8-K
Baker Hughes a GE CoBAKER HUGHES a GE Co LLC00008083620001701605false 0001701605 2019-09-11 2019-09-11 0001701605 bhge:BakerHughesaGEcompanyLLCMember 2019-09-11 2019-09-11
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM
8-K
 
 
CURRENT ​​​​​​​REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 11, 2019
 
 
BAKER HUGHES, A GE
COMPANY
 
BAKER HUGHES, A GE
COMPANY, LLC
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 
 
 
Delaware
 
1-38143
 
81-4403168
 
Delaware
 
1-09397
 
76-0207995
(State of
Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File No.)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
(State of
Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File No.)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
17021 Aldine Westfield Road
Houston, Texas 77073
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713)
 439-8600
(former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form
8-K
filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Trading Name of each exchange on which registered
Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
 
BHGE
 
New York Stock Exchange
5.125% Senior Notes due 2040
 
-
 
New York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule
12b-2
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§
240.12b-2
of this chapter).
Emerging growth company  
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  
 
 
 
 
Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
On September 11, 2019, General Electric Company and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, “GE”), the majority stockholder of Baker Hughes, a GE company (the “Company”), took action by written consent (“Written Consent”) to approve the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation solely to give effect to the change of the Company’s name to “Baker Hughes Company.” As of such date, GE held 521,543,095 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, or 100% of the Company’s Class B common stock, which constituted 50.2% of the Company’s outstanding voting securities on a combined basis. No other votes were required or necessary to adopt the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
On September 16, 2019, the Company filed a preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the matters approved by GE. The Company will mail the Schedule 14C to its stockholders on or about September 26, 2019.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit
    No.    
   
Description
         
 
  99.1
   
         
 
101.SCH*
   
Inline XBRL Schema Document
         
 
101.CAL*
   
Inline XBRL Calculation Linkbase Document
         
 
101.LAB*
   
Inline XBRL Label Linkbase Document
         
 
101.PRE*
   
Inline XBRL Presentation Linkbase Document
         
 
101.DEF*
   
Inline XBRL Definition Linkbase Document
         
 
104*
   
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
* Furnished herewith.
 
Page 2
 
 
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY
             
Dated: September 16, 2019
 
 
By:
 
/s/ Lee Whitley
 
 
 
Lee Whitley
 
 
 
Corporate Secretary
         
 
 
BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
             
Dated: September 16, 2019
 
 
By:
 
/s/ Lee Whitley
 
 
 
Lee Whitley
 
 
 
Corporate Secretary
 
Page 3
EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY

Consent in Lieu of Meeting of Stockholders

September 11, 2019

The undersigned, General Electric Company and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, “GE”), together being the majority stockholder of Baker Hughes, a GE company, a Delaware Corporation (the “Company”), hereby consents to and adopts, effective as of immediately prior to (the “Effective Time”), and subject to the subsequent occurrence of, the purchase and sale of the Firm Shares (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Company, General Electric Company and the representative of the underwriters party thereto), and pursuant to Section 228(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”), the following resolutions:

Name Change

WHEREAS, the board of directors have determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company to change the name of the Company to Baker Hughes Company (the “Name Change”) and has directed that the Name Change be submitted to the majority stockholder of the Company for approval and adoption;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Name Change be, and it hereby is, approved and adopted as of the Effective Time.

Amended and Restated Charter

WHEREAS, to give effect to the Name Change, the Board of Directors has unanimously determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to amend and restate the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its entirety in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Second Amended and Restated Charter”).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Second Amended and Restated Charter is, as of the Effective Time, approved and adopted as the Second Amended and Restated Charter of the Company; provided that such amendment and restatement, and the Name Change contemplated thereby, will not become effective until a date that is at least 21 days from the dissemination of the information statement distributed to stockholders of the Company in accordance with Regulation 14C.

* * *

The action taken by this consent shall have the same force and effect as if taken at a meeting of stockholders of the Company, duly called and constituted pursuant to the DGCL.

[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Consent as of the date first above written.

 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

/s/ John Godsman

Name:   John Godsman
Title:   Vice President

 

GE OIL AND GAS US HOLDINGS IV, INC.

