8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 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): March 16, 2021

 

 

JOANN Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-40204   46-1095540

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

5555 Darrow Road

Hudson, Ohio 44236

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (330) 656-2600

N/A

(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:

 

Written communications 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 communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications 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

Symbol

 

Name of Each Exchange

on which Registered

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share   JOAN   The Nasdaq Global Market

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 March 16, 2021, JOANN Inc. (the “Company”) closed its initial public offering (“IPO”) of 10,937,500 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), at an offering price of $12.00 per share pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-253121), as amended (the “Registration Statement”), which consisted of 5,468,750 shares of common stock sold by the Company and 5,468,750 shares of common stock being sold by selling shareholders, which included entities affiliated with Leonard Green & Partners (“LGP”) and other non-management shareholders (the “Selling Shareholders”). In addition, the Company granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase from the Company up to 1,640,625 additional shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The Company did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock in the offering by the Selling Shareholders. In connection therewith and with the closing of the IPO, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”), dated March 16, 2021, by and among the Company, entities affiliated with LGP, certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers and certain other shareholders, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The terms of the Shareholders Agreement are substantially the same as the terms set forth in the form of such agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and as described therein.

Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

On March 19, 2021, in connection with the closing of the IPO, the Company used all net proceeds received from the Company in the IPO and borrowings from its senior secured asset based revolving credit facility to repay all of the outstanding borrowings under the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement (the “Second Lien Term Loan”), dated as of May 21, 2018, among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC (the “Borrower”), the lenders party thereto from time to time and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and as collateral agent. Following such repayment, the Borrower’s obligations under the Second Lien Term Loan have been terminated.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

On March 16, 2021, the Company filed an amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended and restated, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

The Certificate of Incorporation, among other things: (i) provides that the Company shall have the authority to issue 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock); (ii) establishes a classified board of directors, divided into three classes, each of whose members will serve for staggered three-year terms; (iii) provides that, other than pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, directors may be removed from office only for cause by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of voting stock, following such time as when entities affiliated with LGP cease to own, or no longer have the right to direct the vote of, 50% or more of the voting power of the Company’s common stock and (iv) designates, unless otherwise consented to by the Company, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware if the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction) to be the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions, including, but not limited to, any derivative action or proceeding brought on the Company’s behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of the Company’s directors, officers or other employees to the Company or its shareholders, any action asserting a claim against the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or its amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws also require that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933.

The foregoing description of the Certificate of Incorporation and the description contained in the Registration Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificate of Incorporation, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.


Amended and Restated Bylaws

On March 16, 2021, in connection with the closing of the IPO, the Company’s amended and restated bylaws (as amended and restated, the “Bylaws”) became effective. The Bylaws amend and restate the Company’s bylaws in their entirety to, among other things: (i) establish procedures relating to the presentation of shareholder proposals at shareholder meetings; (ii) establish procedures relating to the nomination of directors; and (iii) conform to the Certificate of Incorporation.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Registration Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

   Description
3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company
10.1    Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated March 16, 2021, among the Company and certain of its shareholders.


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.

 

    JOANN Inc.
Date: March 19, 2021     By:  

/s/ Matt Susz

      Matt Susz
      Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

JOANN INC.

The name of the corporation is JOANN Inc., formerly known as Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc., (the “Corporation”). The Corporation was incorporated by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 19, 2012 (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, which amends, restates and integrates and also further amends the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and by the written consent of the Corporation’s stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL. The Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended, integrated and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is JOANN Inc.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware, 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE AND DURATION

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the DGCL. The Corporation is to have a perpetual existence.

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 205,000,000, which shall be divided into two classes as follows:

200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”); and

5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

Section 1. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of any of the Common Stock or 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 in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL or any successor provision thereof, and no vote of the holders of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.


Section 2. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby authorized to provide from time to time by resolution or resolutions for the creation and issuance, out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock, of one or more series of Preferred Stock by filing a certificate (a “Certificate of Designation”) pursuant to the DGCL, setting forth such resolution or resolutions and, with respect to each such series, establishing the designation of such series and the number of shares to be included in such series and fixing the terms of such series, the voting powers (full or limited, or no voting power), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the shares of each such series, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any series of Preferred Stock may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the Preferred Stock of any other series. The terms, voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock may be different from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock), no vote of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any series of the Preferred Stock so authorized in accordance with this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation establishing a series of Preferred Stock, the Board may, by resolution or resolutions, increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of such series and, if the number of shares of such series shall be so decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution or resolutions originally fixing the number of shares of such series.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

Section 1. Except as otherwise provided in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) or delegated by resolution of the Board, the Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to appoint and remove officers of the Corporation.

Section 2. Other than any directors elected by the separate vote of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, if applicable, the Board shall be and is divided into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board. At the first annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Effective Time”), the term of office of the Class I directors shall expire and Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the second annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, the term of office of the Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors shall be elected for a full term of


three years. At the third annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, the term of office of the Class III directors shall expire and Class III directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. Subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, at each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual meeting. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. Any such director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which his or her term expires and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal from office. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office as of the Effective Time to their respective class.

Section 3. Subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on the election of such director; provided, however, that prior to the Trigger Event, any individual director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of such director, voting together as a single class.

Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, and subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to which the director shall have been appointed and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

Section 5. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the special right to elect additional directors, upon commencement and for the duration of such period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of additional directors, and the holders of such series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to the Certificate of Designation establishing such series of Preferred Stock, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to the Certificate of Designation establishing such series of Preferred Stock, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Except as otherwise provided by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation establishing any series of Preferred Stock), whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having the special right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including pursuant to any such Certificate of Designation), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 6. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

Section 7. Except as may otherwise be set forth in the resolution or resolutions of the Board providing for the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock, and then only with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, cumulative voting in the election of directors is specifically denied.

ARTICLE VI

STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1. At any time prior to the Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and


voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation. From and after the Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation (and may not be taken by consent of the stockholders in lieu of a meeting); provided, however, that any action required or permitted to be taken by any holders of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock.

Section 2. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time by the Chairman of the Board or a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of the majority of the then-serving members of the Board, but such special meetings may not be called by stockholders or any other Person or Persons (as defined below). Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, prior to the Trigger Event, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of a Principal Stockholder.

Section 3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VII

LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or as may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended, automatically and without further action, upon the date of such amendment.

Section 2. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall indemnify and advance expenses to any Person made or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation.

Section 3. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, may indemnify and advance expenses to any Person made or threatened to be made a party to an action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as an employee or agent at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation.

Section 4. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption by amendment of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of any provision inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VII in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or proceeding accruing or arising (or that, but for this Article VII, would accrue or arise) prior to such amendment or repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.


ARTICLE VIII

FORUM

Section 1. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Bylaws or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article VIII, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

Section 2. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article VIII. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article VIII shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

ARTICLE IX

CERTAIN STOCKHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS

Section 1. In recognition and anticipation that (i) certain directors, principals, officers, employees and/or other representatives of the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates (as defined below) may serve as directors, officers or agents of the Corporation, (ii) the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, and (iii) members of the Board who are not employees of the Corporation (“Non-Employee Directors”) and their respective Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Principal Stockholders, the Non-Employee Directors or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.

Section 2. None of (i) the Principal Stockholders or any of their Affiliates or (ii) any Non-Employee Director or his or her Affiliates (the Persons identified in (i) and (ii) above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (1) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article IX. Subject to Section 3 of this Article IX, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction


or other business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or offers or directs such corporate opportunity to another Person.

Section 3. The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director if such opportunity is expressly offered to such Person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation, and the provisions of Section 2 of this Article IX shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.

Section 4. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted, to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

Section 5. For purposes of this Article IX, “Affiliate” shall mean (a) in respect of any Principal Stockholder, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Principal Stockholder, controls such Principal Stockholder or is under common control with such Principal Stockholder and shall include (i) any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (ii) any funds or vehicles advised by Affiliates of such Principal Stockholder, (b) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (c) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation.

Section 6. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article IX.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

Section 1. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, and all rights, preferences and privileges herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted by and pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its current form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the rights reserved in this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the Trigger Event, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of stock required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal any of Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, IX or this Article X.

Section 2. The Board is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind, in whole or in part, the Bylaws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the Trigger Event, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of stock required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend or repeal, in whole or in part, any provision of the Bylaws or to adopt any provision inconsistent therewith.


ARTICLE XI

DGCL SECTION 203

Section 1. The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

If any provision or provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision or provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock and each portion of any paragraph of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Designation containing any such provision or provisions held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be 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 Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock and each such portion of any paragraph of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Designation containing any such provision or provisions held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XIII

INTERPRETATION

For as long as the Stockholders Agreement remains in effect, in the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and those contained in the Stockholders Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Stockholders Agreement shall govern and control, except as provided otherwise by mandatory provisions of the DGCL.

