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RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MEDTRONIC,
INC.
(As Amended through February 27, 2001)
ARTICLE 1 - Name
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1.1
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The name of the corporation shall be Medtronic, Inc.
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ARTICLE 2 - Registered Office
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2.1
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The registered office of the corporation shall be located
at 710 Medtronic Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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ARTICLE 3 - Stock
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3.1
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Authorized Shares; Establishment of Classes and Series.
The aggregate number of shares the corporation has authority
to issue shall be 1,602,500,000 shares, which shall consist
of 1,600,000,000 shares of Common Stock with a par value of
$.10 per share, and 2,500,000 shares of Preferred Stock with
a par value of $1.00 per share. The Board of Directors is
authorized to establish from the shares of Preferred Stock,
by resolution adopted and filed in the manner provided by
law, one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock, and
to set forth the designation of each such class or series
and fix the relative rights and preferences of each such class
or series of Preferred Stock, including, but not limited to,
fixing the relative voting rights, if any, of each class or
series of Preferred Stock to the full extent permitted by
law. Holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote
for each share of Common Stock held of record.
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3.2
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Issuance of Shares to Holders of Another Class or Series.
The Board of Directors is authorized to issue shares of the
corporation of one class or series to holders of that class
or series or to holders of another class or series to effectuate
share dividends or splits.
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ARTICLE 4 - Rights of Shareholders
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4.1
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No Preemptive Rights. No holder of any class of stock
of the corporation shall be entitled to subscribe for or purchase
such holder's proportionate share of stock of any class of
the corporation, now or hereafter authorized or issued.
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4.2
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No Cumulative Voting Rights. No shareholder shall
be entitled to cumulate votes for the election of directors
and there shall be no cumulative voting for any purpose whatsoever.
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ARTICLE 5 - Directors
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5.1
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Written Action by Directors. Any action required or
permitted to be taken at a Board meeting may be taken by written
action signed by all of the directors or, in cases where the
action need not be approved by the shareholders, by written
action signed by the number of directors that would be required
to take the same action at a meeting of the Board at which
all directors were present.
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5.2
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Elimination of Director Liability in Certain Circumstances.
No director of the corporation shall be personally liable
to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages
for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided, however
that this Article 5, Section 5.2 shall not eliminate or limit
the liability of a director to the extent provided by applicable
law (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
the corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or omissions
not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or
a knowing violation of law, (iii) under section 302A.559 or
80A.23 of the Minnesota Statutes, (iv) for any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit,
or (v) for any act or omission occurring prior to the effective
date of this Article 5, Section 5.2. No limiting amendment
to or repeal of this Article 5, Section 5.2 shall apply to
or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of
any director of the corporation for or with respect to any
acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such
amendment or repeal.
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5.3
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Classification of the Board of Directors. The business
and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under
the direction of a Board of Directors consisting of not less
than three nor more than fifteen persons, who need not be
shareholders. The number of directors may be increased by
the shareholders or Board of Directors or decreased by the
shareholders from the number of directors on the Board of
Directors immediately prior to the effective date of this
Section 5.3 provided, however, that any change in the number
of directors on the Board of Directors (including, without
limitation, changes at annual meetings of shareholders) shall
be approved by the affirmative vote of not less than seventy-five
percent (75%) of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders
of all then outstanding voting shares (as defined in Section
6.2 of Article 6), voting together as a single class, unless
such change shall have been approved by a majority of the
entire Board of Directors. If such change shall not have been
so approved, the number of directors shall remain the same.
The directors shall be divided into three classes, designated
Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist,
as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number
of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors.
At the 1989 annual meeting of shareholders, Class I directors
shall be elected for a one-year term, Class II directors for
a two-year term and Class III directors for a three-year term.
At each succeeding annual meeting of shareholders beginning
in 1990, successors to the class of directors whose term expires
at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term.
If the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease
shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the
number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible,
and any additional director of any class elected to fill a
vacancy resulting from an increase in such class shall hold
office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term
of that class. In no case will a decrease in the number of
directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. A director
shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in
which the director's term expires and until a successor shall
be elected and qualify, subject, however, to prior death,
resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from
office. Removal of a director from office (including a director
named by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy or newly
created directorship), with or without cause, shall require
the affirmative vote of not less than seventy-five percent
(75%) of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders
of all then outstanding voting shares, voting together as
a single class. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors that
results from an increase in the number of directors shall
be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in
office, and any other vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors
shall be filled by a majority of the directors then in office,
although 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 such director's predecessor.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any
one or more classes of preferred or preference 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 shareholders, the election, term of office, filling
of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall
be governed by or pursuant to the applicable terms of the
certificate of designation or other instrument creating such
class or series of preferred stock, and such directors so
elected shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this
Section 5.3 unless expressly provided by such terms.
Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this Section 5.3 shall be eligible for election
as directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board
of Directors of the corporation may be made at a meeting of
shareholders (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors
or (b) by any shareholder of the corporation entitled to vote
for the election of directors at the meeting who complies
with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5.3.
Nominations by shareholders shall be made pursuant to timely
notice in writing to the Secretary of the corporation. To
be timely, a shareholder's notice shall be delivered to or
mailed and received at the principal executive offices of
the corporation not less than 50 days nor more than 90 days
prior to the meeting, provided, however, that in the event
that less than 60 days' notice or prior public disclosure
of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders,
notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so received
not later than the close of business on the 10th day following
the day on which such notice of the date of the meeting was
mailed or such public disclosure was made. Such shareholder's
notice shall set forth (a) as to each person whom the shareholder
proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director,
all information relating to such person that is required to
be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors,
or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation
14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(including such person's written consent to being named in
the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director
if elected); and (b) as to the shareholder giving the notice
(i) the name and address, as they appear on the corporation's
books, of such shareholder and (ii) the class and number of
shares of the corporation which are beneficially owned by
such shareholder. At the request of the Board of Directors
any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election
as a director shall furnish to the Secretary of the corporation
that information required to be set forth in a shareholder's
notice of nomination which pertains to the nominee. No person
shall be eligible for election as a Director of the corporation
unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth
in this Section 5.3. The Chairman of the meeting shall, if
the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that
a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures
prescribed in this Section 5.3 and, if he should so determine,
he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination
shall be disregarded.
At any regular or special meeting of the shareholders, only
such business shall be conducted as shall have been brought
before the meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board
of Directors or (b) by any shareholder of the corporation
who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this
Section 5.3. For business to be properly brought before any
regular or special meeting by a shareholder, the shareholder
must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary
of the corporation. To be timely, a shareholder's notice must
be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive
offices of the corporation not less than 50 days nor (except
for shareholder proposals subject to Rule 14a-8(a)(3)(i) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) more than
90 days prior to the meeting, provided, however, that in the
event that less than 60 days' notice or prior public disclosure
of the date of the meeting is given or made to the shareholders,
notice by the shareholder to be timely must be received not
later than the close of business on the 10th day following
the day on which such notice of the date of the regular or
special meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made.
A shareholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth as
to each matter the shareholder proposes to bring before the
regular or special meeting (a) a brief description of the
business desired to be brought before the meeting and the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, (b) the
name and address, as they appear on the corporation's books,
of the shareholder proposing such business, (c) the class
and number of shares of the corporation which are beneficially
owned by the shareholder and (d) any material interest of
the shareholder in such business. Notwithstanding anything
in the corporation's Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall
be conducted at any regular or special meeting except in accordance
with the procedures set forth in this Section 5.3. The Chairman
of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and
declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought
before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 5.3 and, if he should so determine, he shall
so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly
brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Articles of
Incorporation (and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser
percentage or separate class vote may be specified by law
or these Articles of Incorporation), the affirmative vote
of the holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%)
of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of all then
outstanding voting shares, voting together as a single class,
shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provisions
inconsistent with, this Section 5.3.
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ARTICLE 6 - Related Person Business Transactions
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6.1
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Whether or not a vote of shareholders is otherwise required,
the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds
of the voting power of the outstanding "voting shares"
(as hereinafter defined) of the corporation shall be required
for the approval or authorization of any "Related Person
Business Transaction" (as hereinafter defined) involving
the corporation or the approval or authorization by the corporation
in its capacity as a shareholder of any Related Person Business
Transaction involving a "Subsidiary" (as hereinafter
defined) which requires the approval or authorization of the
shareholders of the Subsidiary, provided, however, that such
two-thirds voting requirement shall not be applicable if:
- The "Continuing Directors" (as hereinafter
defined) by a majority vote have expressly approved the
Related Person Business Transaction; or
- The Related Person Business Transaction is a
merger, consolidation, exchange of shares or sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the corporation, and
the cash or fair market value of the property, securities
or other consideration to be received per share by holders
of Common Stock of the corporation other than the "Related
Person" (as hereinafter defined) in the Related Person
Business Transaction is an amount at least equal to the
"Highest Purchase Price" (as hereinafter defined).
