If you return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise vote without marking voting selections, your shares will be voted, as applicable, “For” Proposal 1, approving the issuance of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of certain warrants, and “For” Proposal 2, approving a series of alternate amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to effect, at the option of our Board of Directors, a reverse stock split. If any other matter is properly presented at the Special Meeting, your proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares using his or her best judgment.
If I am a beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and I do not provide my broker or bank with voting instructions, what happens?
If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and you do not instruct your broker how to vote your shares, the question of whether your broker will still be able to vote your shares depends on whether the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) deems the particular proposal to be a “routine” matter. Although our shares are not listed with the NYSE, the NYSE regulates broker-dealers and their discretion to vote on stockholder proposals. Under the NYSE rules applicable to brokers and other similar organizations that are subject to NYSE rules, such organizations may use their discretion to vote your “uninstructed shares” with respect to matters considered to be “routine” under NYSE rules, but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. Under such rules and interpretations, non-routine matters are matters that may substantially affect the rights or privileges of stockholders, such as mergers, stockholder proposals, elections of directors (even if not contested), executive compensation (including any advisory stockholder votes on executive compensation and on the frequency of stockholder votes on executive compensation), and certain corporate governance proposals, even if management-supported.
In this regard, the NYSE has advised us that Proposal 1 (the Share Issuance Proposal) is considered “non-routine” and, accordingly, your broker may not vote your shares on such proposals without your instructions. The NYSE has also advised us that Proposal 2 (the Reverse Stock Split Proposal) should be considered “routine” and, accordingly, we believe that your broker may vote your shares on such proposals without instructions from you.
What are “broker non-votes”?
As discussed above, when a beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” does not give voting instructions to his or her broker, bank or other agent holding his or her shares as to how to vote on matters deemed to be “non-routine,” the broker, bank or other securities intermediary cannot vote the shares for such matter. When there is at least one “routine” matter to be considered at a meeting, a “broker non-vote” occurs when a separate matter is deemed “non-routine” and the broker, bank or other securities intermediary holding shares for a beneficial owner does not have discretionary voting authority with respect to the “non-routine” matter being considered and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner. Such un-voted shares on “non-routine” matters are counted as broker non-votes.
Because the NYSE has determined that Proposal 1 (the Share Issuance Proposal) is considered to be “non-routine”, we therefore expect broker non-votes for Proposal 1 at the Special Meeting. However, because the NYSE has determined that Proposal 2 (the Reverse Stock Split Proposal) is considered to be “routine”, we do not anticipate any broker non-votes for Proposal 2 at the Special Meeting.
Accordingly, if you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, in order to ensure your shares are voted in the way you would prefer, you must provide voting instructions to your broker or bank by the deadline provided in the materials you receive from your broker or bank.
Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?
Bionano will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies. In addition to these proxy materials, our directors and employees may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone, or by other means of communication. Directors and employees will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also reimburse brokerage firms, banks, dealers and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners. In addition, we have engaged Morrow Sodali LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies and provide related advice and informational support, for a services fee and the reimbursement of customary disbursements, which are not expected to exceed $20,000 in total. If you have any questions regarding this proxy statement, you may contact Morrow Sodali LLC at (203) 561-6945.