附件4(b)
公司證券的描述
根據第12條註冊
1934年證券交易所法案
截至2024年10月28日，Acuity Brands, Inc.在《證券交易法》第12條註冊了一類證券（以下簡稱“該法”）：我們的普通股。
普通股描述
對Acuity Brands, Inc.的普通股票的某些條款摘要（本節中使用的“我們”，“我們的”，“我們”，“Acuity”，“公司”或其他類似引用等詞）描述了重要條款，但不構成完整且完全受我們的修訂企業簿副本（即修訂後的“企業簿副本”），我們的修訂和重定的公司規約（“公司規約”），其形式作為這份年度10-k表格的附件之一的展示品，其中還包括這份4(b)展示品，以及特定部分的特定部分德拉瓦州一般公司法（“DGCL”）。
授權股本
根據我們的公司組織章程，我們有權發行的所有類別股票總數為5億5千萬股，其中5億股為每股面值為0.01美元的普通股，5千萬股為每股面值為0.01美元的優先股。我們的流通股均已全額支付且不可追繳。我們的普通股股東無認購、贖回或轉換權利。我們的普通股沒有適用於沉重賽的條款。
投票權
我們普通股股東在股東投票事項上享有每股一票的投票權，這些股東將擁有所有的表決權，除非法律另有要求，或者我們董事會（"董事會"）根據Acuity的任何優先股系列採納的任何決議中另有規定。沒有累積投票權。因此，在無競爭的選舉中，若選舉管理層的普通股股東達到過半數，他們可以選舉所有董事，假如他們決定這麼做，但要服從優先股股東選舉董事的任何權利。
分紅權
受到Acuity優先股任何優先權或其他系列的權利的制約，普通股持有人有權按比例分享董事會不時從可用資金宣布的任何分紅派息。
清算權
受Acuity董事會可能指定的任何優先或其他系列優先股權益的限制，於清算時，我們的普通股持有人有權按比例獲得分配給此類持有人的Acuity所有可供分配的資產。
沒有先買權
Acuity的任何類別股權持有人都沒有任何先決購買權，以認購Acuity的任何種類或類別證券。
轉讓代理人和註冊機構
Acuity的轉移代理和登記處為Computershare信託公司N.A。
優先股
附件4(b)
董事會經授權，無需進一步股東批准（除非適用法律或紐約證券交易所規定要求），可以規定發行一個或多個系列的優先股份，並為每個系列確定相應的表決權、名稱、偏好和相對、參與、選擇和其他特殊權利，以及董事會通過核准發行該系列的決議中所記載的符合DGCL允許的資格、限制或限制。任何該等系列的條款和權利可能包括：
•系列的指定;
•股份的數量，董事會此後可以增加或減少，但不得低於當時已發行的股份數量；
•任何股息權利;
•任何清償優先權；
•是否有任何贖回權利；
•任何沉陷基金條款；
•任何轉換權利;
•任何投票權；以及
•該系列的其他相關權利、偏好和限制。
如果董事會選擇行使這個權限，公司普通股股東的權利和特權可能會受制於任何這類優先股系列的權利和特權。目前，Acuity沒有計劃發行任何優先股。
Acuity的公司章程、公司規則和特拉華法律中的某些防收購條款
我們的公司章程、公司規則及DGCL包含某些條款，可能會延遲或加大非董事會批准的對Acuity的控制收購，無論是通過要約收購、公開市場購買、代理人爭奪戰等方式。這些條款摘要如下，可能會旨在阻止第三方提出涉及Acuity收購或更改控制的提案，儘管這樣的提議，如果提出，可能會被大多數Acuity股東視為可取。
董事選舉任何董事會空缺，無論出現在何時，包括因董事會規模增加而導致的空缺（非股份持有者根據公司章程明確有權填補的空缺和新增董事席位），只能由現任董事會成員中過半數肯定投票填補，即使未達法定人數，或由唯一剩餘的董事（而非股東）填補。這種選舉董事的制度通常使股東更難取代我們多數董事。
股東行動、股東提名的提前通知和提議我們的公司章程規定，股東只能在股東年度大會或特別股東大會上採取行動，且股東不能以書面同意方式採取行動。我們的公司章程及公司規則規定，股東特別大會只能由全體董事決議召開。股東不得召開特別大會，也不能要求董事會召開股東特別大會。
我們的章程設立了股東提案事先通知程序，以便將股東提案提交給任何股東年度大會或特別會議，以及股東就董事選舉候選人提名之程序，該程序適用於舉行董事選舉的年度大會或特別會議。除非有其他適用的要求，否則這些程序規定股東提案的通知必須在會議前以書面方式及時提供給我們的公司秘書。一般而言，為了及時，通知必須在前一年股東年度大會的首個週年紀念日前不少於90天或不超過120天收到。我們的章程還規定了股東通知的形式和內容要求。
These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholder meeting any stockholder actions, even if they are favored by the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities.
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock. The authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and preferred stock will be available for future issuance without any further vote or action by our stockholders. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional
Exhibit 4(b)
capital, corporate acquisitions, and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and our preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control over us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger, or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, the Board were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of us or our stockholders, the Board could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group.
Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote on amendments to a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws is required to approve such amendment, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of the Board or, in addition to any other vote otherwise required by law, the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
Additionally, the approval by holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock entitled to vote on such matter, voting together as a single class, is required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provision inconsistent with Article V, Article VII, Article VIII, Article X or Article XI of our Certificate of Incorporation. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying, or discouraging the removal of any anti-takeover defenses provided for in our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws.
No Cumulative Voting. The DGCL provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our certificate of incorporation provides otherwise.
Delaware Takeover Statute. We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL and have adopted additional provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation for the approval, adoption, or authorization of business combinations. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
•any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;
•any sale, transfer, lease, pledge, exchange, mortgage or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;
•subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
•subject to exceptions, any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or
•the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.
Pursuant to our Certificate of Incorporation, a “business combination” with an “interested person” requires the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote in elections of directors, which are not beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such interested person. This voting requirement will not be applicable if certain conditions described in our Certificate of Incorporation are met with respect to a particular business combination.
Our Certificate of Incorporation defines a “business combination” as (a) any merger or consolidation of Acuity or any of its subsidiaries with or into any interested person (regardless of the identity of the surviving corporation); (b) any sale, lease, or other disposition of all or any substantial part of the assets of Acuity or any of its subsidiaries to any interested person for cash or securities or both; or (c) any issuance or delivery of securities of Acuity or any of its subsidiaries (which the beneficial owner shall have the right to vote, or to vote upon exercise, conversion, or by contract) to an interested person in consideration for or in exchange of any securities or other property (including cash).
Exhibit 4(b)
An “interested person” is defined in our Certificate of Incorporation as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of the shares of stock of Acuity entitled to vote in elections of directors at the relevant record date.
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification Matters
Our Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and our Bylaws provide that we will indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by such law. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with our current directors and executive officers and expect to enter into a similar agreement with any new director or executive officer.
Exclusive Forum
Our Bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action or proceeding asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees, or stockholders to us or our stockholders, any action or proceeding asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. In addition, our Bylaws also provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause or causes of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The exclusive forum provision in our Bylaws does not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation and bylaws has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with claims arising under federal securities laws or otherwise, a court could find the exclusive forum provision contained in our bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable.