blfs_8a12b.htm


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-A
 
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
BioLife Solutions, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware
 94-3076866
(State of incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
3303 Monte Villa Parkway, Bothell, WA
 98021
(Address of principal executive offices)
 (Zip Code)
 
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of each class
to be so registered
 Name of each exchange on which
each class is to be registered
   
Common Stock, $0.001 par value
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
   
   
 
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c), check the following box. þ
 
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d), please check the following box. ¨
   
 
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates: _________________________________________________(if applicable)
       
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
   
     
None
   
(Title of Class)
   
     
(Title of Class)
   
 



 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
 
Item 1.  Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered.
 
Our authorized capital stock consisted of 150,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. Our board of directors may establish the rights and preferences of the preferred stock from time to time.
 
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.  Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, subject to the rights, if any, of preferred stockholders. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets remaining after we pay our liabilities and distribute the liquidation preference of any then outstanding preferred stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future. Holders of common stock have no preemptive or other subscription or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and nonassessable, and any shares of our common stock to be issued upon an offering pursuant to the prospectus and the related prospectus supplement will be fully paid and nonassessable upon issuance.
 
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control of our company, including the following:
 
  
the chairman of the board and the president may call a special meeting of the stockholders at any time, and upon written request of the holders of 35% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at the meeting, the secretary and president are required to call special meetings of stockholders, and the business transacted at such special meetings of stockholders is limited to the business stated in the notice of such meetings;
  
advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders, including certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice;
  
our board of directors may designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock;
  
unless otherwise required by our bylaws, our certificate of incorporation or by law, our board may amend our bylaws without stockholder approval; and
  
our board may fill vacancies on our board of directors.
 
In addition, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any “business combination” with an “interested stockholder,” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which a person became an “interested stockholder,” unless:
 
  
prior to such date the board of directors of the corporation approved either the “business combination” or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an “interested stockholder”;
  
upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an “interested stockholder,” the “interested stockholder” owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of voting shares outstanding (but not the voting shares owned by the “interested stockholder”) those shares owned (1) by persons who are directors and also officers and (2) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
  
at or subsequent to such time the “business combination” is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of a least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the “interested stockholder.”
 
A “business combination” includes mergers, stock or asset sales and other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the “interested stockholders.” An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or within three years, did own) 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. Although Section 203 permits us to elect not to be governed by its provisions, we have not made this election. As a result of the application of Section 203, our potential acquirers may be discouraged from attempting to effect an acquisition transaction with us, thereby possibly depriving holders of our securities of certain opportunities to sell or otherwise dispose of such securities at above-market prices pursuant to such transactions.
 
Item 2.  Exhibits.
 
Not Applicable.
 

 
 
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SIGNATURE
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
Dated: March 19, 2014
 

 
BIOLIFE SOLUTIONS, INC.
 
       
 
By:
/s/ Daphne Taylor  
    Name: Daphne Taylor  
    Title: Chief Financial Officer  
       

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