EX-2.7 2 d8501928_ex2-7.htm
Exhibit 2.7

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

As of December 31, 2019, Performance Shipping Inc. (the “Company”) had two classes of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended:


(1)
Common stock, $0.01 par value (the “common shares”); and

(2)
Preferred stock purchase rights (the “Preferred Stock Purchase Rights”).

The following description sets forth certain material provisions of these securities. The following summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the applicable provisions of (i) the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Articles of Incorporation”) and (ii) the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 20-F of which this Exhibit is a part. We encourage you to refer to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws for additional information.

Please note in this description of securities, “we”, “us”, “our” and “the Company” all refer to Performance Shipping Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

Authorized Capitalization

Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 common shares, par value $0.01 per share, of which 50,520,385 shares are currently issued and outstanding, and 25,000,000 preferred shares, par value $0.01 per share, of which no shares are issued and outstanding.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES

The respective number of common shares issued and outstanding as of the last day of the fiscal year for the annual report on Form 20-F to which this description is attached or incorporated by reference as an exhibit, is provided on the cover page of such annual report on Form 20-F.

Each outstanding common share entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred shares, holders of common shares are entitled to receive ratably all dividends, if any, declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. 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 our preferred shares having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common shares will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. Holders of our common shares do not have conversion, redemption or preemptive rights to subscribe to any of our securities. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common shares are subject to the rights of the holders of our preferred shares, including our existing classes of preferred shares and any preferred shares we may issue in the future.

Voting Rights

Each outstanding common share entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. At any annual or special general meeting of shareholders where there is a quorum, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of shares of stock represented at the meeting shall be the act of the shareholders. (Under the Articles of Incorporation, at all meetings of shareholders except otherwise expressly provided by law, there must be present in person or proxy shareholders of record holding at least one third of the shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at such meeting in order to constitute a quorum but if less than a quorum is present, a majority of those shares present either in person or by proxy shall have power to adjourn any meeting until a quorum shall be present.)


Our Bylaws do not confer any conversion, redemption or preemptive rights attached to our common shares.

Dividend Rights

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred shares, holders of common shares are entitled to receive ratably all dividends, if any, declared by our board of directors out of funds legally
available for dividends.

Liquidation Rights

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 our preferred shares having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common shares will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution.

Variation of Rights

Generally, the rights or privileges attached to our common shares may be varied or abrogated by the rights of the holders of our preferred shares, including our existing classes of preferred shares and any preferred shares we may issue in the future.

Limitations on Ownership

Under Marshall Islands law generally, there are no limitations on the right of non-residents of the Marshall Islands or owners who are not citizens of the Marshall Islands to hold or vote our common shares.

Description of Preferred Shares

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:

the designation of the series;

the number of shares of the series;

the preferences and relative, participating, option or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such series; and

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK PURCHASE RIGHTS

On August 29, 2016, we entered into a First Amended and Restated Stockholders Rights Agreement, as amended, the Rights Agreement, with Computershare Inc. as Rights Agent. The Rights Agreement amended and restated in its entirety the original Stockholders Rights Agreement between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, dated as of August 2, 2010, as amended on July 28, 2014. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, each share of our common stock includes one right, which we refer to as a Right, that entitles the holder to purchase from us a unit consisting of one one-thousandth of a share of our Series A Participating Preferred Stock at an exercise price of $50.00, subject to specified adjustments. Until a Right is exercised, the holder of a Right will have no rights to vote or receive dividends or any other stockholder rights.

The Rights may have anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to any person or group that attempts to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors. As a result, the overall effect of the Rights may be to render more difficult or discourage any attempt to acquire us. Because our board of directors can approve a redemption of the Rights or a permitted offer, the Rights should not interfere with a merger or other business combination approved by our board of directors.

We have summarized the material terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement and the related Rights below.

