EX-3.1 2 brhc10046407_ex3-1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1
Exhibit 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
 
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF FARMER BROS. CO.

Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Farmer Bros. Co., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:

1.         The name of the Corporation is Farmer Bros. Co. The original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 17, 2004.
 
2.         This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, having been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL, further amends and restates the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation.
 
3.         The certificate of incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
 
FIRST: The name of the corporation is Farmer Bros. Co. (the “Corporation”).
 
SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 874 Walker Road Suite C, in the City of Dover 19904, County of Kent. The name of its registered agent at that address is United Corporate Services, Inc.
 
THIRD:The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the DGCL.
 
FOURTH:
 
(a)       Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 50,500,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of (i) 50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) 500,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
 
(b)       No Cumulative Voting. The holders of shares of Common Stock shall not have cumulative voting rights.
 
(c)       No Preemptive or Subscription Rights. No holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to preemptive or subscription rights.
 
(d)       Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized to provide for the issuance of all or any shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more classes or series, and to fix for each such class or series such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issuance of such class or series, including, without limitation, the authority to provide that any such class or series may be (i) subject to redemption at such time or times and at such price or prices; (ii) entitled to receive dividends (which may be cumulative or non- cumulative) at such rates, on such conditions, and at such times, and payable in preference to, or in such relation to, the dividends payable on any other class or classes or any other series; (iii) entitled to such rights upon the dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation; or (iv) convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes of stock, or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock, of the Corporation at such price or prices or at such rates of exchange and with such adjustments; all as may be stated in such resolution or resolutions.
 
(e)       Power to Sell and Purchase Shares. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the Corporation shall have the power to issue and sell all or any part of any shares of any class of stock herein or hereafter authorized to such persons, and for such consideration, as the Board of Directors shall from time to time, in its discretion, determine, whether or not greater consideration could be received upon the issue or sale of the same number of shares of another class, and as otherwise permitted by law. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the Corporation shall have the power to purchase any shares of any class of stock herein or hereafter authorized from such persons, and for such consideration, as the Board of Directors shall from time to time, in its discretion, determine, whether or not less consideration could be paid upon the purchase of the same number of shares of another class, and as otherwise permitted by law.
 
FIFTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:
 
(a)       The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.
 
(b)       The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five or more than nine members, the exact number of which shall be fixed from time to time by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the active Board of Directors.
 
(c)       The directors of the Corporation shall be elected annually and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders (each annual meeting of stockholders, an “Annual Meeting”) and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or his or her death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.
 
 (d)     Subject to the terms of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors may be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, provided that a quorum is present, and any other vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall have the same remaining term as that of his or her predecessor. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any or all of the directors of the Corporation may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, in accordance with the DGCL. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or 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 this Certificate of Incorporation applicable thereto.
 
(e)       In addition to the powers and authority hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation, and any By-Laws adopted by the stockholders; provided, however, that no By-Laws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been valid if such By-Laws had not been adopted.
 
SIXTH: No director shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of 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 the same exists or may hereafter be amended. If the DGCL is amended hereafter to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of directors , then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this Article SIXTH shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.
 
SEVENTH: The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by law, 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 his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives; provided, however, that, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this Article SEVENTH 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.
 
The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article SEVENTH to directors and officers of the Corporation.
 
The rights to indemnification and to the advance of expenses conferred in this Article SEVENTH shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Certificate of Incorporation, the By-Laws of the Corporation, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
 
Any repeal or modification of this Article SEVENTH shall not adversely affect any rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses of a director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.
 
EIGHTH: 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 stockholders of the Corporation, and the ability of the stockholders to consent in writing to the taking of any action is hereby specifically denied.
 
NINTH: Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the By-Laws may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the DGCL) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the By-Laws of the Corporation.
 
TENTH: Unless otherwise required by law, Special Meetings of Stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by either (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, (ii) the President or (iii) the Board of Directors. The ability of the stockholders to call a Special Meeting of Stockholders is hereby specifically denied.
 
ELEVENTH: In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Corporation’s By-Laws. The affirmative vote of at least a majority of the entire Board of Directors shall be required to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Corporation’s By-Laws. The Corporation’s By-Laws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors.
 
TWELFTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed in this Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation’s By-Laws or the DGCL, and all rights herein conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to such reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (and in addition to any other vote that may be required by law), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors shall be required to amend, alter, change or repeal, or to adopt any provision as part of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with the purpose and intent of Articles FIFTH, EIGHTH, TENTH and ELEVENTH of this Certificate of Incorporation or this Article TWELFTH.
 
[Signature Page Follows.]
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by its duly authorized officer this 12th day of January, 2023.
 
FARMER BROS. CO.

 

/s/ Deverl Maserang

   

Name:
Deverl Maserang

Title:
 President, Chief Executive Officer and Director