Securities Registration (section 12(b)) (8-a12b)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-A

FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

GULFPORT ENERGY CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant Specified in Charter)

Delaware		000-19514		73-1521290
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or organization)		(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

3001 Quail Springs Parkway Oklahoma City, Oklahoma		73134
(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
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights		Nasdaq Global Select Market

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) or (e), check the following box. ☒

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d) or (e), check the following box. ☐

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities concurrently with a Regulation A offering, check the following box. ☐

Securities Act registration statement or Regulation A offering statement file number to which this form relates:

Not Applicable

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 1. Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered.

The Tax Benefits Preservation Plan. On April 30, 2020, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Gulfport Energy Corporation (the “Company”) declared a dividend distribution of one right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of Company common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2020 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles its holder, under the circumstances described below, to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), at an exercise price of $8.00 per Right, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the tax benefits preservation plan (the “Tax Benefits Preservation Plan”), dated as of April 30, 2020, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (and any successor rights agent, the “Rights Agent”).

The Company adopted the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan in order to protect shareholder value against a possible limitation on the Company’s ability to use its tax net operating losses (the “NOLs”) and certain other tax benefits to reduce potential future U.S. federal income tax obligations. The NOLs are a valuable asset to the Company, which may inure to the benefit of the Company and its stockholders. However, if the Company experiences an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its ability to fully utilize the NOLs and certain other tax benefits will be substantially limited and the timing of the usage of the NOLs and such other benefits could be substantially delayed, which could significantly impair the value of those assets. Generally, an “ownership change” occurs if the percentage of the Company’s stock owned by one or more of its “five-percent shareholders” (as such term is defined in Section 382 of the Code) increases by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such stockholder or stockholders at any time over a three-year period. The Tax Benefits Preservation Plan is intended to prevent against such an “ownership change” by deterring any person or group from acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of the Company’s securities.

The Rights. Initially, the Rights are associated with shares of Common Stock and evidenced by Common Stock certificates or, in the case of uncertificated shares of Common Stock, the book-entry account that evidences record ownership of such shares, which will contain a notation incorporating the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan by reference, and are transferable with and only with the underlying shares of Common Stock. New Rights will attach to any shares of Common Stock that become outstanding after the Record Date and prior to the earlier of the Distribution Time (as defined below) and the Expiration Time (as defined below).

Separation and Distribution of Rights; Exercisability. Subject to certain exceptions, the Rights become exercisable and trade separately from Common Stock only upon the “Distribution Time,” which occurs upon the earlier of:

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the close of business on the tenth (10th) day after the “Stock Acquisition Date,” which is (a) the first date of public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (with certain exceptions, an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired, or obtained the right or obligation to acquire, beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (with certain exceptions) or (b) such other date, as determined by the Board, on which a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, or

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the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day (or later date as may be determined by the Board prior to such time as any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person.

Any existing stockholder or group that beneficially owns 4.9% or more of Common Stock has been grandfathered at its current ownership level, but the Rights will not be exercisable if, at any time after the announcement of the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, such stockholder or group increases its ownership of Common Stock by one share of Common Stock. Certain synthetic interests in securities created by derivative positions, whether or not such interests are considered to be ownership of the underlying Common Stock or are reportable for purposes of Regulation 13D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are treated as beneficial ownership of the number of shares of Common Stock equivalent to the economic exposure created by the derivative position, to the extent actual shares of Common Stock are directly or indirectly held by counterparties to the derivatives contracts.

Until the earlier of the Distribution Time and the Expiration Time, the surrender for transfer of any shares of Common Stock will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with those shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Time, separate rights certificates will be mailed to holders of record of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Time. From and after the Distribution Time, the separate rights certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise provided in the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Time will be issued with Rights.

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Time.

Expiration Time. The Rights will expire on the earliest to occur of (1) the close of business on April 29, 2021 (the “Final Expiration Time”), (2) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or exchanged by the Company (as described below), (3) upon the closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the Company pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement that has been approved by the Board before any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and (4) the time at which the Board determines that the NOLs are utilized in all material respects or that an ownership change under Section 382 would not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the NOLs or materially impair the amount of NOLs that could be used by the Company in any particular time period, for applicable tax purposes (the earliest of (1), (2), (3) and (4) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Time”).

Flip-in Event. In the event that any person or group (other than certain exempt persons) becomes an Acquiring Person (a “Flip-in Event”), each holder of a Right (other than any Acquiring Person and certain related parties, whose Rights automatically become null and void) will have the right to receive, upon exercise, shares of Common Stock having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.

For example, at an exercise price of $8.00 per Right, each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following a Flip-in Event will entitle its holder to purchase $16.00 worth of shares of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $8.00. Assuming that Common Stock had a per share value of $2.23 at that time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 7.17 shares of Common Stock for $1.12 per share.

Flip-over Event. In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, any of the following occurs (each, a “Flip-over Event”):

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the Company consolidates with, or merges with and into, any other entity, and the Company is not the continuing or surviving entity;

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any entity engages in a share exchange with or consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, and the Company is the continuing or surviving entity and, in connection with such share exchange, consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other entity or cash or any other property; or

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the Company sells or otherwise transfers, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, fifty percent (50%) or more of the Company’s assets, cash flow or earning power,

each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as described above) will have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.

Preferred Share Provisions. Each share of Preferred Stock, if issued: will not be redeemable, wil entitle the holder thereof, when, as and if declared, to quarterly dividend payments equal to the greater of $1,000 per share and 1,000 times the amount of all cash dividends plus 1,000 times the amount of non-cash dividends or other distributions paid on one share of Common Stock, will entitle the holder thereof to receive $1,000 plus accrued and unpaid dividends per share upon liquidation, will have the same voting power as 1,000 shares of Common Stock and, if shares of Common Stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation or a similar transaction, will entitle the holder thereof to a per share payment equal to the payment made on 1,000 shares of Common Stock.

Anti-dilution Adjustments. The exercise price payable and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution:

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in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock,

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if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights, options or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock or

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upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the exercise price will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the exercise price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

Redemption; Exchange. At any time prior to the earlier of (1) the Stock Acquisition Date and (2) the Final Expiration Time, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (subject to adjustment and payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board). Immediately upon the action of the Board authorizing any redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person, which will have become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

Exemption Requests. The Board may exempt certain persons from the 4.9% ownership threshold if the Board determines that their beneficial ownership of more than 4.9% of Common Stock will not jeopardize the availability of the Company's NOLs. A person may also request that the Board exempt a transaction that would cause such person to become the beneficial owner of 4.9% or more of Common Stock.

No Rights as Stockholder. Until a Right is exercised, its holder will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

Amendment of the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan. The Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time amend or supplement the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan without the consent of the holders of the Rights. However, on or after the Stock Acquisition Date, no amendment can materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring Person, certain related parties thereof or any transferee of the foregoing persons).

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The foregoing description of the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan and the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement.

No.		Exhibit

3.1		Certificate of Designation of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, dated April 30, 2020

4.1		Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, dated as of April 30, 2020, between Gulfport Energy Corporation as the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (which includes the Form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit B thereto)

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, hereunto duly authorized.