EX-4.4 2 ex4-4.htm

 

Exhibit 4.4

 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following descriptions of common and preferred stock, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of our common stock and preferred stock, but is not intended to be complete. For the full terms of our common and preferred stock, please refer to our articles of incorporation, as amended from time to time, and our bylaws, as amended from time to time. The Florida Business Corporation Act (“FBCA”) may also affect the terms of these securities.

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of 2,750,000,000 shares of capital stock with a par value of $0.086 per share, consisting of 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.086 per share, and 750,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value of $0.086 per share, which may, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors be issued in one or more series. The Board of Directors has designated 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and 9,077 shares of preferred stock as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. As of the date of this filing, there were 5,692,387 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held by approximately 519 holders of record, no shares of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and no shares of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. The authorized and unissued shares of both common stock and preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed. Unless approval of our stockholders is so required, our board of directors will not seek stockholder approval for the issuance and sale of either our common stock or preferred stock.

 

The Board may from time to time authorize by resolution the issuance of any or all shares of the preferred stock authorized in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the articles of incorporation, as amended, for such purposes, in such amounts, to such persons, corporations, or entities, for such consideration and in one or more series, all as the Board in its discretion may determine and without any vote or other action by the stockholders, except as otherwise required by law.

 

Common Stock

 

Dividends. Subject to the rights of holders of any Preferred Stock having preference as to dividends and except as otherwise provided by the Articles of Incorporation from time to time, or the FBCA, as the same may be amended and supplemented, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of assets legally available therefor.

 

Voting Rights. Except as otherwise provided by the FBCA, the holders of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock. No holder of shares of Common Stock shall have the right to cumulate votes.

 

Liquidation Rights. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, subject to the prior rights of holders of Preferred Stock to share ratably in the Company’s assets, the Common Stock and any shares of Preferred Stock which are not entitled to any preference in liquidation shall share equally and ratably in the Company’s assets available for distribution after giving effect to any liquidation preference of any shares of Preferred Stock. A merger, conversion, exchange or consolidation of the Company with or into any other person or sale or transfer of all or any part of the assets of the Company (which shall not in fact result in the liquidation of the Company and the distribution of assets to stockholders) shall not be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company.

 

No Conversion, Redemption, or Preemptive Rights. The holders of Common Stock shall not have any conversion, redemption, or preemptive rights.

 

Consideration for Shares. The Common Stock authorized by the Articles of Incorporation shall be issued for such consideration as shall be fixed, from time to time, by the board of directors.

 

Non-Assessment of Stock. The Common Stock, after the amount of the subscription price has been fully paid, are non-assessable.

 

 

 

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On February 23, 2023, pursuant to authority granted by the Board, we implemented a 1-for-15 reverse split of our authorized and issued and outstanding common stock (the “Reverse Split-2023”). The par value remained unchanged. All share and per share information as well as common stock and additional paid-in capital have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Split-2023 for all periods presented, unless otherwise indicated. The split resulted in a rounding addition of approximately 15,300 shares valued at par, totaling $1,300.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Our board of directors may, without further action by our stockholders, fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of up to an aggregate of 750,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series and authorize their issuance. The voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions, and relative, participating, option and other rights of the Preferred Stock and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions relating thereto, shall be prescribed by resolution of the board of directors pursuant to the Articles of Incorporation.

 

The following summary of terms of our Preferred Stock is not complete. You should refer to the provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and the resolutions containing the terms of each class or series of the Preferred Stock which have been or will be filed with the SEC at or prior to the time of issuance of such class or series of Preferred Stock and described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement may also state that any of the terms set forth herein are inapplicable to such series of Preferred Stock, provided that the information set forth in such prospectus supplement does not constitute material changes to the information herein such that it alters the nature of the offering or the securities offered.

 

We will fix the designations, voting powers, preferences and rights of the preferred stock of each series we issue, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in the certificate of designation relating to that series.

 

Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. Each share of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock shall have ten (10) votes per share and may be converted into ten (10) shares of $0.086 par value common stock. The holders of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, if and as declared by the Board, out of funds legally available therefore, cumulative dividends payable in cash. The annual interest rate at which cumulative preferred dividends will accrue on each share of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock is 0%. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, before any distribution of assets of the Corporation shall be made to or set apart for the holders of the Common Stock and subject and subordinate to the rights of secured creditors of the Company, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall receive an amount per share equal to the greater of (i) one dollar ($1.00), adjusted for any recapitalization, stock combinations, stock dividends (whether paid or unpaid), stock options and the like with respect to such shares, plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared) on the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, and (ii) the amount such holder would have received if such holder has converted its shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock to common stock, subject to but immediately prior to such liquidation. As of December 31, 2021, all Series A Convertible Preferred Stock had been converted into shares of common stock and none remain issued and outstanding.