ARTICLE XIV

DEFINITIONS

As used in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, except as otherwise expressly provided herein and unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Affiliate” means, other than as set forth in Section 5 of Article IX, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee (or the power to appoint a trustee), as a personal representative or executor, by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise and “controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations).


Person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

Principal Stockholders” means investment funds affiliated with or advised by Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and their successors.

Stockholders Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, dated March 16, 2021, by and among the Corporation, the Principal Stockholders and other parties thereto, as may be amended from time to time.

Trigger Event” means the first date on which the Principal Stockholders cease to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For the purpose of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

* * * *


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, JOANN Inc. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 16th day of March, 2021.

 

JOANN Inc.
By:  

/s/ Matt Susz

Name:   Matt Susz
Title:   Chief Financial Officer
EX-3.2

Exhibit 3.2

Amended and Restated Bylaws of

JOANN Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

Table of Contents

 

Article I - Corporate Offices

   1

1.1

  Registered Office    1

1.2

  Other Offices    1

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

   1

2.1

  Place of Meetings    1

2.2

  Annual Meeting    1

2.3

  Special Meeting    1

2.4

  Notice of Business to be Brought Before a Meeting    1

2.5

  Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors    4

2.6

  Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.    6

2.7

  Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings    6

2.8

  Manner of Giving Notice; Affidavit of Notice    7

2.9

  Quorum    7

2.10

  Adjourned Meeting; Notice    7

2.11

  Conduct of Business    7

2.12

  Voting    8

2.13

  Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes    8

2.14

  Proxies    8

2.15

  List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote    9

2.16

  Inspectors of Election    9

Article III - Directors

   10

3.1

  Powers    10

3.2

  Number of Directors    10

3.3

  Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors    10

3.4

  Resignation and Vacancies    10

3.5

  Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone    10

3.6

  Regular Meetings    10

3.7

  Special Meetings; Notice    11

3.8

  Quorum    11

3.9

  Board Action by Written Consent without a Meeting    11

3.10

  Fees and Compensation of Directors    11

Article IV - Committees

   11

4.1

  Committees of Directors    11

4.2

  Committee Minutes    12

4.3

  Meetings and Actions of Committees    12

Article V - Officers

   12

5.1

  Officers    12

5.2

  Appointment of Officers    12

5.3

  Subordinate Officers    12

5.4

  Removal and Resignation of Officers    13

5.5

  Vacancies in Offices    13


5.6

  Representation of Shares of Other Corporations    13

5.7

  Authority and Duties of Officers    13

Article VI - Records

   13

Article VII - General Matters

   13

7.1

  Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments    13

7.2

  Stock Certificates    14

7.3

  Lost Certificates    14

7.4

  Shares Without Certificates    14

7.5

  Construction; Definitions    14

7.6

  Dividends    14

7.7

  Fiscal Year    14

7.8

  Seal    14

7.9

  Transfer of Stock    15

7.10

  Stock Transfer Agreements    15

7.11

  Registered Stockholders    15

7.12

  Waiver of Notice    15

Article VIII - Notice

   15

8.1

  Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission    15

Article IX - Indemnification

   16

9.1

  Indemnification of Directors and Officers    16

9.2

  Indemnification of Others    16

9.3

  Prepayment of Expenses    17

9.4

  Determination; Claim    17

9.5

  Non-Exclusivity of Rights    17

9.6

  Insurance    17

9.7

  Other Indemnification    17

9.8

  Continuation of Indemnification    17

9.9

  Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation    17

Article X - Amendments

  

Article XI - Forum

  

Article XII - Miscellaneous

  

Article XIII - Interpretation

  

Article XIV - Definitions

  

 


Amended and Restated Bylaws of

JOANN Inc.

Article I - Corporate Offices

1.1 Registered Office.

The address of the registered office of JOANN Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

1.2 Other Offices.

The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

2.1 Place of Meetings.

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

2.2 Annual Meeting.

The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.

2.3 Special Meetings.

Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such Persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting.

2.4 Notice of Business to be Brought Before a Meeting.

(i) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the chairperson of the Board, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A)(1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The

 

1


foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3 of these bylaws. For purposes of this Section 2.4 of these bylaws, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other Person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such Person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 and 2.6 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and 2.6 of these bylaws.

(ii) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting which in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock, the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting shall be deemed to be May 12, 2021; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(a) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

(b) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or

 

2


threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

(c) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other Person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (c) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

(v) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

 

3


(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

(vii) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(viii) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

2.5 Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors.

(i) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in person (1) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.5 and 2.6 as to such notice and nomination. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other Person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such Person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (b) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting.

(ii) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(iii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (b) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of the date of such special meeting was first made. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

4


(iv) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(a) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a) of these bylaws) except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a);

(b) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(c) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and

(c) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.6(i).

(v) For purposes of this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6, the term “Nominating Person shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (c) any other participant in such solicitation.

(vi) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

5


2.6 Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.

(i) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee.

(ii) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

(iii) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.6, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(iv) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(v) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6.

2.7 Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with either Section 2.8 or Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

6


2.8 Manner of Giving Notice; Affidavit of Notice.

Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be deemed given:

(i) if mailed, when deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the Corporation’s records; or

(ii) if electronically transmitted as provided in Section 8.1 of these bylaws.

An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by mail or by a form of electronic transmission, as applicable, shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

2.9 Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.10 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented.

2.10 Adjourned Meeting; Notice.

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

2.11 Conduct of Business.

The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the Person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairperson, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairperson of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other Persons as the chairperson of the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

7


2.12 Voting.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law, or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

2.13 Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

To the extent stockholder action by written consent is permitted by the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board, (i) when no prior action of the Board is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law, and (ii) if prior action by the Board is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

2.14 Proxies.

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another Person or Persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but, no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

8


2.15 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.15 or to vote in Person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

2.16 Inspectors of Election.

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more Persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any Person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint a Person to fill that vacancy.

Such inspectors shall:

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such Persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

 

9


Article III - Directors

3.1 Powers.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

3.2 Number of Directors.

Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

3.3 Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors.

Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

3.4 Resignation and Vacancies.

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in this Section 3.4 in the filling of other vacancies.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the class, if any, to which the director is appointed and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board shall be deemed to exist under these bylaws in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.

3.5 Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.

The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all Persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in Person at the meeting.

3.6 Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.

 

 

10


3.7 Special Meetings; Notice.

Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.

Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

 

(i)

   delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(ii)

   sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(iii)

   sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

(iv)

   sent by other means of electronic transmission,

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

3.8 Quorum.

At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.

3.9 Board Action by Written Consent without a Meeting.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

3.10 Fees and Compensation of Directors.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

Article IV - Committees

4.1 Committees of Directors.

The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the

 

11


extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

4.2 Committee Minutes.

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

4.3 Meetings and Actions of Committees.

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

 

  (i)

Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone);

 

  (ii)

Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

 

  (iii)

Section 3.7 (special meetings and notice);

 

  (iv)

Section 3.9 (action without a meeting); and

 

  (v)

Section 7.12 (waiver of notice),

with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or by the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

Article V - Officers

5.1 Officers.

The officers of the Corporation shall include a president and a secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a chairperson of the Board and a vice chairperson of the Board from among its members, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer, a treasurer, one (1) or more vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant treasurers, one (1) or more assistant secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same Person.

5.2 Appointment of Officers.

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.

5.3 Subordinate Officers.

The Board may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board or an authorized officer (as applicable), may from time to time determine.

 

12


5.4 Removal and Resignation of Officers.

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

5.5 Vacancies in Offices.

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Sections 5.2 and 5.3, as applicable.

5.6 Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

The chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of this Corporation, or any other Person authorized by the Board, the chief executive officer, the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares of any other corporation or corporations standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such Person directly or by any other Person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such Person having the authority.

5.7 Authority and Duties of Officers.

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

Article VI - Records

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

Article VII - General Matters

7.1 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

The Board may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

 

13


7.2 Stock Certificates.

The shares of the Corporation shall be uncertificated, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The chairperson or vice chairperson of the Board, the president, vice president, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

7.3 Lost Certificates.

The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

7.4 Shares Without Certificates

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

7.5 Construction; Definitions.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

7.6 Dividends.

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

7.7 Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

7.8 Seal.

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

 

14


7.9 Transfer of Stock.

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate Person or Persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the Persons from and to whom it was transferred.

7.10 Stock Transfer Agreements.

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

7.11 Registered Stockholders.

The Corporation:

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a Person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another Person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

7.12 Waiver of Notice.

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the Person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the Person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a Person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the Person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.

Article VIII - Notice

8.1 Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

 

15


Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i)

if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

  (ii)

if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

 

  (iii)

if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

Article IX - Indemnification

9.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such Person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person only if the Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

9.2 Indemnification of Others.

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an 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 or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such Person in connection with any such Proceeding.