/s/ Victoria Vron

Name:   Victoria Vron
Title:   Vice President & Secretary

 

GE HOLDINGS (US), INC.

/s/ Victoria Vron

Name:   Victoria Vron
Title:   Vice President & Secretary

 

GE OIL & GAS HOLDINGS I, INC.

/s/ Victoria Vron

Name:   Victoria Vron
Title:   Vice President & Secretary


Exhibit A

Second Amended and Restated Charter


SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is Baker Hughes Company (hereinafter called the “Corporation”). The date of the filing of its original certificate of incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware was October 28, 2016, and the date of the filing of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was July 3, 2017.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

 

  (A)

Classes of Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 3,300,000,000 shares, which shall be divided into three classes of stock designated as follows:

 

  1.

2,000,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Class A Common Stock”);

 

  2.

1,250,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Class B Common Stock”, and together with Class A Common Stock, “Common Stock”); and

 

  3.

50,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

  (B)

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of either the Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either the Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.

 

  (C)

Common Stock. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the Common Stock, are as follows:

 

  1.

Ranking. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by such rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) upon any issuance of any series of Preferred Stock.


  2.

Voting.

 

  (a)

Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote, except as otherwise provided in section (C)(2)(b) of this Article IV.

 

  (b)

Except as otherwise provided by law or by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be further amended and/or restated from time to time, including the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below), this “Certificate of Incorporation”) to the contrary, the holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

 

  (c)

Except as otherwise required in this Certificate of Incorporation or by applicable law, the holders of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class (or, if the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the holders of Common Stock, together as single class with the holders of such other series of Preferred Stock) on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders generally.

 

  3.

Dividends. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor. Dividends and other distributions shall not be declared or paid on the Class B Common Stock.

 

  4.

Liquidation. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary. A liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, as such terms are used in this section (C)(4), shall not be deemed to be occasioned by, or to include, any consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other person or a sale, lease, exchange or conveyance of all or a part of its assets. The holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to receive any assets of the Corporation in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation.

 

  (D)

Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board is hereby authorized to provide by resolution or resolutions from time to time for the issuance, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, of one or more series of Preferred Stock by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the DGCL (a “Preferred Stock Designation”), setting forth such resolution or resolutions and, with respect to each such series, establishing the number of shares to be included in such series, and fixing the voting powers, full or limited, or no voting power of the shares of such series, and the designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, if any, of the shares of each such series. The powers, designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, of each series of Preferred Stock may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. The authority of the Board with respect to each series of Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, the determination of the following:

 

  1.

the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing name, number, letter or title;

 

2


  2.

the number of shares of the series, which number the Board may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);

 

  3.

the rights in respect of any dividends (or methods of determining the dividends), if any, payable to the holders of the shares of such series, any conditions upon which such dividends shall be paid, the amounts or rates at which dividends, if any, will be payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of such series in respect of dividends, whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative and the date or dates upon which such dividends shall be payable;

 

  4.

the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series, the form of payment of such price or prices (which may be cash, property or rights, including securities of the Corporation or another corporation or entity) for which, the period or periods within which and the other terms and conditions upon which the shares of such series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation or at the option of the holder or holders thereof or upon the happening of a specified event or events, if any, including the obligation, if any, of the Corporation to purchase or redeem shares of such series pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise;

 

  5.

the amounts payable out of the assets of the Corporation on, and the preferences, if any, of, shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;

 

  6.

whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series or such other security, the conversion or exchange price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible or exchangeable and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion or exchange may be made;

 

  7.

any restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or any other class or series;

 

  8.

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series generally or upon specified events; and

 

  9.

any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, of each series of Preferred Stock, all as may be determined from time to time by the Board and stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such series of Preferred Stock.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.

 

  (E)

Restrictions on Transfers and Issuances.

 

  1.

No shares of Class B Common Stock may be issued except to a holder of Common Units or its Affiliates (other than the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation that is a holder of Common Units), such that after such issuance of Class B Common Stock such holder (together with its Affiliates) holds an identical number of Common Units and shares of Class B Common Stock unless otherwise provided in the LLC Agreement (as defined below).

 

  2.

