EX-4.1
Published on March 31, 2025
Exhibit 4.1
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
As of the end of the period covered by the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K of BKV Corporation (“BKV,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”), BKV has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”): its common stock, $0.01 par value per share.
General
Pursuant to our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “certificate of incorporation”), our authorized capital stock consists of:
•500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and
•80,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share.
There is no preferred stock outstanding.
Common Stock
The following description of our common stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to (i) our certificate of incorporation, (ii) our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “bylaws”), each of which are exhibits to BKV’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated by reference herein, and (iii) the applicable provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). We encourage you to read our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the applicable provisions of the DGCL for additional information.
Voting Rights
Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors elected by our stockholders generally. Holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Subject to certain nomination rights of Banpu North America Corporation (“BNAC”) under the Stockholders’ Agreement we entered into on September 27, 2024 (the “Stockholders’ Agreement”), which is filed as an exhibit to BKV’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, holders of our common stock are entitled to elect all directors to our board of directors.
Dividend Rights
Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation, Dissolution and Winding-Up Rights
Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of shares of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution.
Other Rights
All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stock is not subject to further calls or assessments by us. Holders of shares of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund
provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights powers, preferences and privileges of our common stock are subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock or any other series or class of stock we may authorize and issue in the future.
Preferred Stock
Our certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock). Unless required by law or any stock exchange, the authorized shares of preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by the holders of our common stock. Our board of directors is able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation:
•the designation of the series;
•the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);
•whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;
•the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable;
•the redemption or repurchase rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;
•the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;
•the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs;
•whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of us or any other entity, and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;
•restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and
•the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.
Dividends
The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends on shares of its capital stock out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by its board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equals the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, remaining capital would be less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets. Declaration and payment of any dividend is subject to the discretion of our board of directors.
Annual Stockholder Meetings
Our bylaws provide that annual stockholder meetings will be held at a date, time and place, if any, as determined by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. To the extent permitted under applicable law, we may conduct meetings by remote communications, including by webcast.
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Anti-Takeover Provisions
Our governing documents and the DGCL contain provisions, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile or abusive change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock
Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of shares that are authorized and available for issuance. However, the listing requirements of the NYSE, which will apply so long as our common stock remains listed on the NYSE, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding voting power of our capital stock or then outstanding number of shares of common stock. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.
Our board of directors may generally issue shares of one or more series of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock are available for future issuances in one or more series without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, to facilitate acquisitions and employee benefit plans.
One of the effects of the existence of authorized and unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Classified Board of Directors
Our certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors, with each class to be as equal in number as possible, and with the directors serving staggered three-year terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of directors will be determined from time to time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office.
Delaware Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. Section 203 of the DGCL provides that, subject to exceptions specified therein, an “interested stockholder” of a Delaware corporation shall not engage in any “business combination,” including general mergers or consolidations or acquisitions of additional shares of the corporation, with the corporation for a three-year period following the time that such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder unless:
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•prior to such time, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
•upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an “interested stockholder,” the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced (excluding specified shares); or
•at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66⅔% of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.
Under Section 203 of the DGCL, the restrictions described above also do not apply to specified business combinations proposed by an interested stockholder following the announcement or notification of one of specified transactions involving the corporation and a person who had not been an interested stockholder during the previous three years or who became an interested stockholder with the approval of a majority of the corporation’s directors, if such transaction is approved or not opposed by a majority of the directors who were directors prior to any person becoming an interested stockholder during the previous three years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors.
Except as otherwise specified in Section 203 of the DGCL, an “interested stockholder” is defined to include:
•any person that is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation, or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within three years immediately prior to the date of determination; and
•the affiliates and associates of any such person.
Under some circumstances, Section 203 of the DGCL makes it more difficult for a person who is an interested stockholder to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period following the time such stockholder became an interested stockholder.
A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of Section 203 of the DGCL with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from amendments approved by the holders of at least a majority of the corporation’s outstanding voting shares. We have not elected to “opt out” of the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. The statute could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire us.
Removal of Directors; Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our certificate of incorporation provides that directors may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 60% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to the rights granted to the holders of one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding or the rights granted under our Stockholders’ Agreement, any vacancies on our board of directors, and any newly created directorships, will be filled by an appointment made by a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders.