 

16


9.3 Prepayment of Expenses.

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any officer or director of the Corporation, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

9.4 Determination; Claim.

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

9.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

The rights conferred on any Person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

9.6 Insurance.

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Person who is or was 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 enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

9.7 Other Indemnification.

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any Person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such Person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

9.8 Continuation of Indemnification.

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the Person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such Person.

9.9 Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such Person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under

 

17


this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any Person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the chairperson of the Board, a vice chairperson of the Board, a president, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer, a secretary or a treasurer appointed pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and to any vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V of these bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any Person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “vice president” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such Person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such Person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.

Article X - Amendments

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, from and after the Trigger Event, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation with the power to vote at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Article XI - Forum

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended and/or restated from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article XI, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

18


Any Person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XI. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XI shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

Article XII - Miscellaneous

If any provision or provisions of these bylaws shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision or provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of these bylaws shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of these bylaws shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Article XIII - Interpretation

For as long as the Stockholders Agreement remains in effect, in the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of these bylaws and those contained in the Stockholders Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Stockholders Agreement shall govern and control, except as provided otherwise by mandatory provisions of the DGCL.

Article XIV - Definitions

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the term:

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee (or the power to appoint a trustee), as a personal representative or executor, by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise and “controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

Person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

Principal Stockholders” means investment funds affiliated with or advised by Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and their successors.

Stockholders Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, dated March 16, 2021, by and among the Corporation, the Principal Stockholders and other parties thereto, as may be amended from time to time.

 

19


Trigger Event” means the first date on which the Principal Stockholders cease to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For the purpose of these bylaws, “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

JOANN Inc.

Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws

The undersigned hereby certifies that she is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of JOANN Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the foregoing bylaws were approved on February 26, 2021, effective as of March 16, 2021 by the Corporation’s board of directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set her hand this 16th day of March, 2021.

 

/s/ Ann Aber

Ann Aber
Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

 

20

EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

BY AND AMONG

JOANN INC.

AND

THE INITIAL STOCKHOLDERS

MARCH 16, 2021

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

SECTION I.

  DEFINITIONS      1  

1.1

  Drafting Conventions; No Construction Against Drafter      1  

1.2

  Defined Terms      2  

SECTION II.

  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      4  

2.1

  Representations and Warranties of the Initial Stockholder      4  

2.2

  Representations and Warranties of the Company      4  

SECTION III.

  REGISTRATION RIGHTS      4  

3.1

  Demand and Piggyback Rights      4  

3.2

  Notices, Cutbacks and Other Matters      6  

3.3

  Facilitating Registrations and Offerings      8  

3.4

  Indemnification      12  

3.5

  Rule 144      14  

SECTION IV.

  CORPORATE GOVERNANCE      14  

4.1

  Board of Directors      14  

4.2

  Agreement of Company      16  

SECTION V.

  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS      16  

5.1

  Access Rights      16  

5.2

  Confidentiality      16  

5.3

  Reliance      17  

5.4

  Access to Agreement; Amendment and Waiver; Actions of the Board      17  

5.5

  Notices      17  

5.6

  Counterparts      18  

5.7

  Remedies; Severability      18  

5.8

  Entire Agreement      19  

5.9

  Termination      19  

5.10

  Governing Law      19  

5.11

  Successors and Assigns; Beneficiaries      19  

5.12

  Consent to Jurisdiction; Specific Performance; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      19  

5.13

  Further Assurances; Company Logo      20  

5.14

  Regulatory Matters      20  

5.15

  No Third Party Liability      20  

5.16

  Effectiveness of Agreement      20  

5.17

  Removal of Legends      20  

5.18

  Inconsistent Agreements      20  

EXHIBIT

Exhibit A: Form of Joinder Agreement

 

 

i


STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of March 16, 2021 by and among (a) JOANN Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), (b) Green Equity Investors V, L.P., Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P. and Needle Coinvest LLC (collectively, “LGP”), (c) TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners V, L.P. (“Crescent V”), TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners VB, L.P. (“Crescent VB”), TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners VC, L.P. (“Crescent VC”), TCW Capital Trust (“Trust”) and MAC Equity Holdings I, LLC (“MAC I”, and together with Crescent V, Crescent VB, Crescent VC and Trust, each a “Crescent Investor” and collectively, “Crescent”) and (d) each of the individual stockholders who are set forth on the signature pages hereto (each individually, a “Management Stockholder,” collectively, the “Management Stockholders”).

RECITALS

A. The original Stockholders Agreement of the Company, dated October 16, 2012 (the “Original Agreement”), was entered into in connection with the Reorganization (as defined in the Original Agreement);

B. The Company is proposing to consummate an initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated March 11, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

C. The Initial Stockholders (as defined herein) and the Company desire to enter into this Agreement effective upon the Effective Time (as defined herein).

D. The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) has approved this Agreement.

E. The parties to this Agreement desire to agree upon the respective rights and obligations after the Effective Time with respect to the securities of the Company now or hereafter issued and outstanding and held by the parties to this Agreement and certain matters with respect to their investment in the Company.

AGREEMENT

Now therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, and the mutual agreements and covenants contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement agree as follows:

SECTION I. DEFINITIONS

1.1 Drafting Conventions; No Construction Against Drafter.

(a) The headings in this Agreement are provided for convenience and do not affect its meaning. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” are to be read as if they were followed by the phrase “without limitation.” Unless specified otherwise, any reference to an agreement means that agreement as amended or supplemented, subject to any restrictions on amendment contained in such agreement. Unless specified otherwise, any reference to a statute or regulation means that statute or regulation as amended or supplemented from time to time and any corresponding provisions of successor statutes or regulations. If any date specified in this Agreement as a date for taking action falls on a day that is not a business day, then that action may be taken on the next business day. Unless specified otherwise, the words “party” and “parties” refer only to a party named in this Agreement or one who joins this Agreement as a party pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

1


(b) The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement is to be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and there is to be no presumption or burden of proof or rule of strict construction favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

1.2 Defined Terms. The following capitalized terms, as used in this Agreement, have the meanings set forth below.

Affiliate” means with respect to any specified Person, any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the specified Person, including any partner, officer, director or member of the specified Person and, if the specified Person is a private equity fund, any investment fund now or hereafter managed by, or which is controlled by or is under common control with, one or more general partners of the specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct, or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise.

Board of Directors” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Closing” means the closing of the Initial Public Offering.

Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall include any successor thereto.

Crescent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Director” means a member of the Board of Directors.

Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.16.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Initial Public Offering” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Initial Stockholders” means, collectively, LGP, Crescent and the Management Stockholders.

Joinder Agreement” means the joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

LGP” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

LGP Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).

LGP Stockholders” means (i) LGP and any other investment funds affiliated with or advised by Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and (ii) any Permitted Transferee or Affiliate of LGP (x) which is issued Common Stock or becomes the beneficial owner of any Common Stock or is Transferred any Common Stock by any other Person and (y) which becomes a party hereto by executing a Joinder Agreement.

 

2


LGP Stockholders’ Designee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).

LGP Majority Interest” means, at any given time, the LGP Stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding Shares held at that specified time by all LGP Stockholders.

Management Stockholders” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Necessary Action” means, with respect to a specified result, all commercially reasonable actions required to cause such result that are within the power of a specified Person, including voting or providing a written consent or proxy with respect to the Company Shares, (ii) causing the adoption of stockholders’ resolutions and amendments to the organizational documents of the Company, (iii) executing agreements and instruments, (iv) making, or causing to be made, with governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities, all filings, registrations or similar actions that are required to achieve such result and (v) causing members of the Board of Directors, subject to any fiduciary duties that such members may have as directors of the Company (including pursuant to Section 4.1(d)), to act in a certain manner, including causing members of the Board of Directors or any nominating or similar committee of the Board of Directors to recommend the appointment of any LGP Stockholders’ Designees as provided by this Agreement.

Nominating Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(c).

Original Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Permitted Transferee” means, with respect to any Stockholder, (i) any Affiliate of such Stockholder, (ii) any director, officer or employee of any Affiliate of such Stockholder, (iii) any direct or indirect member or general or limited partner of such Stockholder that is the transferee of Shares pursuant to a pro rata distribution of Shares by such Stockholder to its partners or members, as applicable (or any subsequent transfer of such Shares by the transferee to another Permitted Transferee), (iv) upon a Management Stockholder’s death, the Management Stockholder’s executors, administrators, testamentary trustees, legatees and beneficiaries, or (v) any other Transferee designated as a Permitted Transferee by the LGP Majority Interest. “Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization, government (or agency or political subdivision thereof) or any other entity or group (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act).