No shares of Class B Common Stock may be transferred by the holder thereof except (i) for no consideration to the Corporation or Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC, in each case upon which transfer such shares shall, to the full extent permitted by law, automatically be retired or (ii) in accordance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement (as defined herein), the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC, dated as of July 3, 2017, as the same may be further amended and/or restated from time to time (the “LLC Agreement”) and the Exchange Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2017, by and among Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC, the Corporation and GE (as defined below), copies of which will be provided to any stockholder of the Corporation upon written request therefor. Any stock certificates representing

 

3


  shares of Class B Common Stock shall include a legend referencing the transfer restrictions set forth herein. As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, “Common Units” has the meaning assigned to such term in the LLC Agreement.

ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT

This Article V is inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.

 

  (A)

General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, except as otherwise provided by law.

 

  (B)

Number of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors and to the Stockholders Agreement, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board.

 

  (C)

Terms of Office. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term of one (1) year, ending on the date of the next annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided, that the term of each such director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

 

  (D)

Vacancies. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors, or any vacancy on the Board that results from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause, shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office for the remaining term of his or her predecessor and until the election and qualification of his or her successor, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

 

  (E)

Removal. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock and to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any director or the entire Board may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon.

 

  (F)

Committees. Pursuant to the Bylaws and subject to the Stockholders Agreement, the Board may establish one or more committees to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board to the full extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE VI

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot.

ARTICLE VII

EXCULPATION AND INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS

 

  (A)

Limited Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. No repeal or modification of this Article VII shall apply to or have any adverse effect on any right or protection of, or any limitation of the liability 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.

 

  (B)

Right to Indemnification. The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person (a “Covered

 

4


  Person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or has or had agreed to become a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by such Covered Person. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in section (D) of this Article VII, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the Covered Person was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

 

  (C)

Prepayment of Expenses. The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Covered Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VII or otherwise.

 

  (D)

Claims. If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such proceeding) or advancement of expenses under this Article VII is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after a written claim therefor by the Covered Person has been received by the Corporation, the Covered Person may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense (including attorney’s fees) of prosecuting such claim. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

 

  (E)

Nonexclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Article VII shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, or pursuant to any vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

  (F)

Amendment or Repeal. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article VII shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any Covered Person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

 

  (G)

Other Indemnification and Prepayment of Expenses. This Article VII shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

 

  (H)

Priority of Corporation Obligations. In the event that a Covered Person has rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses from any Person (an “Other Indemnitor”) other than the Corporation or an Affiliate of the Corporation in respect of a proceeding and also has rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Corporation under this Article VII, the Corporation shall be primarily liable for indemnification and advancement of expenses to such Covered Person in respect of such proceeding and any obligation of an Other Indemnitor to provide indemnification or advancement of expenses shall be secondary to the obligations of the Corporation under this Article VII. If any Other Indemnitor pays or causes to be paid, for any reason, any amounts otherwise indemnifiable or subject to advancement under this Article VII, then (i) such Other Indemnitor shall be fully subrogated to all rights of the Covered Person with respect to the payments actually made and (ii) the Corporation shall reimburse such Other Indemnitor for the payments actually made.

 

5


ARTICLE VIII

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

 

  (A)

Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders or by a consent in writing by such holders in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL and the Bylaws. In addition, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Preferred Stock Designation.

 

  (B)

Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only (1) by or at the direction of the Board, any committee thereof, the Chairman of the Board, or the Chief Executive Officer or (2) by the Secretary of the Corporation upon the written request of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock voting together as a single class. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by any person or persons.

 

  (C)

Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE IX

SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL

The Corporation shall be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL (“Section 203”) if and for so long as Section 203 by its terms shall apply to the Corporation.

ARTICLE X

SEVERABILITY

If any provision or provisions (or any part thereof) of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (A) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (B) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XI

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the DGCL may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law; and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XI. Subject to applicable law and to the Stockholders Agreement, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock pursuant to any Preferred Stock Designation, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, or to adopt any new provision of this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

6


ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law but subject to the Stockholders Agreement, the Board is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, amend and repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors present at a regular or special meeting of the Board at which there is a quorum, or by unanimous written consent. The Bylaws may also be amended, altered or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

ARTICLE XIII

FORUM

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, or, if such other court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (A) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (B) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (C) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or (D) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XIII.