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6.2
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For the purposes of this Article 6:
- The term "Related Person Business Transaction"
shall mean (i) any merger or consolidation of the corporation
or a Subsidiary with or into a Related Person, (ii) any
exchange of shares of the corporation or a Subsidiary for
shares of a Related Person which, in the absence of this
Article, would have required the affirmative vote of at
least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding
shares of the corporation entitled to vote or the affirmative
vote of the corporation, in its capacity as a shareholder
of the Subsidiary, (iii) any sale, lease, exchange, transfer
or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of
transactions), including without limitation a mortgage or
any other security device, of all or any "Substantial
Part" (as hereinafter defined) of the assets either
of the corporation or of a Subsidiary to or with a Related
Person, (iv) any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition
(in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all
or any Substantial Part of the assets of a Related Person
to or with the corporation or a Subsidiary, (v) the issuance,
sale, transfer or other disposition to a Related Person
of any securities of the corporation (except pursuant to
stock dividends, stock splits, or similar transactions which
would not have the effect of increasing the proportionate
voting power of a Related Person) or of a Subsidiary (except
pursuant to a pro rata distribution to all holders of Common
Stock of the corporation), (vi) any recapitalization or
reclassification that would have the effect of increasing
the proportionate voting power of a Related Person, and
(vii) any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding
providing for any of the transactions described in this
definition of Related Person Business Transaction.
- The term "Related Person" shall mean
and include (i) any person or entity which, together with
its "Affiliates" and "Associates" (both
as hereinafter defined), "beneficially owns" (as
hereinafter defined) in the aggregate 15 percent or more
of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, and
(ii) any Affiliate or Associate (other than the corporation
or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the corporation) of any
such person or entity. Two or more persons or entities acting
as a syndicate or group, or otherwise, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding or disposing of voting shares of the
corporation shall be deemed to be a "person" or
"entity," as the case may be.
- The term "Affiliate," used to indicate
a relationship with a specified person or entity, shall
mean a person or entity that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by,
or is under common control with, the person or entity specified.
- The term "Associate," used to indicate
a relationship with a specified person or entity, shall
mean (i) any entity of which such specified person or entity
is an officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly,
the beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of any class
of equity securities, (ii) any trust or other estate in
which such specified person or entity has a substantial
beneficial interest or as to which such specified person
or entity serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity,
(iii) any relative or spouse of such specified person, or
any relative of such spouse, who has the same home as such
specified person or who is a director or officer of the
corporation or any Subsidiary, and (iv) any person who is
a director or officer of such specified entity or any of
its parents or subsidiaries (other than the corporation
or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the corporation).
- The term "Substantial Part" shall
mean 30 percent or more of the fair market value of the
total assets of the person or entity in question, as reflected
on the most recent balance sheet of such person or entity
existing at the time the shareholders of the corporation
would be required to approve or authorize the Related Person
Business Transaction involving the assets constituting any
such Substantial Part.
- The term "Subsidiary" shall mean any
corporation, a majority of the equity securities of any
class of which are owned by the corporation, by another
Subsidiary, or in the aggregate by the corporation and one
or more of its Subsidiaries.
- The term "Continuing Director" shall
mean (i) a director who was a member of the Board of Directors
of the corporation either on June 22, 1983 or immediately
prior to the time that any Related Person involved in the
Related Person Business Transaction in question became a
Related Person and (ii) any person becoming a director whose
election, or nomination for election by the corporation's
shareholders, was approved by a vote of a majority of the
Continuing Directors, provided, however, that in no event
shall a Related Person involved in the Related Person Business
Transaction in question be deemed to be a Continuing Director.
- The term "voting shares" shall mean
shares of capital stock of a corporation entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, considered for the
purposes of this Article as one class.