 

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. In January 2022, the Company issued 9,076 shares of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock through the Private Placement for the purpose of raising capital. The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock have no voting rights and initially each share may be converted into 16 shares of the Company’s common stock. The holders of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock are not entitled to receive any dividends other than any dividends paid on account of the common stock. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders shall be entitled to receive out of the assets, whether capital or surplus, of the Company the same amount that a holder of common stock would receive if the Preferred Stock were fully converted (disregarding for such purposes any conversion limitations hereunder) to common stock which amounts shall be paid pari-passu with all holders of common stock. During August 2022, all 9,076 Series B Convertible Preferred Stock were converted by third parties into 147,939 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, all shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock had been converted and none remain outstanding.

 

 

 

 

Stock Options

 

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company adopted the Reliance Global Group, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) under which various forms of equity awards can be granted to employees, directors, consultants, and service providers. Awards include but are not limited to, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares and stock options. A total of 46,667 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance under the Plan, and as of June 30, 2023 there are 10,928 options outstanding at a weighted average exercise price of $232.78 with a weighted average remaining contractual life of 1.12 years. 35,739 shares remain available for issuance pursuant to the Plan. With regards to stock options, the Company issues new shares of common stock from the shares reserved under the Plan upon exercise of stock options.

 

The Plan is administered by the Board. The Board is authorized to select from among eligible employees, directors, and service providers those individuals to whom shares and options are to be granted and to determine the number of shares to be subject to, and the terms and conditions of the options. The Board is also authorized to prescribe, amend, and rescind terms relating to options granted under the Plan. Generally, the interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan or any shares and options granted hereunder is within the discretion of the Board.

 

The Plan provides that options may or may not be Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code. Only employees of the Company are eligible to receive ISOs, while employees, non-employee directors, consultants, and service providers are eligible to receive options which are not ISOs, i.e. “Non-Statutory Stock Options.” The options granted by the Board in connection with its adoption of the Plan were Non-Statutory Stock Options.

 

The fair value of each option granted is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model or the value of the services provided, whichever is more readily determinable. The Black-Scholes option pricing model takes into account, as of the grant date, the exercise price and expected life of the option, the current price of the underlying stock and its expected volatility, expected dividends on the stock and the risk-free interest rate for the term of the option.

 

Effects of Authorized but Unissued Stock

 

We have shares of common stock and preferred stock available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market. We may utilize these additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including for future public offerings to raise additional capital, or facilitate corporate acquisitions or for payment as a dividend on our capital stock. The existence of unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock may enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management or to issue preferred stock with terms that could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire or could discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, a controlling interest in our company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. In addition, if we issue preferred stock, the issuance could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock, and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.

 

 

 

 

Florida Law and Certain Charter and Bylaw Provisions

 

Florida Anti-Takeover Law. As a Florida corporation, we are subject to certain anti-takeover provisions that apply to public corporations under Florida law.

 

Pursuant to Section 607.0901 of the FBCA a publicly held Florida corporation may not engage in a broad range of business combinations or other extraordinary corporate transactions with an interested shareholder without the approval of the holders of two-thirds of the voting shares of the corporation (excluding shares held by the interested shareholder), unless:

 

  The transaction is approved by a majority of disinterested directors before the shareholder becomes an interested shareholder;
     
  The interested shareholder has owned at least 80% of the corporation’s outstanding voting shares for at least five years preceding the announcement date of any such business combination;
     
  The interested shareholder is the beneficial owner of at least 90% of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, exclusive of shares acquired directly from the corporation in a transaction not approved by a majority of the disinterested directors; or
     
  The consideration paid to the holders of the corporation’s voting stock is at least equal to certain fair price criteria.

 

An interested shareholder is defined as a person who, together with affiliates and associates, beneficially owns more than 10% of a corporation’s outstanding voting shares. We have not made an election in our Articles of Incorporation to opt out of Section 607.0901.

 

In addition, we are subject to Section 607.0902 of the FBCA which prohibits the voting of shares in a publicly held Florida corporation that are acquired in a control share acquisition unless (i) the board of directors approved such acquisition prior to its consummation or (ii) after such acquisition, in lieu of prior approval by the board of directors, the holders of a majority of the corporation’s voting shares, exclusive of shares owned by officers of the corporation, employee directors or the acquiring party, approve the granting of voting rights as to the shares acquired in the control share acquisition. A control share acquisition is defined as an acquisition that immediately thereafter entitles the acquiring party to 20% or more of the total voting power in an election of directors.

 

Articles of Incorporation, as amended and Bylaws.

 

Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended and Bylaws contain provisions that could have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or tender offers or delaying or preventing a change of control of our company. These provisions are as follows:

 

  they provide that special meetings of shareholders may be called by the board of directors, or at the request in writing by shareholders of record owning at least 10% of all the stockholders entitled to vote; and
     
  they do not include a provision for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Under cumulative voting, a minority shareholder holding a sufficient number of shares may be able to ensure the election of one or more directors. The absence of cumulative voting may have the effect of limiting the ability of minority shareholders to effect changes in the board of directors.

 

Transfer Agent

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is VStock Transfer. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598. Its telephone number is (212) 828-8436.

 

Listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market

 

Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “RELI” and our Series A Warrants are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “RELIW”.