EX-3.49 53 dex349.htm CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY WAREHOUSE CORPORATION Certificate of Incorporation of Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation

Exhibit 3.49

V80258

Filed April 20, 1983

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY WAREHOUSE CORPORATION

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation.

SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 306 South State Street, in the City of Dover, County of Kent. The name of its registered agent at that address is the United States Corporation Company.

THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware as set forth in Title 8 of the Delaware Code (the “GCL”).

FOURTH: I. The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 55,000,000 shares of which 50,000,000 shares, par value $1.00 per share, shall be of a class designated “Common Stock” and of which 5,000,000 shares, par value $1.00 per share, shall be designated “Preferred Stock.”

II. The Board of Directors of the Corporation is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law and the provisions of this Article FOURTH, to provide for the issuance from time to time in one or more series of any number of shares of Preferred Stock, and, by filing a certificate pursuant to the GCL, to establish the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, relative rights, preferences, qualifications and limitations of the shares of each such series. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

A. The number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series;

B. The dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and whether they shall be payable in preference to, or in another relation to, the dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of stock;

C. Whether that series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights;

D. Whether that series shall have conversion or exchange privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange, including provision for adjustment of the conversion or exchange rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall determine;

E. Whether or not the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the manner of selecting shares for redemption if less


than all shares are to be redeemed, the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates;

F. Whether that series shall be entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amounts of such sinking fund;

G. The right of the shares of that series to the benefit of conditions and restrictions upon the creation of indebtedness of the Corporation or any subsidiary, upon the issue of any additional stock (including additional shares of such series or of any other series) and upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Corporation or any subsidiary of any outstanding stock of the Corporation;

H. The right of the shares of that series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation and whether such rights shall be in preference to, or in another relation to, the comparable rights of any other class or classes or series of stock; and

I. Any other relative, participating, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions of that series.

III. Shares of any series of Preferred Stock which have been redeemed (whether through the operation of a sinking fund or otherwise) or which, if convertible or exchangeable, have been converted into or exchanged for shares of stock of any other class or classes shall have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the same series and may be reissued as part of the series of which they were originally a part or may be reclassified and reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors or as part of any other series of Preferred Stock, all subject to the conditions and the restrictions on issuance set forth in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock.

IV. Subject to the provisions of any applicable law, or except as otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall exclusively possess voting power for the election of directors and for all other purposes, each holder of record of shares of Common Stock being entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in his name on the books of the Corporation.

V. Except as otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, after payment shall have been made to the holders of Preferred Stock of the full amount of dividends to which they shall be entitled pursuant to the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled, to the exclusion of the holders of Preferred Stock of any and all series, to receive such dividends as from time to time may be declared by the Board of Directors.

VI. Except as otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment shall have been made to the

 

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holders of Preferred Stock of the full amount to which they shall be entitled pursuant to the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled, to the exclusion of the holders of Preferred Stock of any and all series, to share, ratably according to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them, in all remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders.

VII . The number of authorized shares of any class may be increased or decreased by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote.

FIFTH: The name and mailing address of the Sole Incorporator is as follows:

 

Name

  

Mailing Address

Nesa E. Hassanein   

c/o Skadden, Arps, Slate,

Meagher & Flom

919 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

SIXTH: I. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors consisting of not less than three directors, the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors may be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, and any other vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation applicable thereto.

II. Except to the extent prohibited by law, the Board of Directors shall have the right (which, to the extent exercised, shall be exclusive) to establish the rights, powers, duties, rules and procedures that from time to time shall govern the Board of Directors and each of its members, including without limitation the vote required for any action by the Board of Directors, and that from time to time shall affect the directors’ power to manage the business and affairs of the Corporation; and no By-Law shall be adopted by stockholders which shall impair or impede the implementation of the foregoing.

SEVENTH: Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the By-Laws may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the By-Laws of the Corporation.

EIGHTH: Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in

 

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a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 291 of Title 8 of the GCL or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 279 of Title 8 of the GCL, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.

NINTH: I. Subject to paragraph III of this Article NINTH, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal. administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation (for purposes of this Article NINTH, “Corporation” shall include Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse, a New Jersey 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 or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, provided, however, that with respect to any such action, suit or proceeding voluntarily initiated by any such person, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the initiation of such action, suit or proceeding was authorized by a majority of the entire Board of Directors or if such person has been successful on the merits, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

II. Subject to paragraph III of this Article NINTH, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he 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 or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the

 

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Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

III. Any indemnification under this Article NINTH (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in paragraphs I and I1 of this Article NINTH, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the stockholders. To the extent, however, that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.

IV. For purposes of any determination under paragraph III of this Article NINTH, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, if his action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to him by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this paragraph IV shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this paragraph IV shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in paragraphs I and II of this Article NINTH, as the case may be.

V. Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under paragraph III of this Article NINTH, and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any director, officer, employee or agent may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under paragraphs I and II of this Article NINTH. The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in paragraphs I and II of this Article NINTH, as the case may be. Notice of any application for indemnification pursuant to this paragraph V shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application.

 

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VI. Expenses incurred in defending or investigating a threatened or pending criminal or civil action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article NINTH.

VII. The indemnification provided by this Article NINTH shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any By-Law, agreement, contract, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied) of any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in their official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in paragraphs I and II of this Article NINTH shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article NINTH shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in paragraphs I and II of this Article NINTH but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the GCL or otherwise. The indemnification provided by this Article NINTH shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

VIII. 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 or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article NINTH.

IX. For purposes of this Article NINTH, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article NINTH with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

X. For purposes of this Article NINTH, references to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the

 

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participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article NINTH.

TENTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the GCL, do make this Certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of April, 1983.

 

/s/ Nesa E. Hassanein

 

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