- The term "Highest Purchase Price"
shall mean the highest amount of cash or the fair market
value of the property, securities or other consideration
paid by the Related Person for a share of Common Stock of
the corporation at any time while such person or entity
was a Related Person or in the transaction which resulted
in such person or entity becoming a Related Person, provided,
however, that the Highest Purchase Price shall be appropriately
adjusted to reflect the occurrence of any reclassification,
recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split or other
readjustment in the number of outstanding shares of Common
Stock of the corporation, or the declaration of a stock
dividend thereon, between the last date upon which the Related
Person paid the Highest Purchase Price and the effective
date of the merger, consolidation or exchange of shares
or the date of distribution to shareholders of the corporation
of the proceeds from the sale of all or substantially all
of the assets of the corporation.
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A person or entity "beneficially
owns" voting shares of the corporation if such
person or entity, directly or indirectly, through
any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship
or otherwise has or shares (A) voting power which
includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting
of, such voting shares or (B) investment power which
includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition
of, such voting shares. Any person or entity which,
directly or indirectly, creates or uses a trust, proxy,
power of attorney, pooling arrangement or any other
contract, arrangement, or device with the purpose
or effect of divesting such person or entity of beneficial
ownership of voting shares of the corporation or preventing
the vesting of such beneficial ownership as part of
a plan or scheme to avoid becoming a Related Person
shall be deemed for purposes of this Article 6 to
be the beneficial owner of such voting shares. All
voting shares of the corporation beneficially owned
by a person or entity, regardless of the form which
such beneficial ownership takes, shall be aggregated
in calculating the number of voting shares of the
corporation beneficially owned by such person or entity.
Any voting shares of the corporation that any person
or entity has the right to acquire pursuant to any
agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding,
or upon exercise of any conversion right, warrant,
or option, or pursuant to the automatic termination
of a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement,
or otherwise shall be deemed beneficially owned by
such person or entity. Any voting shares of the corporation
not outstanding which any person or entity has a right
to acquire shall be deemed to be outstanding for the
purpose of computing the percentage of outstanding
voting shares of the corporation beneficially owned
by such person or entity but shall not be deemed to
be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage
of outstanding voting shares of the corporation beneficially
owned by any other person or entity. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions
of subparagraph 6.2(j)(i) hereof:
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A.
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A member of a national securities exchange shall
not be deemed to be a beneficial owner of voting
shares of the corporation held directly or indirectly
by it on behalf of another person or entity solely
because such member is the record holder of such
voting shares and, pursuant to the rules of such
exchange, may direct the vote of such voting shares,
without instruction, on other than contested matters
or matters that may affect substantially the rights
or privileges of the holders of the voting shares
of the corporation to be voted, but is otherwise
precluded by the rules of such exchange from voting
without instruction;
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B.
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A commercial bank, broker or dealer or insurance
company which in the ordinary course of business
is a pledgee of voting shares of the corporation
under a written pledge agreement shall not be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of such pledged
voting shares until the pledgee has taken all formal
steps necessary to declare a default and determines
that the power to vote or to direct the vote or
to dispose or to direct the disposition of such
pledged securities will be exercised, provided that
the pledge agreement is bona fide and was not entered
into with the purpose nor with the effect of changing
or influencing the control of the corporation nor
in connection with any transaction having such purpose
or effect and, prior to default, does not grant
to the pledgee the power to vote or to direct the
vote of the pledged voting shares of the corporation;
and
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C.
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A person or entity engaged in business as an underwriter
of securities who acquires voting shares of the
corporation through its participation in good faith
in a firm commitment underwriting registered under
the Securities Act of 1933, or comparable successor
law, rule or regulation, shall not be deemed to
be the beneficial owner of such voting shares until
the expiration of forty days after the date of such
acquisition.
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6.3
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For the purposes of this Article 6, the Continuing Directors
by a majority vote shall have the power to make a good faith
determination, on the basis of information known to them,
of: (a) the number of voting shares of the corporation that
any person or entity "beneficially owns," (b) whether
a person or entity is an Affiliate or Associate of another,
(c) whether the assets subject to any Related Person Business
Transaction constitute a Substantial Part, (d) whether any
business transaction is one in which a Related Person has
an interest, (e) whether the cash or fair market value of
the property, securities or other consideration to be received
per share by holders of Common Stock of the corporation other
than the Related Person in a Related Person Business Transaction
is an amount at least equal to the Highest Purchase Price,
and (f) such other matters with respect to which a determination
is required under this Article 6.
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6.4
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The provisions set forth in this Article 6, including this
Section 6.4, may not be repealed or amended in any respect
unless such action is approved by the affirmative vote of
the holders of not less than two-thirds of the voting power
of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation.
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