EX-3.1 2 dex31.htm CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK OF ARAMARK CORPORATION Certificate of Designations of Series C Preferred Stock of ARAMARK Corporation

Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

 

OF

 

SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF

 

ARAMARK CORPORATION

 

(Pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

 


 

ARAMARK Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Company”), hereby certifies that the following resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at a meeting duly called and held on November 6, 2001:

 

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter called the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) in accordance with the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date (hereinafter called the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, powers and preferences thereof, and the limitations thereof, as follows:

 

(A) Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series C Preferred Stock” (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series C Preferred Stock shall be 600,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company convertible into Series C Preferred Stock.

 

(B) Dividends and Distributions.

 

(1) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any stock of the Company ranking prior and superior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), and of any other stock of the Company


ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for such purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock. In the event the Company shall at any time after December 15, 2001, declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(2) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided, that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series C Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such subsequent Dividend Payment Date.

 

(3) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not earned or declared, on outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock from the Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such


shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

 

(C) Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights;

 

(1) Each whole share of Series C Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Class B Common Stock of the Company are entitled to vote.

 

(2) Except as otherwise provided herein or in any Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Company having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company.

 

(3) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

 

(D) Certain Restrictions.

 

(1) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not earned or declared, on shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not:

 

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock;


(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

 

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock;

 

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

 

(2) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

 

(E) Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series C Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof.


(F) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of the Company ranking junior, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the Series C Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to the greater of (i) $1000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not earned or declared, to the date of such payment and (ii) an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series C Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Company shall at any time after December 15, 2001, declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(G) Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Class B Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted, exchanged or converted. In the event the Company shall at any time after December 15, 2001, declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of


Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(H) No Redemption. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.

 

(I) Rank. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, (1) senior to the Common Stock and (2) junior to all other classes of preferred stock of the Company.

 

(J) Amendment. If any proposed amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation would alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given to the Series C Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series C Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and attested by its Secretary this 14th day of December, 2001.

 

 

/s/ Joseph Neubauer


Name: Joseph Neubauer

Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

Attest:

/s/ Bart J. Colli


Secretary