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Shares” means, at any time, (i) shares of Common Stock and (ii) any other equity securities now or hereafter issued by the Company, together with any options thereon and any other shares of stock or other equity securities issued or issuable with respect thereto (whether by way of a stock dividend, stock split or in exchange for or in replacement or upon conversion of such shares or otherwise in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other corporate reorganization).

Stockholders” means the Initial Stockholders and any other stockholders who from time to time become party to this Agreement by execution of a Joinder Agreement.

 

3


Transfer” means any direct or indirect transfer, donation, sale, assignment, pledge, hypothecation, grant of a security interest in or other disposal or attempted disposal of all or any portion of a security, any interest or rights in a security, or any rights under this Agreement.

Transferee” means the recipient of a Transfer.

Underwriting Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

WKSI” means a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

SECTION II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Initial Stockholders. Each Initial Stockholder has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and carry out its obligations hereunder. Each of the Initial Stockholders hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Company as follows: (a) if such Initial Stockholder is an entity, this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Stockholder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of such Initial Stockholder enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; and (c) if such Initial Stockholder is an entity, the execution, delivery and performance by such Initial Stockholder of this Agreement: (i) does not and will not violate any laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or other jurisdiction applicable to such Initial Stockholder, or require such Initial Stockholder to obtain any approval, consent or waiver of, or to make any filing with, any Person that has not been obtained or made; and (ii) does not constitute a breach of or default under any material agreement to which such Initial Stockholder is a party. If such Initial Stockholder is a natural person, such person has full capacity to contract.

2.2 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Stockholders as follows: (a) the Company has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; and (c) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement: (i) does not and will not violate any laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or other jurisdiction applicable to the Company, or require the Company to obtain any approval, consent or waiver of, or to make any filing with, any Person that has not been obtained or made; and (ii) does not and will not result in a breach of, constitute a default under, accelerate any obligation under or give rise to a right of termination of any indenture or loan or credit agreement or any other material agreement, contract, instrument, mortgage, lien, lease, permit, authorization, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or arbitration award to which the Company is a party or by which the property of the Company is bound or affected, or result in the creation or imposition of any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance on any of the assets or properties of the Company.

SECTION III. REGISTRATION RIGHTS

3.1 Demand and Piggyback Rights.

(a) Right to Demand a Non-Shelf Registered Offering. Upon the demand of one or more LGP Stockholders at any time and from time to time after the expiration or waiver of the underwriter lock-up period applicable to the Initial Public Offering, the Company will facilitate in the manner described in this Agreement a non-shelf registered offering of the Shares requested by the demanding LGP Stockholders to be included in such offering. A demand by LGP Stockholders for a non-shelf registered offering that will result in the imposition of a lockup on the Company and the Stockholders may not be made unless the Shares requested to be sold by the demanding LGP Stockholders in such offering have an

 

4


aggregate market value (based on the most recent closing price of the Common Stock at the time of the demand) of at least $50 million or such lesser amount if all Shares held by the demanding LGP Stockholders are requested to be sold. Subject to Section 3.2(e) below, any demanded non-shelf registered offering may, at the Company’s option, include Shares to be sold by the Company for its own account and will also include Shares to be sold by other Stockholders or other holders of Shares with similar rights that exercise their related piggyback rights on a timely basis.

(b) Right to Piggyback on a Non-Shelf Registered Offering. In connection with any registered offering of Common Stock covered by a non-shelf registration statement (whether pursuant to the exercise of demand rights or at the initiative of the Company), the Stockholders may exercise piggyback rights to have included in such offering Shares held by them. The Company will facilitate in the manner described in this Agreement any such non-shelf registered offering.

(c) Right to Demand and be Included in a Shelf Registration. Upon the demand of one or more LGP Stockholders, made at any time and from time to time when the Company is eligible to utilize Form S-3 or a successor form to sell Shares in a secondary offering on a delayed or continuous basis in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act, the Company will facilitate in the manner described in this Agreement a shelf registration of Shares held by them. Any shelf registration filed by the Company covering Shares (whether pursuant to a LGP Stockholder demand or at the initiative of the Company) will cover Shares held by each of the Stockholders (regardless of whether they demanded the filing of such shelf or not) up to an equivalent percentage of their original respective holdings as may be agreed upon by the demanding LGP Stockholders. If at the time of such request the Company is a WKSI, such shelf registration may, at the request of such LGP Stockholders, cover an unspecified number of Shares to be sold by the Company and the Stockholders.

(d) Demand and Piggyback Rights for Shelf Takedowns. Upon the demand of one or more LGP Stockholders made at any time and from time to time, the Company will facilitate in the manner described in this Agreement a “takedown” of Shares off of an effective shelf registration statement. In connection with any underwritten shelf takedown (whether pursuant to the exercise of such demand rights or at the initiative of the Company), the Stockholders may exercise piggyback rights to have included in such takedown Shares held by them that are registered on such shelf. Notwithstanding the foregoing, LGP Stockholders may not demand a shelf takedown for an offering that will result in the imposition of a lockup on the Company and the Stockholders unless the Shares requested to be sold by the demanding Stockholders in such takedown have an aggregate market value (based on the most recent closing price of the Common Stock at the time of the demand) of at least $50 million or such lesser amount if all Shares held by the demanding LGP Stockholders are requested to be sold.

(e) Right to Reload a Shelf. Upon the written request of an LGP Stockholder at such time when the Company is not a WKSI, the Company will file and seek the effectiveness of a post-effective amendment to an existing shelf registration statement in order to register up to the number of Shares previously taken down off of such shelf and not yet “reloaded” onto such shelf registration statement.

(f) Limitations on Demand and Piggyback Rights.

(i) Any demand for the filing of a registration statement or for a registered offering or takedown will be subject to the constraints of any applicable lockup arrangements, and such demand must be deferred until such lockup arrangements no longer apply. If a demand has been made for a non-shelf registered offering or for an underwritten takedown, no further demands may be made so long as the related offering is still being pursued. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Stockholders will not have piggyback or other registration rights with respect to registered primary offerings by the Company (i) in connection with registrations on Form S-4 or Form S-8 promulgated by the SEC or any successor or similar forms, (ii) where the Shares are not being sold for cash or (iii) where the offering is a bona fide offering of securities other than Shares, even if such securities are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares.

 

5


(ii) The Stockholders shall not be permitted to sell any securities pursuant to Section 3.1 at any time that the Board of Directors determines in good faith that it would be materially detrimental to the Company or its stockholders for sales of securities to be made; provided that all Stockholders shall be treated consistently in connection with each such determination; and provided further, that the Company shall promptly notify each Stockholder in writing of any such action and provided further, that any such delay may not last more than sixty (60) days and such delays may not be in effect more than one hundred and twenty (120) days during any three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period.

3.2 Notices, Cutbacks and Other Matters.

(a) Notifications Regarding Registration Statements. In order for one or more LGP Stockholders to exercise their right to demand that a registration statement be filed, they must so notify the Company in writing indicating the number of Shares sought to be registered and the proposed plan of distribution. The Company will use its best efforts to keep the Stockholders reasonably apprised of all pertinent aspects of its pursuit of any registration, whether pursuant to a LGP Stockholder demand or otherwise, with respect to which a piggyback opportunity is available. Pending any required public disclosure and subject to applicable legal requirements, the parties will maintain the confidentiality of these discussions.

(b) Notifications Regarding Registration Piggyback Rights. Any Stockholder wishing to exercise its piggyback rights with respect to a non-shelf registration statement must notify the Company and the other Stockholders of the number of Shares it seeks to have included in such registration statement. Such notice must be given as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 5:00 pm, New York City time, on the second trading day prior to (i) if applicable, the date on which the preliminary prospectus intended to be used in connection with pre-effective marketing efforts for the relevant offering is expected to be finalized, and (ii) in any case, the date on which the pricing of the relevant offering is expected to occur. No such notice is required in connection with a shelf registration statement, as Shares held by all Stockholders will be included up to the applicable percentage.

(c) Notifications Regarding Demanded Underwritten Takedowns.

(i) The Company will use its best efforts to keep the Stockholders reasonably apprised of all pertinent aspects of any underwritten shelf takedown in order that they may have a reasonable opportunity to exercise their related piggyback rights. Without limiting the Company’s obligation as described in the preceding sentence, having a reasonable opportunity requires that the Stockholders be notified by the Company of an anticipated underwritten takedown (whether pursuant to a demand made by the LGP Stockholders or made at the Company’s own initiative) no later than 5:00 pm, New York City time, on (i) if applicable, the second trading day prior to the date on which the preliminary prospectus or prospectus supplement intended to be used in connection with pre-pricing marketing efforts for such takedown is finalized, and (ii) in all cases, the second trading day prior to the date on which the pricing of the relevant takedown occurs.

