DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
General
The authorized capital stock of NiSource
consists of 620,000,000 shares, of which 600,000,000 are common stock, par value $0.01, and 20,000,000 are preferred stock, par value $0.01. The board of directors has designated (i) 400,000 shares of Series A Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable
Perpetual Preferred Stock (Series A Preferred Stock), liquidation preference $1,000 per share, (ii) 20,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, liquidation preference $25,000 per share, (iii) 20,000 shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock, liquidation preference $0.01 per share and (iv) 862,500 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, liquidation preference $1,000 per share.
As of October 28, 2022, NiSource had outstanding 406,134,342 shares of its common stock, 400,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, 20,000 shares
of Series B Preferred Stock, 20,000 shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock and 862,500 shares of Series C Preferred Stock. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series
B-1 Preferred Stock are represented by 20,000,000 depositary shares, each representing 1/1000th ownership interest in a share of each of the Series B Preferred Stock and the Series B-1 Preferred Stock. Additional details concerning these depositary shares are provided below under Description of Depositary Shares.
On April 19, 2021, NiSource issued 8,625,000 Series A Equity Units (Series A Equity Units), initially consisting of Series A Corporate Units,
each with a stated amount of $100. Each Series A Corporate Unit consists of a forward contract to purchase shares of NiSources common stock in the future and a 10% undivided beneficial ownership interest in one share of Series C Preferred
Stock.
NiSources Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (certificate of incorporation) also designates 4,000,000 shares of
NiSources preferred stock as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (Series A Junior Stock). The shares of Series A Junior Stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of rights under NiSources former Shareholder
Rights Plan, which formally expired in 2010, and no shares of Series A Junior Stock were ever issued.
The below summaries of provisions of
NiSources common stock and preferred stock are not necessarily complete. You are urged to read carefully, and the below summaries are qualified in their entirety by, NiSources certificate of incorporation and Amended and Restated By-Laws (bylaws) which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the certificates of designations for each series of NiSources preferred stock which
have been or hereafter are filed with the SEC.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
NiSources certificate of incorporation includes provisions that may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in
control of NiSources management. More specifically, the certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may not cumulate their votes and stockholder action may be taken only at a duly called meeting and not by written consent. In
addition, NiSources bylaws contain requirements for advance notice of stockholder proposals and director nominations. These and other provisions of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law could discourage potential
acquisition proposals for NiSource and could delay or prevent a change in control of management of NiSource.
Under Delaware law, the approval of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of a class of NiSources capital stock would be necessary to authorize any amendment to the certificate of incorporation that would increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares
of such class of capital stock or that would adversely alter or change the powers, preferences or special right of such class of capital stock. Further, pursuant to the certificates of designations for the Series A Preferred Stock, Series B
Preferred Stock, Series B-1 Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, the holders of two-thirds of any series of such preferred stock must approve certain amendments
to the certificate of incorporation that would have a material adverse effect on the existing
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