EX-3.1 3 a31-amendedandrestatedcert.htm EX-3.1 Document
Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
FORTREA HOLDINGS INC.
Fortrea Holdings Inc. (the “Company”), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it may be amended (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:
1.The name of this Company is Fortrea Holdings Inc. The original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 31, 2023. The name under which the Company was originally incorporated is SILVER SPINCO INC.
2.This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL and by the written consent of its sole stockholder in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
3.This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation restates and amends the original Certificate of Incorporation to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
The name of the corporation is Fortrea Holdings Inc.
ARTICLE II
The address of the Company’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Service Company, 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of the Company’s registered agent at such address is the Corporation Service Company.
ARTICLE III
The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1. Authorized Capital Stock. The Company is authorized to issue two classes of capital stock, designated Common Stock and Preferred Stock. The total number of shares of capital stock that the Company is authorized to issue is 295,000,000 shares, consisting of 265,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 30,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Section 2. Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series. The Board is hereby authorized to issue the shares of Preferred Stock in such series and to fix from time to time before issuance the number of shares to be included in any such series and the designation, powers, preferences and relative participating, optional or other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board with respect to
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each such series will include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the determination of any or all of the following:
ARTICLE Ithe number of shares of any series and the designation to distinguish the shares of such series from the shares of all other series;
(a)the voting powers, if any, and whether such voting powers are full or limited in such series;
(b)the redemption provisions, if any, applicable to such series, including the redemption price or prices to be paid;
(c)whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or noncumulative, the dividend rate of such series, and the dates and preferences of dividends on such series;
(d)the rights of such series upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Company;
(e)the provisions, if any, pursuant to which the shares of such series are convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock, or any other security, of the Company or any other corporation or other entity, and the rates or other determinants of conversion or exchange applicable thereto;
(f)the right, if any, to subscribe for or to purchase any securities of the Company or any other corporation or other entity;
(g)the provisions, if any, of a sinking fund applicable to such series; and
(h)any other relative, participating, optional, or other special powers, preferences or rights and qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof;
all as may be determined from time to time by the Board and stated or expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such Preferred Stock (collectively, a “Preferred Stock Designation”).
Section 3. Common Stock. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock will be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for such meeting.
ARTICLE V
The Board may make, amend, and repeal the Bylaws of the Company. Any Bylaw made by the Board under the powers conferred hereby may be amended or repealed by the Board (except as specified in any such Bylaw so made or amended) or by the stockholders in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing and anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws to the contrary, (a) until the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders, Bylaws 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 and 39 may not be amended or repealed by the stockholders, and no provision inconsistent therewith may be adopted by the stockholders, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding Voting Stock (as defined below), voting together as a single class and (b) at and after the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders, the Bylaws (including Bylaws 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 and 39) may not be amended or repealed by the stockholders, and no provision
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inconsistent therewith may be adopted by the stockholders, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Voting Stock (as defined below), voting together as a single class. The Company may in its Bylaws confer powers upon the Board in addition to the foregoing and in addition to the powers and authorities expressly conferred upon the Board by applicable law. For the purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, “Voting Stock” means stock of the Company of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
ARTICLE VI
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock:
(a)any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Company may be taken only at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Company and may not be taken without a meeting by means of any consent in writing of such stockholders; and
(b)special meetings of stockholders of the Company may be called only (i) by the Chairman of the Board (the “Chairman”), (ii) by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “Chief Executive Officer”), or (iii) by the Secretary of the Company (the “Secretary”) acting at the request of the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the total number of directors that the Company would have if there were no vacancies on the Board (the “Whole Board”).
At any annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders of the Company, only such business will be conducted or considered as has been brought before such meeting in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Company.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1. Number, Election, and Terms of Directors. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under circumstances specified in a Preferred Stock Designation, the number of the directors of the Company will be fixed from time to time in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Company. The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, will be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated Class I, Class II, and Class III. At any meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected, the number of directors elected may not exceed the greatest number of directors then in office in any class of directors. The directors first appointed to Class I will hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024; the directors first appointed to Class II will hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2025; and the directors first appointed to Class III will hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2026, with the members of each class to hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. At the annual meeting of stockholders held in 2024, the Class I directors will be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders. At the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, the Class II directors will be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders. At the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders, the Class III directors will be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders. At the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders, the Class I directors will be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders. Commencing at the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders and at all subsequent annual meetings of stockholders, the Board will no longer be classified under Section 141(d) of the DGCL, and all directors will be elected for a term of office to expire at the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under
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circumstances specified in a Preferred Stock Designation, directors may be elected by the stockholders only at an annual meeting of stockholders. Election of directors of the Company need not be by written ballot unless requested by the presiding officer or by the holders of a majority of the Voting Stock present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting of the stockholders at which directors are to be elected. If authorized by the Board, such requirement of a written ballot shall be satisfied by a ballot submitted by electronic transmission, provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder or proxy holder.