ARTICLE XIV

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

 

  (A)

General. In recognition and anticipation (1) that the Corporation will not be a wholly owned subsidiary of GE and that GE will be a significant stockholder of the Corporation, (2) that directors, officers and/or employees of GE may serve as directors and/or officers of the Corporation, (3) that, subject to any contractual arrangements that may otherwise from time to time be agreed to between GE and the Corporation including the Stockholders Agreement, GE may engage in the same, similar or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, (4) that GE may have an interest in the same areas of corporate opportunity as the Corporation and Affiliated Companies thereof, and (5) that, as a consequence of the foregoing, it is in the best interests of the Corporation that the respective rights and duties of the Corporation and of GE, and the duties of any directors and/or officers of the Corporation who are also directors, officers and/or employees of GE, be determined and delineated in respect of any transactions between, or opportunities that may be suitable for both, the Corporation and Affiliated Companies thereof, on the one hand, and GE, on the other hand, the sections of this Article XIV shall to the fullest extent permitted by law regulate and define the conduct of certain of the business and affairs of the Corporation in relation to GE and the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation as they may involve GE and its directors, officers and/or employees, and the power, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its officers, directors and stockholders in connection therewith. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any shares of capital stock of the Corporation, or any interest therein, shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article XIV.

 

  (B)

Certain Agreements and Transactions Permitted. The Corporation has entered into the Stockholders Agreement with GE, and, subject to the Stockholders Agreement, may from time to time enter into and perform, and cause or permit any Affiliated Company of the Corporation to enter into and perform, one or more agreements (or modifications or supplements to pre-existing agreements) with GE pursuant to which the Corporation or an Affiliated Company thereof, on the one hand, and GE, on the other hand, agree to engage in transactions of any kind or nature with each other and/or agree to compete, or to refrain from competing or to limit or restrict their competition, with each other, including to allocate and to cause their respective directors, officers and/or employees (including any who are directors, officers and/or employees of both) to allocate opportunities between or to refer opportunities to each other. Subject to section (D) of this Article XIV, and except as otherwise agreed in writing (including in the Stockholders Agreement), no

 

7


  such agreement, or the performance thereof by the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof, or GE, shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be considered contrary to (1) any fiduciary duty that GE may owe to the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof or to any stockholder or other owner of an equity interest in the Corporation or an Affiliated Company thereof by reason of GE being a controlling or significant stockholder of the Corporation or of any Affiliated Company thereof or participating in the control of the Corporation or of any Affiliated Company thereof or (2) any fiduciary duty owed by any director and/or officer of the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof who is also a director, officer and/or employee of GE to the Corporation or such Affiliated Company, or to any stockholder thereof. Subject to section (D) of this Article XIV, to the fullest extent permitted by law, GE, as a stockholder of the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof, or as a participant in control of the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof, shall not have or be under any fiduciary duty to refrain from entering into any agreement or participating in any transaction referred to above, and no director and/or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer and/or employee of GE shall have or be under any fiduciary duty to the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof to refrain from acting on behalf of the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof or of GE in respect of any such agreement or transaction or performing any such agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

  (C)

Business Activities. Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Corporation and GE, including in the Stockholders Agreement, and subject to section (D) of this Article XIV, GE shall to the fullest extent permitted by law have no duty to refrain from (1) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation or (2) doing business with any client, customer or vendor of the Corporation, and (except as provided in section (D) of this Article XIV below) neither GE nor any officer, director and/or employee thereof shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be deemed to have breached its fiduciary duties, if any, to the Corporation solely by reason of GE’s engaging in any such activity. Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Corporation and GE, in the event that GE acquires knowledge (other than through its position as a stockholder of the Corporation or through any of its directors, officers or employees that are also directors, officers or employees of the Corporation) of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Corporation and GE, GE shall to the fullest extent permitted by law have fully satisfied and fulfilled its fiduciary duty with respect to such corporate opportunity, and the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law renounces any interest or expectancy in such business opportunity and waives any claim that such business opportunity constituted a corporate opportunity that should have been presented to the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof, if GE acts in a manner consistent with the following policy: if GE acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Corporation and GE, such corporate opportunity shall belong to GE unless such opportunity was expressly offered to GE in its capacity as a stockholder of the Corporation. In the case of any corporate opportunity in which the Corporation has renounced its interest and expectancy in the previous sentence, GE shall to the fullest extent permitted by law not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder of the Corporation by reason of the fact that GE acquires or seeks such corporate opportunity for itself, directs such corporate opportunity to another Person, or otherwise does not communicate information regarding such corporate opportunity to the Corporation.

