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U.S. 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): December 18, 2007 Equus Total Return, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) 0-19509 76-0345915 (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 2727 Allen Parkway, 13th Floor, Houston, Texas 77019 (Address of principal executive offices, zip code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 529-0900 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 communication 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 communication pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) [ ] Pre-commencement communication pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. Effective December 18, 2007, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Equus Total Return, Inc. (the "Fund") approved amendments to the Fund's By-Laws. The amendments clarify that the Chairman of the Board shall serve in a non-executive capacity and not be considered an officer of the Fund if the Chairman is a director who is not an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The foregoing summary of the amendments to the By-Laws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Amended and Restated By-Laws, included as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report and incorporated herein by reference. Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits. 3.2 Amended and Restated By-Laws SIGNATURE 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. EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC. Dated: March 14, 2008 By: /s/ L'Sheryl D. Hudson L'Sheryl D. Hudson Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
Notwithstanding the other provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-laws, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares of stock, present in person or represented by proxy, although not constituting a quorum, shall have the power to postpone or recess the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting of the date, time, and place of the postponed or recessed meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.
All proxies shall be received and taken charge of and all ballots shall be received and canvassed by the secretary of the meeting who shall decide all questions touching upon the qualification of voters, the validity of the proxies, and the acceptance or rejection of votes, unless an inspector or inspectors shall have been appointed by the chairman of the meeting, in which event such inspector or inspectors shall decide all such questions. Each proxy shall be revocable unless expressly provided therein to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power.
If such instrument shall designate two or more persons to act as proxies, unless such instrument shall provide the contrary, a majority of such persons present at any meeting at which their powers thereunder are to be exercised shall have and may exercise all the powers of voting or giving consents thereby conferred, or if only one be present, then such powers may be exercised by that one, or, if an even number attend and a majority do not agree on any particular issue, each proxy so attending shall be entitled to exercise such powers in respect of the same portion of the shares as he is of the proxies representing such shares.
If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety or otherwise, or if two or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary of the Corporation is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect:
All voting, except as required by the Certificate of Incorporation or where otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon demand therefor by stockholders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding stock present in person or by proxy at any meeting a stock vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by written ballots, each of which shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting. All elections of directors shall be by ballot, unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.
At any meeting at which a vote is taken by ballots, the chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more inspectors, each of whom shall subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute faithfully the duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. Such inspector shall receive the ballots, count the votes and make and sign a certificate of the result thereof. The chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to serve as inspector, except no candidate for the office of director shall be appointed as inspector.
Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, cumulative voting for the election of directors shall be prohibited.
If the Board of Directors does not fix a record date for any meeting of the stockholders, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at such meeting shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if in accordance with Section 5.2 of these bylaws notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. If, in accordance with Section 2.8 of this Article II, corporate action without a meeting of stockholders is to be taken, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to such corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day on which the first written consent is expressed. The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. A de termination 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 of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation otherwise required by the General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these by-laws or the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such class or series which have or may be adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
For purposes of this Section 2.14, the term "Roll-up" shall mean a transaction involving the acquisition, merger, conversion, or consolidation, either directly or indirectly, of the Corporation and the issuance of securities of a Roll-up Entity; provided, however, that such term does not include:
For purposes of this Section 2.14, the term "Roll-up Entity" shall mean a partnership, real estate investment trust, corporation, trust, or other entity that would be created or would survive after the successful completion of a proposed Roll-up.
No proposal by a stockholder shall be presented at an annual or special meeting of stockholders unless such stockholder shall provide the Board of Directors or the Secretary of the Corporation with timely written notice of intention to present a proposal for action at the forthcoming meeting of stockholders, which notice shall include (a) the name and address of such stockholder, (b) the number of voting securities he or she holds of record and which he or she holds beneficially, (c) the text of the proposal to be presented at the meeting, (d) a statement in support of the proposal, and (e) any material interest of the stockholder in such proposal. 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 60 days nor more than 90 days prior to the meeting; provided, however, that in the event that less than 70 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to sto ckholders, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the fifth (5th) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made. Any stockholder may make any other proposal at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and the same may be discussed and considered, but unless stated in writing and filed with the Board of Directors or the Secretary prior to the date set forth above, no action with respect to such proposal shall be taken at such meeting and such proposal shall be laid over for action at an adjourned, special, or annual meeting of the stockholders taking place no earlier than 60 days after such meeting.
This provision shall not prevent the consideration and approval or disapproval at an annual meeting of reports of officers, directors, and committees; but in connection with such reports, no new business shall be acted upon at such annual meeting unless stated and filed as provided in this Section 2.15. Notwithstanding anything in the By-laws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at any annual or special meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.15. The Chairman of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.15, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these By-laws, the Corporation shall be under no obligation to include any stockholder proposal in its proxy statement materials or otherwise present any such proposal to stockholders at a special or annual meeting of stockholders if the Board of Directors reasonably believes the proponents thereof have not complied with Sections 13 and 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the Corporation shall not be required to include in its proxy statement material to stockholders any stockholder proposal not required to be included in its proxy material to stockholders in accordance with such Act, rules, or regulations.
To be timely, a stockholder's notice shall be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days prior to the meeting; provided, however, that in the event that less than 70 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is give or made to stockholders, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the fifth (5th) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made. Each such notice shall set forth: (a) the name and address of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination, (b) the name, age, business address, and home address of the person or persons to be nominated; (c) the principal occupation of the person or persons nominated; (d) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting and intends to appear at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice; (e) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the stockholder; (f) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by such stockholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the Board of Directors; and (g) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation if so elected. At the request of the Board of Directors any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a Director shall furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation that information required to be set forth in a stockholder's notice of nomination whic h pertains to the nominee.
No person shall be eligible for election as a Director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.16. The Chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the By-laws, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
Whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series may be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected. If the directors of the Corporation are divided into classes, any directors elected to fill vacancies or newly created directorships shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such directors shall have been chosen, and until their successors shall be duly elected and shall qualify.
Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of at least a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors; provided that, unless the Certificate of Incorporation otherwise provides, if the Board of Directors is elected by class or classes or series thereof, then the stockholders may effect such removal only for cause; and provided further that, if the Certificate of Incorporation expressly grants to stockholders the right to cumulate votes for the election of directors and if less than the entire board is to be removed, no director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against his removal would be sufficient to elect him if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire Board of Directors, or, if there be classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which such director is a part.
If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class of stock; provided that, except as otherwise provided by statute, in lieu of the foregoing requirements there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a statement that the Corporation will furnish to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of su ch preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after the issuance of transfer of uncertificated stock, the Corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to this Section 8.1 or otherwise required by statute or with respect to this Section 8.1 a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated stock and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.
All certificates surrendered to the corporation for transfer shall be canceled and no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and canceled, except that in the case of a lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate a new one may be issued therefor upon such terms and with such indemnity, if any, to the Corporation as the Board of Directors may prescribe. Certificates shall not be issued representing fractional shares of stock.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation (and any other persons to which applicable law permits the Corporation to provide indemnification) through by-law provisions, agreements with such persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article X shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation (or any other person to which applicable law permits the Corporation to provide indemnification or advancement of expenses) with respect to any acts or omissions of such person occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.
If provided in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend and repeal from time to time by-laws of the Corporation, subject to the right of the stockholders entitled to vote with respect thereto to amend or repeal such by-laws as adopted or amended by the Board of Directors and to the provisions of 2.13 hereof.
Amended and Restated as of December 17, 2007