On January 31, 2023, the Company filed a petition in the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court of Chancery”) pursuant to Section 205 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), seeking validation of an amendment to its certificate of incorporation increasing the authorized common stock of the Company (as further described below) and the shares issued pursuant thereto.
At a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company held on February 25, 2021 (the “2021 Special Meeting”), a majority of the then-outstanding shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and Class B common stock, voting as a single class, voted to approve the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which, among other things, increased the authorized shares of the Company’s Class A common stock from 200,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock (eliminating its Class B common stock and renaming Class A common stock as “common stock”) (the “Authorized Share Charter Amendment”).
A recent decision of the Court of Chancery has created uncertainty regarding the validity of the Authorized Share Charter Amendment and whether a separate vote of the majority of the then-outstanding shares of Class A common stock would have been required under Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
The Company continues to believe that a separate vote of Class A common stock was not required to approve the Authorized Share Charter Amendment. However, in light of the recent Court of Chancery decision, the Company filed a petition in the Court of Chancery pursuant to Section 205 of the DGCL seeking validation of the Authorized Share Charter Amendment and the shares issued pursuant thereto to resolve any uncertainty with respect to those matters. Section 205 of the DGCL permits the Court of Chancery, in its discretion, to validate potentially defective corporate acts and stock after considering a variety of factors.
While the Company believes that a separate vote of Class A common stock was not required to approve the Authorized Share Charter Amendment at the 2021 Special Meeting, and therefore that all of the currently outstanding shares of common stock of the Company are validly issued, if the Company is not successful in the Section 205 proceeding, the uncertainty with respect to the Company’s capitalization resulting from the Court of Chancery’s decision referenced above could have a material adverse effect on the Company, including its ability to complete financing transactions, until the underlying issues are definitively resolved.
Forward-Looking Statements
This current report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this Current Report, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project” or the negative of such terms and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of present or historical matters. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified herein, and on the current expectations of the Company and are not predictions of actual outcomes. Actual events and circumstances are impossible to predict and are beyond the control of the Company.
With respect to the matters addressed in this Current Report, no assurances can be made regarding the outcome of the Company’s proceeding pursuant to Section 205 of the DGCL. The Section 205 proceeding is subject to inherent uncertainties and is beyond the Company’s control and may not result in timely resolution of the uncertainty regarding the Company’s capitalization, if at all. If the Company is unsuccessful in the Section 205 proceeding, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
The Company cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risk and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect the Company and its financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 8, 2022, which is available on the Company’s website at investors.chargepoint.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that the Company makes with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this Current Report are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable law.