Section 2. Nomination of Director Candidates. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors must be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Company.
Section 3. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under circumstances specified in a Preferred Stock Designation, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal, or other cause will be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence will hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the new directorship was created or the vacancy occurred and until such director’s successor has been elected and qualified. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders, any director so chosen will hold office until the next election of directors and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until any such director’s earlier death, resignation, removal, retirement or disqualification. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board may shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 4. Removal. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under circumstances specified in a Preferred Stock Designation, any director may be removed from office (a) until the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders or such other time as the Board is no longer classified under Section 141(d) of the DGCL, only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding Voting Stock and (b) from and including the 2028 annual meeting of stockholders or such other time as the Board is no longer classified under Section 141(d) of the DGCL, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Voting Stock.
ARTICLE VIII
To the full extent permitted by the DGCL and any other applicable law currently or hereafter in effect, no director or officer of the Company will be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for or with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty or other act or omission as a director or officer of the Company. Solely for purposes of this Article VIII, “officer” shall have the meaning provided in Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL or any amendment or successor provision thereto. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, no repeal or modification of this Article VIII will adversely affect the protection of any director or officer of the Company provided hereby in relation to any breach of fiduciary duty or other act or omission as a director or officer of the Company occurring prior to the effectiveness of such repeal or modification.
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ARTICLE IX
Section 1. Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise subject to or involved in any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another company or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “Indemnitee”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified by the Company to the fullest extent permitted or required by the DGCL and any other applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Indemnitee in connection therewith (“Indemnifiable Losses”); provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 4 of this Article IX with respect to Proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Company shall indemnify any such Indemnitee pursuant to this Section 1 in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.
Section 2. Right to Advancement of Expenses. The right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article IX shall include the right to advancement by the Company of any and all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred in defending any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (an “Advancement of Expenses”); provided, however, that, if the DGCL so requires, an Advancement of Expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Indemnitee, including without limitation service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made pursuant to this Section 2 only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking (an “Undertaking”), by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay, without interest, all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (a “Final Adjudication”) that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section 2. An Indemnitee’s right to an Advancement of Expenses pursuant to this Section 2 is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct and is not conditioned upon any prior determination that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under Section 1 of this Article IX with respect to the related Proceeding or the absence of any prior determination to the contrary.
Section 3. Contract Rights. The rights to indemnification and to the Advancement of Expenses conferred in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article IX shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 4. Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 1 or 2 of this Article IX is not paid in full by the Company within 60 calendar days after a written claim has been received by the Company, except in the case of a claim for an Advancement of Expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 calendar days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Company to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Company to recover an Advancement of Expenses pursuant to the terms of an Undertaking, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to the fullest extent permitted or required by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such
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amendment permits the Company to provide broader reimbursements of prosecution or defense expenses than such law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to an Advancement of Expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) any suit brought by the Company to recover an Advancement of Expenses pursuant to the terms of an Undertaking, the Company shall be entitled to recover such expenses, without interest, upon a Final Adjudication that, the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Company (including its Board or a committee thereof, its stockholders or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board or a committee thereof, its stockholders or independent legal counsel) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by an Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an Advancement of Expenses hereunder, or brought by the Company to recover an Advancement of Expenses hereunder pursuant to the terms of an Undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such Advancement of Expenses, shall be on the Company.
Section 5. Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and to the Advancement of Expenses conferred in this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Nothing contained in this Article IX shall limit or otherwise affect any such other right or the Company’s power to confer any such other right.
Section 6. Insurance. The Company may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.
Section 7. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Article IX to make any payment to an Indemnitee in respect of any Indemnifiable Losses to the extent that the Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (net of any expenses incurred in connection therewith and any repayment by the Indemnitee made with respect thereto) under any insurance policy or from any other source in respect of such Indemnifiable Losses.
ARTICLE X
The Company reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware, and all rights herein are granted subject to this reservation. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, (a) until the 2028 annual meeting, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, is required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and this Article X, and (b) at and after the 2028 annual meeting, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, is required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with this Certificate of Incorporation (including Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and this Article X).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by an authorized officer, as of this 29 day of June, 2023.


FORTREA HOLDINGS INC.
a Delaware corporation


By:     /s/ Sandra D. van der Vaart    
Name: Sandra D. van der Vaart
Title: President and Secretary

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