Detachment of the Rights

The Rights are attached to all certificates representing our currently outstanding common shares, or, in the case of uncertificated common shares registered in book entry form, which we refer to as "book entry shares," by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership, and will attach to all common share certificates and book entry shares we issue prior to the Rights distribution date that we describe below. The Rights are not exercisable until after the Rights distribution date and will expire at the close of business on August 2, 2020, unless we redeem or exchange them earlier as we describe below. The Rights will separate from the common stock and a Rights distribution date would occur, subject to specified exceptions, on the earlier of the following two dates:

the 10th day after public announcement that a person or group has acquired ownership of 15% or more of the Company's common stock, or

the 10th business day (or such later date as determined by the Company's board of directors) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer which would result in that person or group holding 15% or more of the Company's common stock.

"Acquiring person" is generally defined in the Rights Agreement as any person, together with all affiliates or associates, who beneficially owns 15% or more of the Company's common stock. However, neither (i) Diana Shipping Inc. nor (ii) Symeon Palios nor any of Symeon Palios’ Affiliates shall be considered an "acquiring person." In addition, persons who beneficially own 15% or more of the Company's common stock on the effective date of the Rights Agreement are excluded from the definition of "acquiring person" until such time as they acquire additional shares in excess of 1% of the Company's then outstanding common stock as specified in the Rights Agreement for purposes of the Rights, and therefore, until such time, their ownership cannot trigger the Rights. Specified "inadvertent" owners that would otherwise become an acquiring person, including those who would have this designation as a result of repurchases of common stock by us, will not become acquiring persons as a result of those transactions.

Our board of directors may defer the Rights distribution date in some circumstances, and some inadvertent acquisitions will not result in a person becoming an acquiring person if the person promptly divests itself of a sufficient number of common shares.

Until the Rights distribution date:

our common stock certificates and book entry shares will evidence the Rights, and the Rights will be transferable only with those certificates and book entry shares, as applicable; and

any new common stock will be issued with Rights and new certificates or book entry shares, as applicable, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.

As soon as practicable after the Rights distribution date, the Rights Agent will mail certificates representing the Rights to holders of record of common stock at the close of business on that date. After the Rights distribution date, only separate Rights certificates will represent the Rights.

We will not issue Rights with any shares of common stock we issue after the Rights distribution date, except as our board of directors may otherwise determine.

Flip-In Event

A "flip-in event" will occur under the Rights Agreement when a person becomes an acquiring person other than pursuant to certain kinds of permitted offers. An offer is permitted under the Rights Agreement if a person will become an acquiring person pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement that has been approved by our board of directors prior to that person becoming an acquiring person.

If a flip-in event occurs and we have not previously redeemed the Rights as described under the heading "Redemption of Rights" below or, if the acquiring person acquires less than 50% of our outstanding common stock and we do not exchange the Rights as described under the heading "Exchange of Rights" below, each Right, other than any Right that has become void, as we describe below, will become exercisable at the time it is no longer redeemable for the number of shares of common stock, or, in some cases, cash, property or other of our securities, having a current market price equal to two times the exercise price of such Right.

When a flip-in event occurs, all Rights that then are, or in some circumstances that were, beneficially owned by or transferred to an acquiring person or specified related parties will become void in the circumstances the Rights Agreement specifies.

Flip-Over Event

A "flip-over event" will occur under the Rights Agreement when, at any time after a person has become an acquiring person:

we are acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction, other than specified mergers that follow a permitted offer of the type we describe above; or

50% or more of our assets or earning power is sold or transferred.

If a flip-over event occurs, each holder of a Right, other than any Right that has become void as we describe under the heading "Flip-In Event" above, will have the right to receive the number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which has a current market price equal to two times the exercise price of such Right.
 
Anti-dilution

The number of outstanding Rights associated with our common stock is subject to adjustment for any stock split, stock dividend or subdivision, combination or reclassification of our common stock occurring prior to the Rights distribution date. With some exceptions, the Rights Agreement will not require us to adjust the exercise price of the Rights until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the exercise price. It also will not require us to issue fractional shares of our preferred stock that are not integral multiples of one-thousandth of a share, and, instead we may make a cash adjustment based on the market price of the common stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.