(ii) Any Stockholder wishing to exercise its piggyback rights with respect to an underwritten shelf takedown must notify the Company and the other Stockholders of the number of Shares it seeks to have included in such takedown. Such notice must be given as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 5:00 pm, New York City time, on (i) if applicable, the trading day prior to the date on which the preliminary prospectus or prospectus supplement intended to be used in connection with marketing efforts for the relevant offering is expected to be finalized, and (ii) in all cases, the trading day prior to the date on which the pricing of the relevant takedown occurs.

 

6


(iii) Pending any required public disclosure and subject to applicable legal requirements, the parties will maintain appropriate confidentiality of their discussions regarding a prospective underwritten takedown.

(d) Plan of Distribution, Underwriters and Counsel. If (i) a majority of the Shares proposed to be sold in an underwritten offering through a non-shelf registration statement or through a shelf takedown are being sold by the Company for its own account and (ii) such offering was initiated by the Company and not by any LGP Stockholder, the Company will be entitled to determine the plan of distribution and select the managing underwriters for such offering. Otherwise, the Stockholders holding a majority of the Shares requested to be included in such offering will be entitled to determine the plan of distribution and select the managing underwriters, and such majority will also be entitled to select counsel for the selling Stockholders (which may be the same as counsel for the Company). In the case of a shelf registration statement, the plan of distribution will provide as much flexibility as is reasonably possible, including with respect to resales by transferee Stockholders.

(e) Cutbacks. If the managing underwriters advise the Company and the selling Stockholders that, in their opinion, the number of Shares requested to be included in an underwritten offering exceeds the amount that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the distribution of the Shares being offered, such offering will include only the number of Shares that the underwriters advise can be sold in such offering.

(i) In the case of a registered offering upon the demand of one or more LGP Stockholders, the selling Stockholders (including those Stockholders exercising piggyback rights pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) collectively will have first priority and will be subject to cutback pro rata based on the number of Shares initially requested by them to be included in such offering. To the extent of any remaining capacity, all other stockholders having similar registration rights will have second priority and will be subject to cutback pro rata based on the number of Shares initially requested by them to be included in such offering. To the extent of any remaining capacity, the Company will have third priority. Except as contemplated by the immediately preceding three sentences, other selling stockholders (other than transferees to whom a Stockholder has assigned its rights under this Agreement) will be included in an underwritten offering only with the consent of Stockholders holding a majority of the Shares being sold in such offering.

(ii) In the case of a registered offering upon the initiative of the Company, the Company will have first priority. To the extent of any remaining capacity, the selling Stockholders as a group, on the one hand, and all other stockholders having similar registration rights as a group, on the other hand, will be subject to cutback pro rata based on the number of Shares initially requested by such group to be included in such offering. The selling Stockholders will be subject to cutback pro rata, based on the number of Shares initially requested by them to be included in such offering. Except as contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence, other stockholders (other than transferees to whom a Stockholder has assigned its rights under this Agreement) will be included in an underwritten offering only with the consent of a LGP Majority Interest.

(f) Withdrawals. Even if Shares held by a LGP Stockholder have been part of a registered underwritten offering, such LGP Stockholder may, no later than the time at which the public offering price and underwriters’ discount are determined with the managing underwriter, decline to sell all or any portion of the Shares being offered for its account.

 

7


(g) Lockups. In connection with any underwritten offering of Shares, the Company and each participating Stockholder hereby agree to be bound by the underwriting agreement’s lockup restrictions (which must apply, and continue to apply, in like manner to all of them) that are agreed to (a) by the Company, if a majority of the Shares being sold in such offering are being sold for its account or (b) by LGP Stockholders holding a majority of Shares being sold by all LGP Stockholders, if a majority of the Shares being sold in such offering are being sold by LGP Stockholders, as applicable.

(h) Expenses. All expenses incurred in connection with any registration statement or registered offering covering Shares held by Stockholders, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel (provided that the Company shall only be responsible for the fees and disbursements of one outside counsel for all of the Stockholders) and of the independent certified public accountants, and the expense of qualifying such Shares under state blue sky laws, will be borne by the Company. However, underwriters’, brokers’ and dealers’ discounts and commissions applicable to Shares sold for the account of a Stockholder will be borne by such Stockholder.

3.3 Facilitating Registrations and Offerings.

(a) General. If the Company becomes obligated under this Agreement to facilitate a registration and offering of Shares on behalf of the Stockholders, the Company will do so with the same degree of care and dispatch as would reasonably be expected in the case of a registration and offering by the Company of Shares for its own account. Without limiting this general obligation, the Company will fulfill its specific obligations as described in this Section 3.3.

(b) Registration Statements. In connection with each registration statement that is demanded by the LGP Stockholders or as to which piggyback rights otherwise apply, the Company will:

(i) prepare and file (or confidentially submit) with the SEC a registration statement covering the applicable Shares, (ii) prepare and file (or confidentially submit) such amendments or supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective for a period ending when all of the securities covered by such registration statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement (but not in any event before the expiration of any longer period required under the Securities Act or, if such registration statement relates to an underwritten public offering, such longer period as in the opinion of counsel for the underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with the sale of Shares by an underwriter or dealer), (iii) seek the effectiveness thereof, and (iv) file with the SEC prospectuses and prospectus supplements as may be required, all in consultation with the LGP Stockholders and as reasonably necessary in order to permit the offer and sale of the such Shares in accordance with the applicable plan of distribution;

(ii) (1) within a reasonable time prior to the filing of any registration statement, any prospectus, any amendment to a registration statement, amendment or supplement to a prospectus or any free writing prospectus, provide copies of such documents to the selling Stockholders and to the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering, if applicable, and to their respective counsel; fairly consider such reasonable changes in any such documents prior to or after the filing thereof as the counsel to the Stockholders or the underwriter or the underwriters may request; and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by the selling Stockholders or any underwriter available for discussion of such documents;

 

8


(2) within a reasonable time prior to the filing of any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a registration statement or a prospectus, provide copies of such document to counsel for the Stockholders and underwriters; fairly consider such reasonable changes in such document prior to or after the filing thereof as counsel for such Stockholders or such underwriter shall request; and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by such counsel available for discussion of such document;

(iii) cause each registration statement and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective date of such registration statement, amendment or supplement and during the distribution of the registered Shares (x) to comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC and (y) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

(iv) notify each Stockholder promptly, and, if requested by such Stockholder, confirm such advice in writing, (i) when a registration statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendments and supplements thereto become effective if such registration statement or post-effective amendment is not automatically effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, (ii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for that purpose, (iii) if, between the effective date of a registration statement and the closing of any sale of securities covered thereby pursuant to any agreement to which the Company is a party, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in such agreement cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, and (iv) of the happening of any event during the period a registration statement is effective as a result of which such registration statement or the related prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, if required by applicable law, prepare and file a supplement or amendment to such registration statement or prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Shares registered thereby, such registration statement or prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

(v) furnish counsel for each underwriter, if any, and for the Stockholders copies of any correspondence with the SEC or any state securities authority relating to the registration statement or prospectus;

(vi) otherwise comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, including making available to its security holders an earnings statement covering at least 12 months which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any similar provision then in force);

(vii) use all reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement at the earliest possible time;

 

9


(c) Non-Shelf Registered Offerings and Shelf Takedowns. In connection with any non-shelf registered offering or shelf takedown that is demanded by the LGP Stockholders or as to which piggyback rights otherwise apply, the Company will:

(i) cooperate with the selling Stockholders and the sole underwriter or managing underwriter of an underwritten offering of Shares, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Shares to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Shares to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the governing documents thereof) and registered in such names as the selling Stockholders or the sole underwriter or managing underwriter of an underwritten offering of Shares, if any, may reasonably request at least five days prior to any sale of such Shares;

(ii) furnish to each Stockholder and to each underwriter, if any, participating in the relevant offering, without charge, as many copies of the applicable prospectus, including each preliminary prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Stockholder or underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Shares; the Company hereby consents to the use of the prospectus, including each preliminary prospectus, by each such Stockholder and underwriter in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares covered by the prospectus or the preliminary prospectus;

(iii) (i) use all reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Shares being offered and sold, no later than the time the applicable registration statement becomes effective, under all applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as each underwriter, if any, or any Stockholder holding Shares covered by a registration statement, shall reasonably request; (ii) use all reasonable efforts to keep each such registration or qualification effective during the period such registration statement is required to be kept effective; (iii) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in the registration statement and (iv) do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each such underwriter, if any, and Stockholder to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Shares owned by such Stockholder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to consent to be subject to general service of process (other than service of process in connection with such registration or qualification or any sale of Shares in connection therewith) in any such jurisdiction;

(iv) cause all Shares being sold to be qualified for inclusion in or listed on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then so qualified or listed;

(v) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter in an underwritten offering;

