EX-3.1 2 d415619dex31.htm RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION Restated Certificate of Incorporation

Exhibit 3.1

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

FORTUNE BRANDS HOME & SECURITY, INC.

a Delaware corporation

Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:

A. The name of the Corporation is Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name AB Hardware Inc. The Corporation’s original certificate of incorporation was filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 9, 1988.

B. This restated certificate of incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), restates and amends the provisions of the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation and has been duly approved by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

C. The text of the certificate of incorporation of this Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the Corporation is Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19802. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.


ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

4.1 Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is eight hundred ten million (810,000,000) shares, consisting of seven hundred fifty million (750,000,000) shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), and sixty million (60,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

4.2 Increase or Decrease in Authorized Capital Stock. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the class or classes the number of authorized shares of which are being increased or decreased, unless a vote by any holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock is required by the express terms of any series of Preferred Stock as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.4 of this Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below).

4.3 Common Stock.

(a) The holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to vote. The holders of shares of Common Stock shall not have cumulative voting rights. Except as otherwise required by law or this restated certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (as further amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof and including, without limitation, the terms of any certificate of designation with respect to any series of Preferred Stock, this “Certificate of Incorporation”), and subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock, if any, at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have the right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation that relates solely to the terms, number of shares, powers, designations, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights (including, without limitation, voting rights), or to qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation or pursuant to the DGCL.

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

2


(c) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock in respect thereof, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all of the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.

4.4 Preferred Stock.

(a) The Board is expressly authorized to issue from time to time the Preferred Stock in one or more series pursuant to a resolution or resolutions providing for such issue duly adopted by the Board. The Board is further authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to fix by resolution or resolutions and to set forth in a certification of designation filed pursuant to the DGCL the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, of any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock, including, without limitation, dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including, without limitation, sinking fund provisions), redemption price or prices and liquidation preferences of any such series, and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of the foregoing.

(b) The Board is further authorized to increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of any such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of which was fixed by it, subsequent to the issuance of shares of such series then outstanding, subject to the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, stated in this Certificate of Incorporation or the resolution of the Board originally fixing the number of shares of such series. If the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock is so decreased, then the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

5.1 General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

5.2 Number of Directors; Election; Term.

(a) The number of directors that shall constitute the entire Board shall not be less than five (5) nor more than fifteen (15). Within such limit, the number of members of the entire Board shall be fixed, from time to time, exclusively by the Board, subject to the rights of the holders of preferred stock with respect to the election of directors, if any.

(b) Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be divided into three classes as nearly equal in size as is practicable, hereby designated Class I, Class II and Class III. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to such classes. The term of office of

 

3


the initial Class I directors shall expire upon the election of directors at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Article V; the term of office of the initial Class II directors shall expire upon the election of directors at the second annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Article V; and the term of office of the initial Class III directors shall expire upon the election of directors at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Article V. At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Article V, each of the successors elected to replace the directors of a class whose term shall have expired at such annual meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third annual meeting next succeeding his or her election and until his or her respective successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, if the number of directors that constitutes the Board is changed, any newly created directorships or decrease in directorships shall be so apportioned by the Board among the classes as to make all classes as nearly equal in number as is practicable, provided that no decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.2, and subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, each director shall serve until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

(d) Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the bylaws of the Corporation (as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof and thereof, the “Bylaws”) shall so provide.

(e) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Article V, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by 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 the certificate of designation for such series of Preferred Stock, and such directors so elected shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the right to elect additional directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of this Article V, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues; (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to such provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to such provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to such director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such series of stock, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate, and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

 

4


5.3 Removal. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, a director may be removed from office by the stockholders of the Corporation only for cause.

5.4 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason and newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors may be filled only by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board. A person so elected by the Board to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such person shall have been assigned by the Board and until such person’s successor shall be duly elected and qualified.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The Bylaws may also be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE VII

STOCKHOLDERS

7.1 No Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock permitting the holders of such series of Preferred Stock to act by written consent, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

7.2 Special Meetings. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock permitting the holders of such series of Preferred Stock to call a special meeting of the holders of such series, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer of the Corporation or the Board, and the ability of the stockholders to call a special meeting of the stockholders is hereby specifically denied.

7.3 Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

5


ARTICLE VIII

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

8.1 Limitation of Personal Liability. No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

8.2 Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereafter in effect, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. A director’s right to indemnification conferred by this Section 8.2 shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, provided that such director presents to the Corporation a written undertaking to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under this Article VIII or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for proceedings to enforce any officer’s or director’s rights to indemnification or any director’s rights to advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer, or advance expenses of any director, (or such person’s heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

8.3 Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred in Section 8.2 of this Certificate of Incorporation shall neither be exclusive of, nor be deemed in limitation of, any rights to which any person may otherwise be or become entitled or permitted under this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

8.4 Insurance. To the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL, the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any current or former director or officer of the Corporation against any liability asserted against such person, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII or otherwise.

8.5 Persons Other Than Directors and Officers. This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to, or to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of, persons other than those persons described in the first sentence of Section 8.2 of this Certificate of Incorporation or to advance expenses to persons other than directors of the Corporation.

8.6 Effect of Modifications. Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision contained in this Article VIII shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to further limit or eliminate the liability of directors or officers) and shall not adversely affect any right or

 

6


protection of any current or former director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

9.1 Forum for Certain Actions. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any state derivative action or proceeding brought or purporting to be brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any state action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any of its current or former directors or officers that relates to the internal affairs or governance of the Corporation and arises under or by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensible parties named as defendants therein.

9.2 Amendment. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, repeal or modify any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL; and all rights, preferences and privileges herein conferred upon stockholders by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article IX. In addition to any other vote that may be required by law, applicable stock exchange rule or the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, repeal, modify or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, and in addition to any other vote that may be required by law, applicable stock exchange rule or the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, repeal, modify or adopt any provision as part of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with the purpose and intent of Article V, Article VI, Article VII or this Article IX (including, without limitation, any such Article as renumbered as a result of any amendment, repeal, modification or adoption of any other Article).

9.3 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

7


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation on this 27th day of September, 2011.

 

 

/s/ Christopher J. Klein

By:   Christopher J. Klein
Its:   President and Chief Executive Officer