment of the provisions in our amended and restated bylaws require approval by either a majority of our board of directors or holders of at least 66 2⁄3% of our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, in addition to any rights of the holders of our outstanding capital stock to vote on such amendment under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Blank Check Preferred Stock

 

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for authorized shares of preferred stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of us or our stockholders, our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation grants our board of directors broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring, or preventing a change in control of us.

 

Delaware General Corporation Law

 

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person or entity who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or did own within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:

 


			
	
 
	
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before the stockholder became interested, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;




 

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upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or




 


			
	
 
	
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at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.




 

Any provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.

 

Exclusive Forum

 

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that: (i) the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors or officers to us or our stockholders; (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws; or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

 

Limitations of Director Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors. Consequently, directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

 


			
	
 
	
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any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;




 


			
	
 
	
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any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;




 


			
	
 
	
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any unlawful payments related to dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions; or




 


			
	
 
	
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any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.




 

These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies, such as an injunction or rescission.

 

In addition, our amended and restated bylaws provide that:

 


			
	
 
	
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we will indemnify our directors, officers and, in the discretion of our board of directors, certain employees, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions, including an exception for indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or counterclaim) initiated by such persons; and




 


			
	
 
	
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we will advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to our directors and, in the discretion of our board of directors, certain officers and employees, in connection with legal proceedings, subject to limited exceptions.




 

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors. These agreements provide that, subject to limited exceptions and among other things, we will indemnify each of our executive officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law and advance expenses to each indemnitee in connection with any proceeding in which a right to indemnification is available.

 

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We also intend to maintain general liability insurance that covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, or persons who control us, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. We believe that these provisions, the indemnification agreements and the insurance are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.

 

At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors or officers where indemnification will be required or permitted. We are not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that might result in a claim for such indemnification.

 

Exchange Listing

 

Our common stock trades on the OTCQB market under the symbol “ADOM”.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Issuer Direct Corporation. The transfer agent’s address is One Glenwood Avenue, Suite 1001, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603, and its telephone number is (919) 481-4000.

 

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