(vi) use all reasonable efforts to facilitate the distribution and sale of any Shares to be offered pursuant to this Agreement, including without limitation by making road show presentations, holding meetings with and making calls to potential investors and taking such other actions as shall be requested by the Stockholders or the lead managing underwriter of an underwritten offering; and

 

10


(vii) enter into customary agreements (including, in the case of an underwritten offering, underwriting agreements in customary form, and including provisions with respect to indemnification and contribution in customary form and consistent with the provisions relating to indemnification and contribution contained herein) and take all other customary and appropriate actions in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Shares and in connection therewith:

(1) make such representations and warranties to the selling Stockholders and the underwriters, if any, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in similar underwritten offerings;

(2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and updates thereof (which counsel and opinions (in form, scope and substance) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the lead managing underwriter, if any) addressed to each selling Stockholder and the underwriters, if any, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in sales of securities or underwritten offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Stockholders and underwriters;

(3) obtain “cold comfort” letters and updates thereof from the Company’s independent certified public accountants addressed to the selling Stockholders, if permissible, and the underwriters, if any, which letters shall be customary in form and shall cover matters of the type customarily covered in “cold comfort” letters to underwriters in connection with primary underwritten offerings;

(4) to the extent requested by the LGP Shareholders, cause the Company’s directors and executive officers to enter into lock-up agreements in customary form; and

(5) to the extent requested and customary for the relevant transaction, enter into a securities sales agreement with the Stockholders providing for, among other things, the appointment of such representative as agent for the selling Stockholders for the purpose of soliciting purchases of Shares, which agreement shall be customary in form, substance and scope and shall contain customary representations, warranties and covenants.

The above shall be done at such times as customarily occur in similar registered offerings or shelf takedowns.

(d) Due Diligence. In connection with each registration and offering of Shares to be sold by Stockholders, the Company will, in accordance with customary practice, make available for inspection by representatives of the Stockholders participating in such offering and underwriters and any counsel or accountant retained by such Stockholder or underwriters all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and cause appropriate officers, managers and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, underwriter, counsel or accountant in connection with their due diligence exercise.

(e) Information from Stockholders. Each Stockholder that holds Shares covered by any registration statement will furnish to the Company such information regarding itself as is required to be included in the registration statement, the ownership of Shares by such Stockholder and the proposed distribution by such Stockholder of such Shares as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

 

11


3.4 Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification by the Company. In the event of any registration under the Securities Act by any registration statement pursuant to rights granted in this Agreement of Shares held by the Stockholders, the Company will hold harmless the Stockholders and each underwriter of such securities and each other person, if any, who controls any Stockholder or such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (including legal fees and costs of court), joint or several, to which the Stockholders or such underwriter or controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or any actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact (i) contained, on its effective date, in any registration statement under which such securities were registered under the Securities Act or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing, or which arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) contained in any preliminary prospectus, if used prior to the effective date of such registration statement, or in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have filed with the SEC any amendment or supplement to the final prospectus), or which arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission (if so used) to state a material fact required to be stated in such prospectus or necessary to make the statements in such prospectus not misleading; and will reimburse the Stockholders and each such underwriter and each such controlling person for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, or liability; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable to any Stockholder or its underwriters or controlling persons in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company through a written instrument duly executed by the Stockholders or such underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

(b) Indemnification by the Stockholders. Each Stockholder will indemnify and hold harmless (in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth in Section 3.4(a)) the Company, each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who shall sign the registration statement, and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, (i) with respect to any statement or omission from such registration statement, or any amendment or supplement to it, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company through a written instrument duly executed by such Stockholder specifically regarding such Stockholder for use in the preparation of such registration statement or amendment or supplement, and (ii) with respect to compliance by such Stockholder with applicable laws in effecting the sale or other disposition of the securities covered by such registration statement.

(c) Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the commencement of any action involving a claim referred to in Section 3.4(a) and Section 3.4(b), the indemnified party will, if a resulting claim is to be made or may be made against and indemnifying party, give written notice to the indemnifying party of the commencement of the action. The failure of any indemnified party to give notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations in this Section 3.4, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is actually prejudiced by the failure to give notice. If any such action is brought against an indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and to assume the defense of the action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election to assume defense of the action, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses incurred by the latter in connection with the action’s defense. An indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any action or proceeding and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at such indemnified party’s expense unless (a) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, which

 

12


authorization shall not be unreasonably withheld, (ii) the indemnifying party has not assumed the defense and employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party within 30 days after notice of any such action or proceeding, or (iii) the named parties to any such action or proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action or proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party), it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to all local counsel which is necessary, in the good faith opinion of both counsel for the indemnifying party and counsel for the indemnified party in order to adequately represent the indemnified parties) for the indemnified party and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred upon written request and presentation of invoices. Whether or not a defense is assumed by the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made without its consent. No indemnifying party will consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which (i) does not include as an unconditional term the giving by the claimant or plaintiff, to the indemnified party, of a release from all liability in respect of such claim or litigation or (ii) involves the imposition of equitable remedies or the imposition of any non-financial obligations on the indemnified party.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification required by this Section 3.4 from the indemnifying party is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any indemnifiable losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefit of the indemnifying and indemnified parties and (ii) if the allocation in clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefit referred to in clause (i) and also the relative fault of the indemnified and indemnifying parties, in connection with the actions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact, has been made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or parties, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such action. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damage, liabilities, and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The Company and the Stockholders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.4(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the prior provisions of this Section 3.4(d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.4(d), no indemnifying party shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the securities were offered to the public by the indemnifying party exceeds the amount of any damages which the indemnifying party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of an untrue statement or omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such a fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e) Non-Exclusive Remedy. The indemnification and contribution provided for under this Agreement will be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract (and the Company and its subsidiaries shall be considered the indemnitors of first resort in all such circumstances to which this Section 3 applies) and will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and will survive the transfer of Shares and the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

13


3.5 Rule 144. If the Company is subject to the requirements of Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company covenants that it will file any reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (or, if the Company is subject to the requirements of Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act but is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of LGP Stockholder, make publicly available such information) and it will take such further action as any Stockholder may reasonably request, so as to enable such Stockholder to sell Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (a) Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or (b) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the request of any Stockholder, the Company will deliver to such Stockholder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

SECTION IV. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

4.1 Board of Directors.

(a) Composition of Initial Board. As of the Closing, the Board of Directors shall be comprised of seven (7) directors, the following five (5) of whom shall be deemed to have been designated by the LGP Stockholders (each, a “LGP Director”): Wade Miquelon, Darrell Webb, Lily Chang, Jonathan Sokoloff and John Yoon. The foregoing directors shall be divided into three classes of directors, each of whose members shall serve for staggered three-year terms as follows:

(i) the class I directors shall initially include Wade Miquelon and Darrell Webb;

(ii) the class II directors shall initially include Lily Chang; and

(iii) the class III directors shall initially include John Yoon and Jonathan Sokoloff.

The initial term of the class I directors shall expire immediately following the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are elected. The initial term of the class II directors shall expire immediately following the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are elected. The initial term of the class III directors shall expire immediately following the Company’s 2024 annual meeting at which directors are elected.

(b) LGP Stockholders’ Representation. For so long as the LGP Stockholders hold, in the aggregate, a number of shares of Common Stock representing at least the percentages shown below of shares of Common Stock held in the aggregate by the LGP Stockholders following the consummation of all sales of Common Stock contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Company shall take all Necessary Action to include in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board of Directors for election as directors at each applicable annual or special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected that number of individuals designated by the LGP Stockholders (each, a “LGP Stockholders’ Designee”) that, if elected, will result in the number of LGP Directors serving on the Board of Directors that is shown below.

 

14


Percentage

 

Number of Directors

50% or greater   5
Less than 50% but greater than or equal to 40%   4
Less than 40% but greater than or equal to 30%   3
Less than 30% but greater than or equal to 20%   2
Less than 20% but greater than or equal to 10%   1
Less than 10%   0

Upon any decrease in the number of directors that the LGP Stockholders are entitled to designate for election to the Board of Directors, the LGP Stockholders shall, upon request from the Company, use their reasonable best efforts to cause the appropriate number of LGP Stockholders’ Designees to offer to tender his or her resignation. If such resignation is then accepted by the Board of Directors, the Company shall cause the size of the Board of Directors to be reduced accordingly unless the Company, with the approval of a majority of the remaining Directors, determines not to reduce the authorized size of the Board of Directors, in which case the Board of Directors shall act in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect to appoint or nominate a new director to the Board of Directors.