Redemption of Rights

At any time until the date on which the occurrence of a flip-in event is first publicly announced, we may order redemption of the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right. The redemption price is subject to adjustment for any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring before the date of redemption. At our option, we may pay that redemption price in cash or shares of common stock. The Rights are not exercisable after a flip-in event if they are timely redeemed by us or until ten days following the first public announcement of a flip-in event. If our board of directors timely orders the redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate on the effectiveness of that action.

Exchange of Rights

We may, at our option, exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an acquiring person or an affiliate or an associate of an acquiring person, which have become void), in whole or in part. The exchange will be at an exchange ratio of one share of common stock per Right, subject to specified adjustments at any time after the occurrence of a flip-in event and prior to any person other than us or our existing stockholders becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of our outstanding common stock for the purposes of the Rights Agreement.

Amendment of Terms of Rights

During the time the Rights are redeemable, we may amend any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement, other than by decreasing the redemption price. Once the Rights cease to be redeemable, we generally may amend the provisions of the Rights Agreement, other than to decrease the redemption price, only as follows:

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

to make changes that do not materially adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights, excluding the interests of any acquiring person; or

to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement, except that we cannot lengthen the time period governing redemption or lengthen any time period that protects, enhances or clarifies the benefits of holders of Rights other than an acquiring person.

Directors

Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote. There is no provision for cumulative voting.

Our board of directors must consist of at least three members. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that the board of directors may only change the number of directors by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the entire board. Directors are elected annually on a staggered basis, and each shall serve for a three-year term and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, except in the event of his death, resignation, removal, or the earlier termination of his term of office. Our board of directors has the authority to fix the amounts which shall be payable to the members of the board of directors for attendance at any meeting or for services rendered to us.

Shareholder Meetings

Under our amended and restated bylaws, annual shareholder meetings will be held at a time and place selected by our board of directors. The meetings may be held in or outside the Marshall Islands. Special meetings may be called for any purpose or purposes at any time by a majority of our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or an officer of the Company who is also a director. Our board of directors may set a record date between 15 and 60 days before the date of any meeting to determine the shareholders that will be eligible to receive notice and vote at the meeting. Shareholders of record holding at least one-third of the shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at such meetings, present in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum at all meetings of shareholders.

Dissenters' Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, or the BCA, our shareholders have the right to dissent from various corporate actions, including any merger or consolidation sale of all or substantially all of our assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. In the event of any further amendment of our amended and restated articles of incorporation a shareholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights in respect of those shares. The dissenting shareholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the event that we and any dissenting shareholder fail to agree on a price for the shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other things, the institution of proceedings in the high court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any appropriate court in any jurisdiction in which the Company's shares are primarily traded on a local or national securities exchange.

Shareholders' Derivative Actions

Under the BCA, any of our shareholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the shareholder bringing the action is a holder of common stock both at the time the derivative action is commenced and at the time of the transaction to which the action relates.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The BCA authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors' fiduciary duties.

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that certain individuals, including our directors and officers, are entitled to be indemnified by us to the extent authorized by the BCA, if such individuals acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. We shall have the power to pay in advance expenses a director or officer incurred while defending a civil or criminal proceeding, subject to certain conditions. We believe that these indemnification provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our amended and restated bylaws may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Several provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions, which are summarized below, are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these anti-takeover provisions could also discourage, delay or prevent (i) the merger or acquisition of our Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise that a shareholder may consider in its best interest and (ii) the removal of incumbent officers and directors.

Blank Check Preferred Stock

Under the terms of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our board of directors has authority, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, to issue up to 25,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock. Our board of directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or the removal of our management.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide for the division of our board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class as nearly equal in number as possible, serving staggered, three-year terms. Approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our shares or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of our board of directors from removing a majority of our board of directors for two years.

Election and Removal of Directors

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors. Our amended and restated bylaws require parties other than the board of directors to give advance written notice of nominations for the election of directors. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation also provide that our directors may be removed only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote for those directors. These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.