 

  (D)

Corporate Opportunities. Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Corporation and GE, in the event that a director and/or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer and/or employee of GE acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Corporation and GE, such director and/or officer shall to the fullest extent permitted by law have fully satisfied and fulfilled his or her fiduciary duty with respect to such corporate opportunity, and the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law renounces any interest or expectancy in such business opportunity and waives any claim that such business opportunity constituted a corporate opportunity that should have been presented to the Corporation or any Affiliated Company thereof, if such director and/or officer acts in a manner consistent with the following policy:

 

  1.

such a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is a director but not an officer or employee of the Corporation and who is also a director, officer and/or employee of GE shall belong to the Corporation only if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in his or her capacity as a director of the Corporation and otherwise shall belong to GE; and

 

8


  2.

such a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer or employee of the Corporation and also is a director, officer and/or employee of GE shall belong to the Corporation unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in his or her capacity as a director, officer and/or employee of GE, in which case such opportunity shall belong to GE.

(E) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article XIV, (1) “Affiliated Company” in respect of the Corporation shall mean any entity controlled by the Corporation, (2) “corporate opportunities” shall include, but not be limited to, business opportunities that the Corporation is financially able to undertake, which are, from their nature, in the line of the Corporation’s business, are of practical advantage to it and are ones in which the Corporation, but for sections (C) and (D) of this Article XIV, would have an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of GE or its directors, officers and/or employees will be brought into conflict with that of the Corporation, and (3) “GE” shall mean General Electric Company and its Affiliates (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation).

ARTICLE XV

STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

For so long as that certain Stockholders Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2017, by and between the Corporation and GE, as amended from time to time, a copy of which will be provided to any stockholder of the Corporation upon written request therefor, (the “Stockholders Agreement”), is in effect, the provisions of the Stockholders Agreement shall be incorporated by reference into the relevant provisions hereof, and such provisions shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement.

ARTICLE XVI

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Incorporation, the following definitions shall apply to the following terms as used in this Certificate of Incorporation:

 

  (A)

Affiliate” shall mean (1) in respect of GE, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by GE, controls GE or is under common control with GE and shall include any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing (other than the Corporation and any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation); and (2) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation.

 

  (B)

GE” shall mean General Electric Company.

 

  (C)

Person” shall mean an individual, a firm, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint venture, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or similar company, or any other entity.

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates and integrates and further amends the provisions of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation, and which has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, has been executed by its duly authorized officer on             , 2019.

 

BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Lee Whitley
Title:   Corporate Secretary

[Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Charter]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, has been executed by its duly authorized officer on             , 2019.

 

Baker Hughes Company
By:  

 

Name:   Lee Whitley
Title:   Corporate Secretary

[Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Charter]

 

11


Baker Hughes, a GE company

17021 Aldine Westfield Road

Houston, Texas 77073

September 11, 2019

General Electric Company 33-41 Farnsworth Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02210

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are in receipt of the Consent in Lieu of Meeting of Stockholders, dated today (the “Written Consent”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to those terms in the Written Consent.

In consideration of the delivery of the Written Consent, we agree to take all necessary action (including the preparation and dissemination of the information statement referenced in the Written Consent, and the filing of any certificate required by the DGCL) to cause the Name Change to become effective as promptly as is practicable after the date hereof.

 

Very truly yours,

 

BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY

By:  

/s/ Lee Whitley

Name:   Lee Whitley
Title:   Corporate Secretary


Acknowledged and agreed:

 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

By:  

/s/ Jon Godsman

Name:   Jon Godsman
Title:   Vice President