Attached files
| file | filename |
|---|---|
| EX-32.1 - CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex321.htm |
| EX-32.2 - CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex322.htm |
| EX-31.2 - CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex312.htm |
| EX-31.1 - CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex311.htm |
| EX-23.1 - CONSENT OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex231.htm |
| EX-21.1 - SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns10k-123119ex211.htm |
| 10-K - 10-K - COHEN & STEERS, INC. | cns-10kx123119.htm |
Exhibit 4.3
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The following description of our capital stock is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, the forms of which are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and by applicable law. When we use the terms “we,” “us,” and “our,” we mean Cohen & Steers, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries.
Common Stock
All outstanding shares of our common stock are, and all shares of common stock to be outstanding immediately following this offering will be, fully paid and nonassessable.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when 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.
Upon our dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, 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 our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution.
Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights.
Preferred Stock
Our Amended and Restated 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 by any stock exchange, the authorized shares of preferred stock will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders. Our board of directors is able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the terms and rights of that series, including:
•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 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 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 corporation, 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 holders of the series.
We have no intention at the present time of issuing any preferred stock, and would make any determination to issue preferred stock only based on our judgment as to our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders. Moreover, our policy is that we would only issue preferred stock for capital raising purposes and would not issue preferred stock with voting or other rights that are disproportionate to the economic interests of such preferred stock. Nevertheless, we could issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other
transaction that some, or a majority, of stockholders might believe to be in their best interests or in which they might receive a premium for their common stock over the market price of the common stock.
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock
Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, which would apply so long as the common stock remains listed on the New York Stock Exchange, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding voting power 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.
One of the effects of the existence of 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 us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive the stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Delaware Law
We are a Delaware corporation subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 203 provides that, subject to certain exceptions specified in the law, a Delaware corporation shall not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder unless:
• | prior to such time, our board of directors 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 our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or |
• | at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an interested stockholder is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years did own, 15% or more of our voting stock.
Under certain circumstances, Section 203 makes it more difficult for a person who would be an interested stockholder to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. The provisions of Section 203 may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CNS.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company N.A.