(c) Additional Obligations. An individual designated by the LGP Stockholders for election (including pursuant to Section 4.1(b)) as a director shall comply with any applicable requirements of the charter for, and related guidelines of, any committee of the Board of Directors responsible for nominating directors (such committee, a “Nominating Committee”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4, in the event that the Board of Directors determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that its nomination, appointment or election of a particular LGP Stockholders’ Designee pursuant to this Section 4.1 would constitute a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company’s stockholders or does not otherwise comply with any requirements of the charter for, or related guidelines of, the Nominating Committee, then the Board of Directors shall inform the LGP Stockholders of such determination in writing and explain in reasonable detail the basis for such determination and shall designate another individual designated for nomination, election or appointment to the Board of Directors by the LGP Stockholders (subject in each case to this Section 4.1(c)), and the Board of Directors and the Company shall take all of the actions required by this Section 4 with respect to the election of such substitute LGP Stockholders’ Designee. It is hereby acknowledged and agreed that the fact that a particular LGP Stockholders’ Designee is an Affiliate, director, professional, partner, member, manager, employee or agent of the LGP Stockholders or is not an independent director shall not in and of itself constitute an acceptable basis for such determination by the Board of Directors.

(d) Vacancies. Except as provided in Section 4.1(b), with respect to decreases in ownership of the LGP Stockholders, (i) the LGP Stockholders shall have the exclusive right to request the removal of LGP Stockholders’ Designees from the Board of Directors in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect, and the Company shall take all Necessary Action to cause the removal (whether for or without cause) of any such LGP Stockholders’ Designee at the request of the LGP Stockholders and (ii) the LGP Stockholders shall have the exclusive right to designate directors for election to the Board of Directors to fill vacancies (for the remainder of the then current term) created by reason of death, disability, removal or resignation of LGP Stockholders’ Designees to the Board of Directors, and the Company shall take all Necessary Action to cause any such vacancies to be filled by replacement directors designated by the LGP Stockholders as promptly as reasonably practicable.

 

15


(e) Committees. In accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, (i) the Board shall establish and maintain an audit committee of the Board, as well as all other committees of the Board required in accordance with applicable Laws and stock exchange regulations, and (ii) the Board may from time to time by resolution establish and maintain other committees of the Board. Subject to applicable laws and stock exchange regulations, and subject to requisite independence requirements applicable to such committee, the LGP Stockholders shall have the right to have one (1) LGP Director appointed to serve on each committee of the Board for so long as the LGP Stockholders has the right to designate at least one (1) director for nomination to the Board. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company agrees to take all Necessary Action to have at least one (1) LGP Director appointed to serve on each committee of the Board (to the extent not prohibited by applicable Law or applicable stock exchange regulations).

4.2 Agreement of Company. The Company hereby agrees that it will take all Necessary Actions to cause the matters addressed by this Section 4 to be carried out in accordance with the provisions thereof. Without limiting the foregoing, the Secretary of the Company or such other officer or employee of the Company who may be fulfilling the duties of the Secretary, shall not record any vote or consent or other action contrary to the terms of this Section 4.

SECTION V. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

5.1 Access Rights. The Company shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, auditors and other agents to (a) afford the LGP Stockholders and their officers, employees, auditors and other agents, during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice, at all reasonable times access to the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ officers, employees, auditors, legal counsel, properties, offices, plants and other facilities and to all books and records, and (b) afford the LGP Stockholders and their officers, employees, auditors and other agents the opportunity to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries with their respective officers from time to time as each such LGP Stockholder may reasonably request, in each case, until such time as such LGP Stockholder shall cease to own any Shares.

5.2 Confidentiality. Each Stockholder agrees that it will keep confidential and will not disclose, divulge or use for any purpose, other than to monitor its investment in the Company and its subsidiaries, any confidential information obtained from the Company pursuant to Section 5.1, unless such confidential information (a) is known or becomes known to the public in general (other than as a result of a breach of any confidentiality obligation by such Stockholder or its affiliates), (b) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Stockholder without use of or reliance on the Company’s confidential information or (c) is or has been made known or disclosed to such Stockholder by a third party (other than an Affiliate of such Stockholder) without a breach of any confidentiality obligations such third party may have to the Company that is known to such Stockholder; provided, that, a Stockholder may disclose confidential information (i) to its attorneys, accountants, consultants and other professional advisors to the extent necessary to obtain their services in connection with monitoring its investment in the Company, (ii) to any prospective purchaser of any Shares from such Stockholder as long as such prospective purchaser executes a confidentiality agreement with the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, (iii) to any Affiliate, partner, member, limited partners, prospective partners or related investment fund of such Stockholder and their respective directors, employees, consultants and representatives, in each case in the ordinary course of business (provided that the recipients of such confidential information are subject to a customary confidentiality and non-disclosure obligation, and provided further that Stockholder will remain liable to the Company for any breaches of confidentiality and nondisclosure obligations by such persons), or (iv) as may otherwise be required by law or legal, judicial or regulatory process.

 

16


5.3 Reliance. Each covenant and agreement made by a party in this Agreement or in any certificate, instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement is material, shall be deemed to have been relied upon by the other parties and shall remain operative and in full force and effect after the Effective Time regardless of any investigation. This Agreement shall not be construed so as to confer any right or benefit upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

5.4 Access to Agreement; Amendment and Waiver; Actions of the Board. For so long as this Agreement shall be in effect, this Agreement shall be made available for inspection by any Stockholder at the principal executive offices of the Company. Any party may waive in writing any provision hereof intended for its benefit, provided, that, in the case of any waiver by the Company, such waiver is consented to in writing by the LGP Majority Interest. No failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to any party at law or in equity or otherwise. This Agreement may be amended only with the prior written consent of the LGP Majority Interest and the Company. Any consent given as provided in the preceding sentence shall be binding on all parties. Further, with the prior written consent of the LGP Majority Interest and the Company, at any time hereafter Permitted Transferees may be made parties hereto, with any such additional parties shall be treated as “Stockholders” for all purposes hereunder, by executing a counterpart signature page in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, which signature page shall be attached to this Agreement and become a part hereof without any further action of any other party hereto.

5.5 Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and mailed (by first class registered or certified mail, electronic mail, facsimile or postage prepaid), sent by express overnight courier service, or delivered to the applicable party at the respective address indicated below:

If to the Company:

JOANN Inc.

5555 Darrow Road

Hudson, Ohio 44236

Attn: General Counsel (Ann.Aber@joann.com)

Facsimile: (330) 463-6773

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice):

Latham & Watkins LLP

885 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attention:

Howard Sobel (Howard.Sobel@lw.com)

Greg Rodgers (Greg.Rodgers@lw.com)

Jason Silvera (Jason.Silvera@lw.com)

Drew Capurro (Drew.Capurro@lw.com)

Facsimile: (212) 751-4864

 

17


If to the LGP Stockholders:

c/o Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.

11111 Santa Monica Blvd., #2000

Los Angeles, California 90025

Attention: John Yoon (yoon@leonardgreen.com)

Facsimile: (310) 954-0404

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice):

Latham & Watkins LLP

885 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attention:

Howard Sobel (Howard.Sobel@lw.com)

Greg Rodgers (Greg.Rodgers@lw.com)

Jason Silvera (Jason.Silvera@lw.com)

Drew Capurro (Drew.Capurro@lw.com)

Facsimile: (212) 751-4864

If to any other Stockholder:

At such Person’s address for notice as set forth in the books and records of the Company, or, as to each of the foregoing, at such other address as shall be designated by a party in a written notice to other parties complying as to delivery with the terms of this Section 5.5. All such notices, requests, demands and other communications shall, when mailed, telegraphed or sent, respectively, be effective (i) two days after being deposited in the mail or (ii) one day after being deposited with the express overnight courier service, respectively, addressed as aforesaid.

5.6 Counterparts; Electronic Delivery. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, and delivered via facsimile, ..pdf or other electronic transmission, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent executed and delivered by means of a photographic, photostatic, facsimile or similar reproduction of such signed writing using a facsimile machine or electronic mail shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

5.7 Remedies; Severability. It is specifically understood and agreed that any breach of the provisions of this Agreement by any party will result in irreparable injury to the other parties, that the remedy at law alone will be an inadequate remedy for such breach, and that, in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies which they may have, such other parties may enforce their respective rights by actions for specific performance or injunctive relief (to the extent permitted at law or in equity). If any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement, or the application thereof in any circumstances, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein are not to be in any way impaired thereby, it being intended that all of the rights and privileges of the parties be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

18


5.8 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

5.9 Termination. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the election of the LGP Majority Interest, (ii) with respect to each LGP Stockholder, such date as the LGP Stockholder ceases to hold any Shares or (iii) with respect any Stockholder other than an LGP Stockholder, such date as the Stockholder may sell all of its Shares without regard to volume restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

5.10 Governing Law. This Agreement is to be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to its principles or rules of conflict of laws to the extent such principles or rules are not mandatorily applicable by statute and would require or permit the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

5.11 Successors and Assigns; Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and the respective successors and assigns of the parties as contemplated herein. Any successor to the Company by way of merger or otherwise must specifically agree to be bound by the terms hereof as a condition of such succession.