Limited Actions by Shareholders

Under the BCA, our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at an annual or special meeting of shareholders or by the unanimous written consent of our shareholders. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless otherwise prescribed by law, only a majority of our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or an officer of the Company who is also a director may call special meetings of our shareholders, and the business transacted at the special meeting is limited to the purposes stated in the notice. Accordingly, a shareholder may be prevented from calling a special meeting for shareholder consideration of a proposal over the opposition of our board of directors and shareholder consideration of a proposal may be delayed until the next annual meeting.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary. Generally, to be timely, a shareholder's notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 150 days nor more than 180 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder's notice. These provisions may impede shareholders' ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.

Registrar and Transfer Agent

The Board of Directors has the power and authority to make such rules and regulations as they may deem expedient concerning the issuance, registration and transfer of shares of the Company’s stock, and may appoint transfer agents and registrars thereof.

Listing

Our common shares are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "PSHG."

Comparison of Marshall Island Law to Delaware Law

The following table provides a comparison between some statutory provisions of the Delaware General Company Law and the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act relating to shareholders’ rights.


Marshall Islands
 
Delaware
Shareholder Meetings
Held at a time and place as designated in the bylaws.
 
May be held at such time or place as designated in the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws, or if not so designated, as determined by the board of directors.
   
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the articles of incorporation or by the bylaws.
 
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.
   
May be held within or without the Marshall Islands.
 
May be held within or without Delaware.
   
Notice:
 
Notice:
   
Whenever shareholders are required to take any action at a meeting, written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and, unless it is an annual meeting, indicate that it is being issued by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting. Notice of a special meeting shall also state the purpose for which the meeting is called.
 
Whenever shareholders are required to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any.
   
A copy of the notice of any meeting shall be given personally, sent by mail or by electronic mail not less than 15 nor more than 60 days before the meeting.
 
Written notice shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the meeting.
 


Marshall Islands
 
Delaware
Shareholders’ Voting Rights
Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation, any action required to be taken at a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof, or if the articles of incorporation so provide, by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.
 
Any action required to be taken at a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent for such action is in writing and is signed by shareholders having not fewer than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.
 
   
Any person authorized to vote may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy.
 
Any person authorized to vote may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy.
 
Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws, a majority of shares entitled to vote constitutes a quorum. In no event shall a quorum consist of fewer than one-third of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting.
 
For stock corporations, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws may specify the number of shares required to constitute a quorum but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of shares entitled to vote at a meeting. In the absence of such specifications, a majority of shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum.
   
When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders.
 
When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders.
   
The articles of incorporation may provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
 
The certificate of incorporation may provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
 
Merger or Consolidation
Any two or more domestic corporations may merge into a single corporation if approved by the board and if authorized by a majority vote of the holders of outstanding shares at a shareholder meeting.
 
Any two or more corporations existing under the laws of the state may merge into a single corporation pursuant to a board resolution and upon the majority vote by shareholders of each constituent corporation at an annual or special meeting.
   
Any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of a corporation, if not made in the corporation’s usual or regular course of business, once approved by the board, shall be authorized by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the shares of those entitled to vote at a shareholder meeting.
 
Every corporation may at any meeting of the board sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of its property and assets as its board deems expedient and for the best interests of the corporation when so authorized by a resolution adopted by the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote.
   
Any domestic corporation owning at least 90% of the outstanding shares of each class of another domestic corporation may merge such other corporation into itself without the authorization of the shareholders of any corporation.
 
Any corporation owning at least 90% of the outstanding shares of each class of another corporation may merge the other corporation into itself and assume all of its obligations without the vote or consent of shareholders; however, in case the parent corporation is not the surviving corporation, the proposed merger shall be approved by a majority of the outstanding stock of the parent corporation entitled to vote at a duly called shareholder meeting.
   
Any mortgage, pledge of or creation of a security interest in all or any part of the corporate property may be authorized without the vote or consent of the shareholders, unless otherwise provided for in the articles of incorporation.
 
Any mortgage or pledge of a corporation’s property and assets may be authorized without the vote or consent of shareholders, except to the extent that the certificate of incorporation otherwise provides.


