EX-5.1 2 d400374dex51.htm EX-5.1 EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

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D: +1 212 225 2632

dlopez@cgsh.com

 

August 31, 2022                        

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.

650 Liberty Avenue

Union, New Jersey 07083

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (including the documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Registration Statement”) filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering and sale from time to time, together or separately in one or more series (if applicable), of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Securities”).

The Securities being registered under the Registration Statement will have an indeterminate aggregate initial offering price and will be offered on an immediate, continuous or delayed basis pursuant to the provisions of Rule 415 under the Securities Act.

In arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have reviewed the following documents:

 

  (a)

the Registration Statement;

 

  (b)

copies of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-Laws certified by the Secretary of State of the State of New York and the corporate secretary of the Company, respectively.

In addition, we have reviewed the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of all such corporate records of the Company and such other documents, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below.

 

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Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., p. 2

 

In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. In addition, we have assumed and have not verified the accuracy as to factual matters of each document we have reviewed.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the further assumptions and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that the Securities will be validly issued by the Company, fully paid and nonassessable.

Insofar as the foregoing opinion relates to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company, (x) we have assumed that the Company and each other party to such agreement or obligation has satisfied or, prior to the issuance of the Securities, will satisfy, those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make such agreement or obligation enforceable against it and (y) such opinion is subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity.

In rendering the opinion expressed above, we have further assumed that (i) prior to the issuance of the Securities, the Company will authorize the offering and issuance of the Securities and will duly authorize, approve and establish the final terms and conditions thereof, which terms will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement and will not violate any applicable law, conflict with any matter of public policy, result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or violate any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company; (ii) prior to the issuance of the Securities, the Board of Directors of the Company will duly authorize, execute and deliver any applicable agreement or other document necessary with respect to the Securities, establish the form of such Securities as necessary or contemplated by any such agreement or by law and will take any other appropriate additional corporate action, (iii) any instruments or receipts evidencing the Securities and any agreement governing the Securities will be governed by New York law; (iv) the Securities will be offered, issued, sold and delivered in compliance with applicable law and any requirements therefor set forth in any corporate action authorizing such Securities and any agreement governing such Securities and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement; (v) the Securities will be offered, sold and delivered to, and paid for by, the purchasers thereof at the price specified in, and in accordance with the terms of, an agreement or agreements duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, which price shall be at or in excess of the par value of the Securities; and (vi) if issued in certificated form, certificates representing the Securities will be duly executed and delivered and, to the extent required by any applicable agreement, duly authenticated and countersigned, and if issued in book-entry form, the Securities will be duly registered to the extent required by any applicable agreement.

We note that any designation in the Securities or any applicable agreement governing those Securities of the U.S. federal courts sitting in New York City as the venue for actions or proceedings relating to such Securities or agreement (notwithstanding any waiver thereof) is subject to the power of such courts to transfer actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) or to dismiss such actions or proceedings on the grounds that such a federal court is an inconvenient forum for such an action or proceeding.


Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., p. 3

 

The foregoing opinion is limited to the Business Corporation Law of the State of New York.

We hereby consent to the use of our name in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement under the heading “Legal Matters” and in any prospectus supplement related thereto as counsel for the Company that has passed on the validity of the Securities, and to the use of this opinion letter as a part (Exhibit 5.1) of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The opinions expressed herein are rendered on and as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you or any other person, or to make any investigations, as to any legal developments or factual matters arising subsequent to the date hereof that might affect the opinions expressed herein.


Very truly yours,
CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON LLP
By:  

/s/ David Lopez

  David Lopez, a Partner