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No Cumulative Voting
Under the DGCL, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all our directors, subject to certain nomination rights of BNAC under our Stockholders’ Agreement.
Special Stockholder Meetings
Our certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of our board of directors by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, the chairman of our board of directors or our Chief Executive Officer, and may not be called by any other person or persons. Our bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deterring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of the Company.
Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals
Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors, as well as certain requirements regarding the form and content of a shareholder’s notice for any such proposal. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, any such proposals will have to comply with these advance notice, form and content requirements.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Under the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our certificate of incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent at any time when BNAC and its affiliates and subsidiaries (excluding the Company and its subsidiaries) own, in the aggregate, less than 35% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
Supermajority Provisions
Our governing documents provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind, in whole or in part, our bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, without the assent or vote of our stockholders in any matter not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or our certificate of incorporation.
Any amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal of any provision of our bylaws, or the adoption of any provision inconsistent with our bylaws, by our stockholders, requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of our capital stock required by our governing documents or any applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation.
The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.
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Our certificate of incorporation provides that, in addition to any vote required by our governing documents or any applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation, the following provisions in our certificate of incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class (except that, in the case of any proposed amendment, alteration, repeal or rescission of, or the adoption of any provision inconsistent with, the following provisions, as to which the DGCL does not require the consent or vote of the stockholders or that is approved by at least 60% of our board of directors, then only the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class (in addition to any vote required by our governing documents or any applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation)), is required to amend, alter, repeal or rescind, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, the following provisions:
•the provisions requiring a 66⅔% supermajority vote for stockholders to amend our bylaws;
•the provisions providing for a classified board of directors (the election and term of our directors);
•the provisions regarding removal of directors;
•the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly-created directorships;
•the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director or officer;
•the provisions regarding indemnification and advancement of expenses to certain indemnitees in connection with certain proceedings;
•the provisions regarding stockholder action by written consent;
•the provisions regarding calling special meetings of stockholders;
•the provisions regarding competition and corporate opportunities; and
•the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended with a majority vote or a 66⅔% supermajority vote, as applicable, of stockholders.
The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements in certain circumstances will make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.
These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control of us or our management, such as a merger, reorganization or tender offer. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of the Company. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions are also intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in management.
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Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of the Company. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with any such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Choice of Forums
Our certificate of incorporation provides that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of the Company to the Company or our stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our governing documents, or (iv) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director, officer or employee of the Company, which claim is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the federal district courts of the United States of America is the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under U.S. federal securities laws, including the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Exchange Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company will be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation. However, the enforceability of similar forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be unenforceable.
Corporate Opportunity
The DGCL permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy of the corporation in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, renounces any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither BNAC nor its affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that BNAC or its affiliates or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity that may be a corporate opportunity for itself, himself or herself or its or his or her affiliates or for us or any of our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our certificate of incorporation does not renounce our interest in any corporate
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opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, a business opportunity will not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us if we would not be financially or legally able, or contractually permitted to undertake, the opportunity; the opportunity, from its nature, would not be in the line of our business; or the opportunity is one in which we would have no interest or reasonable expectancy.
In addition, in light of the role of Mr. Christopher P. Kalnin, our Chief Executive Officer, on the Executive Committee of Banpu Public Company Limited, a public company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the ultimate parent company of BKV and BNAC, our board of directors has adopted a corporate opportunity policy that requires Mr. Kalnin to present applicable business opportunities of which he may become aware to our Company before such opportunities may be presented to Banpu or one of its affiliates.
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors and certain officers to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ or certain officers’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of our directors and officers for monetary damages to the Company or its stockholders for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or an officer, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. The effect of this provision is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director or an officer for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or an officer, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any breaches of the duty of loyalty, any acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, any authorization of dividends or stock redemptions or repurchases paid or made in violation of the DGCL, or for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws generally provide that we must defend, indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.
The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors or officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Indemnification Agreements
We have entered into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and officers. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors or officers, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable.
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Registration Rights
Our Stockholders’ Agreement provides BNAC and its affiliates with the right, in certain circumstances, to require us to register their shares of our common stock constituting registrable securities under the Securities Act for sale into the public markets and with certain piggyback rights. Our Stockholders’ Agreement also provides that we will pay certain expenses of BNAC and its affiliates relating to such registrations and indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise under the Securities Act.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717.
Listing
Shares of our common stock are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “BKV.”
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