Marshall Islands
 
Delaware
 
Directors
The board of directors must consist of at least one member.
 
The board of directors must consist of at least one member.
   
The number of board members may be changed by an amendment to the bylaws, by the shareholders, or by action of the board under the specific provisions of a bylaw.
 
The number of board members shall be fixed by, or in a manner provided by, the bylaws, unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, in which case a change in the number shall be made only by an amendment to the certificate of incorporation.
     
If the board is authorized to change the number of directors, it can only do so by a majority of the entire board and so long as no decrease in the number shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
 
If the number of directors is fixed by the certificate of incorporation, a change in the number shall be made only by an amendment of the certificate.
   
Removal:
 
Removal:
     
Any or all of the directors may be removed for cause by vote of the shareholders.
 
Any or all of the directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote unless the certificate of incorporation otherwise provides.
   
If the articles of incorporation or the bylaws so provide, any or all of the directors may be removed without cause by vote of the shareholders.
 
In the case of a classified board, shareholders may effect removal of any or all directors only for cause.
 
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal
Shareholders have a right to dissent from any plan of merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all assets not made in the usual course of business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. However, the right of a dissenting shareholder under the BCA to receive payment of the appraised fair value of his shares shall not be available for the shares of any class or series of stock, which shares or depository receipts in respect thereof, at the record date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting of the shareholders to act upon the agreement of merger or consolidation, were either (i) listed on a securities exchange or admitted for trading on an interdealer quotation system or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000 holders. The right of a dissenting shareholder to receive payment of the fair value of his or her shares shall not be available for any shares of stock of the constituent corporation surviving a merger if the merger did not require for its approval the vote of the shareholders of the surviving corporation.
 
Appraisal rights shall be available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a corporation in a merger or consolidation, subject to limited exceptions, such as a merger or consolidation of corporations listed on a national securities exchange in which listed stock is offered for consideration is (i) listed on a national securities exchange or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000 holders.
   
A holder of any adversely affected shares who does not vote on or consent in writing to an amendment to the articles of incorporation has the right to dissent and to receive payment for such shares if the amendment:
 
 
   



Marshall Islands
 
Delaware


Alters or abolishes any preferential right of any outstanding shares having preference; or


Creates, alters, or abolishes any provision or right in respect to the redemption of any outstanding shares; or


Alters or abolishes any preemptive right of such holder to acquire shares or other securities; or
 

Excludes or limits the right of such holder to vote on any matter, except as such right may be limited by the voting rights given to new shares then being authorized of any existing or new class.
 
Shareholder’s Derivative Actions
An action may be brought in the right of a corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, by a holder of shares or of voting trust certificates or of a beneficial interest in such shares or certificates. It shall be made to appear that the plaintiff is such a holder at the time of bringing the action and that he was such a holder at the time of the transaction of which he complains, or that his shares or his interest therein devolved upon him by operation of law.
 
In any derivative suit instituted by a shareholder of a corporation, it shall be averred in the complaint that the plaintiff was a shareholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction of which he complains or that such shareholder’s stock thereafter devolved upon such shareholder by operation of law.
   
A complaint shall set forth with particularity the efforts of the plaintiff to secure the initiation of such action by the board or the reasons for not making such effort.
 
Other requirements regarding derivative suits have been created by judicial decision, including that a shareholder may not bring a derivative suit unless he or she first demands that the corporation sue on its own behalf and that demand is refused (unless it is shown that such demand would have been futile).
Such action shall not be discontinued, compromised or settled, without the approval of the High Court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
 
 
   
Reasonable expenses including attorney’s fees may be awarded if the action is successful.
 
 
   
A corporation may require a plaintiff bringing a derivative suit to give security for reasonable expenses if the plaintiff owns less than 5% of any class of outstanding shares or holds voting trust certificates or a beneficial interest in shares representing less than 5% of any class of such shares and the shares, voting trust certificates or beneficial interest of such plaintiff has a fair value of  $50,000 or less.