5.12 Consent to Jurisdiction; Specific Performance; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(a) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Wilmington, Delaware to resolve all disputes, claims or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other agreement executed and delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or the negotiation, breach, validity, termination or performance hereof and thereof or the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and agrees that it will not bring any such action in any court other than the federal or state courts located in Wilmington, Delaware. Each party further irrevocably waives any objection to proceeding in such courts based upon lack of personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue in such courts and further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to make a claim that such courts are an inconvenient forum. Each of the parties hereto hereby consents to service of process by registered mail at the address to which notices are to be given as provided in Section 5.5. Each of the parties hereto agrees that its or his submission to jurisdiction and its or his consent to service of process by mail is made for the express benefit of the other parties hereto. The choice of forum set forth in this Section shall not be deemed to preclude the enforcement of any judgment of a Delaware federal or state court, or the taking of any action under this Agreement to enforce such a judgment, in any other appropriate jurisdiction.

(b) The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity.

 

19


(c) EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY ANY OF THEM AGAINST THE OTHER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENTS EXECUTED AND DELIVERED PURSUANT TO OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE NEGOTIATION, BREACH, VALIDITY, TERMINATION OR PERFORMANCE HEREOF AND THEREOF OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY. FURTHER, (I) NO PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL SEEK A JURY TRIAL IN ANY SUCH ACTION AND (II) NO PARTY WILL SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE ANY SUCH ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL HAS BEEN WAIVED WITH ANY OTHER ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE OR HAS NOT BEEN WAIVED. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS SET FORTH ABOVE IN THIS SECTION 5.12. NO PARTY HAS IN ANY WAY AGREED WITH OR REPRESENTED TO ANY OTHER PARTY THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE FULLY ENFORCED IN ALL INSTANCES.

5.13 Further Assurances; Company Logo. At any time or from time to time after the Effective Time, the parties hereto agree to cooperate with each other, and at the request of any other party, to execute and deliver any further instruments or documents and to take all such further action as any other party may reasonably request in order to evidence or effectuate the provisions of this Agreement and to otherwise carry out the intent of the parties hereunder. The Company hereby grants the LGP Stockholders and their respective Affiliates permission to use the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ name and logo in marketing materials.

5.14 Regulatory Matters. The Company shall and shall cause its subsidiaries to keep the LGP Stockholders informed, on a current basis, of any events, discussions, notices or changes with respect to any criminal or regulatory investigation or action involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, so that the LGP Stockholders and their respective Affiliates will have the opportunity to take appropriate steps to avoid or mitigate any regulatory consequences to them that might arise from such investigation or action.

5.15 No Third Party Liability. This Agreement may only be enforced against the named parties hereto. All claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), may be made only against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto.

5.16 Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective (such time, the “Effective Time”) immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 related to the Initial Public Offering. However, to the extent the Closing does not occur, the provisions of this Agreement shall be without any force or effect.

5.17 Removal of Legends. The Company shall remove any restrictive legends on any Shares held by any Stockholder promptly upon request by such Stockholder if such legend is not, in the reasonable determination of the Company upon the advice of legal counsel, required to comply with applicable securities laws; provided that the Company may require an opinion of legal counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company prior to any such removal other than in connection with a transfer made pursuant to an effective registration statement.

5.18 Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any Stockholder shall enter into any agreement or side letter with, or grant any proxy to, any Stockholder, the Company or any other Person (whether or not such proxy, agreements or side letters are with other Stockholders, holders of Shares that are not parties to this Agreement or otherwise) that conflicts with the provisions of this Agreement or which would obligate such Person to breach any provision of this Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 

20


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties are signing this Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement as of the date first set forth above.

 

JOANN INC.
By:  

/s/ Matt Susz

  Name: Matt Susz
  Title:   Senior Vice President,
              Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS V, L.P.
By: GEI Capital V, LLC, its General Partner
By:  

/s/ John Yoon

  Name: John Yoon
  Title: Senior Vice President
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS SIDE V, L.P.
By: GEI Capital V, LLC, its General Partner
By:  

/s/ John Yoon

  Name: John Yoon
  Title: Senior Vice President
NEEDLE COINVEST LLC
By: LGP Associates V LLC, its sole member
By: Peridot Coinvest Manager LLC, its sole member
By: Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., its sole member
By: LGP Management, Inc., its general partner
By:  

/s/ John Yoon

  Name: John Yoon
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


TCW/CRESCENT MEZZANINE PARTNERS V, L.P.
By: TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Management V, LLC, its Investment Manager
By: Crescent Capital Group LP, its sub-adviser
By: Crescent Capital GP LLC, its general partner
By:  

/s/ Yev Kuznetsov

  Name: Yev Kuznetsov
  Title: Managing Director
By:  

/s/ George P. Hawley

  Name: George P. Hawley
  Title: General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


TCW/CRESCENT MEZZANINE PARTNERS VB, L.P.
By: TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Management V, LLC,
its Investment Manager
By: Crescent Capital Group LP, its sub-adviser
  By: Crescent Capital GP LLC, its general partner
By:  

/s/ Yev Kuznetsov

  Name: Yev Kuznetsov
  Title: Managing Director
By:  

/s/ George P. Hawley

  Name: George P. Hawley
  Title: General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


TCW/CRESCENT MEZZANINE PARTNERS VC, L.P.
By: TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Management V, LLC,
its Investment Manager
By: Crescent Capital Group LP, its sub-adviser
  By: Crescent Capital GP LLC, its general partner
By:  

/s/ Yev Kuznetsoz

  Name: Yev Kuznetsov
  Title: Managing Director
By:  

/s/ George P. Hawley

  Name: George P. Hawley
  Title: General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


TCW CAPITAL TRUST
By: TCW Investment Management Company LLC, its investment advisor
By:  

/s/ Jean-Marc Chapus

  Name: Jean-Marc Chapus
  Title: Authorized Officer
By:  

/s/ Mark L. Attanasio

  Name: Mark L. Attanasio
  Title: Authorized Officer

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MAC EQUITY HOLDINGS I, LLC
By:   MAC CAPITAL, LTD.,
Its Sole Member
By: TCW-WLA JV Venture LLC, its sub-adviser
By:  

/s/ Yev Kuznetsov

  Name: Yev Kuznetsov
  Title: Authorized Officer
By:  

/s/ George P. Hawley

  Name: George P. Hawley
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Darrell Webb

  Name: Darrell Webb
  Title: Board of Directors

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Travis Smith

  Name: Travis Smith

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ James Kerr

  Name: James Kerr

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Kenneth E. Haverkost

  Name: Kenneth E. Haverkost

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Anthony C. Dissinger

  Name: Anthony C. Dissinger

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Bonnie Borman, Trustee

  Name: Bonnie Borman
 

Title: Trustee for the Credit Shelter Trust under the 2nd Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of David B. Goldston DTD 8/18/2018

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Justin T. Simmons

  Name: Justin T. Simmons
  Title: Stockholder

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Chris DiTullio

  Name: Chris DiTullio

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Carolyn J. Tackett

  Name: Carolyn J. Tackett

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Edward A. Weinstein

  Name: Edward A. Weinstein
  Title: Vice President, Joann Inc.

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Matthew B. Susz

  Name: Matthew B. Susz
  Title: SVP-CFO

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Sharyn Hejcl

  Name: Sharyn Hejcl

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Janet Duliga

  Name: Janet Duliga
  Title: CAO

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Wade Miquelon

  Name: Wade Miquelon
  Title: President and CEO

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Robert Will

  Name: Robert Will
  Title: CMO

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Varadheesh Chennakrishnan

  Name: Varadheesh Chennakrishnan
  Title: CFO

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Richard Vollmer

  Name: Richard Vollmer
  Title: Chief Creative Officer

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Stephen Caution

  Name: Stephen Caution
  Title: Vice President, Business Development

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Michael Joyce

  Name: Michael Joyce
  Title: SVP, Planning, Replenishment & Supply Chain Optimization

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Ann Aber

  Name: Ann Aber
  Title: General Counsel & Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Marybeth Hays

  Name: Marybeth Hays
  Title: Independent Director

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER
By:  

/s/ Anne Mehlman

  Name: Anne Mehlman
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

Joinder Agreement

By execution of this signature page, [_______________] hereby agrees to become a Party to, and to be bound by the obligations of, and receive the benefits of, that certain Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021, by and among JOANN Inc., a Delaware Corporation, [ 🌑 ], and certain other Parties named therein, as amended from time to time thereafter.

 

[NAME]
By:  

 

Name:
Title:
Notice Address:

 

 

 

Accepted:
JOANN INC.
By:  

 

Name:
Title:

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]