55-13-20. Notice of appraisal rights.

(a) If any corporate action specified in G.S. 55-13-02(a) is to be submitted to a vote at a shareholders' meeting, or where no approval of the action is required pursuant to G.S. 55-11-03(j), the meeting notice or, if applicable, the offer made pursuant to G.S. 55-11-03(j), shall state that the corporation has concluded that shareholders are, are not, or may be entitled to assert appraisal rights under this Article. If the corporation concludes that appraisal rights are or may be available, a copy of this Article shall accompany the meeting notice or offer sent to those record shareholders entitled to exercise appraisal rights.

(b) In a merger pursuant to G.S. 55-11-04 or G.S. 55-11-12, the parent corporation shall notify in writing all record shareholders of the subsidiary who are entitled to assert appraisal rights that the corporate action became effective. Notice required under this subsection shall be sent within 10 days after the corporate action became effective and include the materials described in G.S. 55-13-22.

(c) If any corporate action specified in G.S. 55-13-02(a) is to be approved by written consent of the shareholders pursuant to G.S. 55-7-04, then the following must occur:

(1) Written notice that appraisal rights are, are not, or may be available must be given to each record shareholder from whom a consent is solicited at the time consent of each shareholder is first solicited and, if the corporation has concluded that appraisal rights are or may be available, must be accompanied by a copy of this Article.

(2) Written notice that appraisal rights are, are not, or may be available must be delivered together with the notice to the applicable shareholders required by subsections (d) and (e) of G.S. 55-7-04, may include the materials described in G.S. 55-13-22, and, if the corporation has concluded that appraisal rights are or may be available, must be accompanied by a copy of this Article.

(d) If any corporate action described in G.S. 55-13-02(a) is proposed, or a merger pursuant to G.S. 55-11-04 or G.S. 55-11-12 is effected, then the notice or offer referred to in subsection (a) or (c) of this section, if the corporation concludes that appraisal rights are or may be available, and the notice referred to in subsection (b) of this section, shall be accompanied by both of the following:

(1) The annual financial statements specified in G.S. 55-16-20(a) of the corporation that issued the shares to be appraised. The date of the financial statements shall not be more than 16 months before the date of the notice and shall comply with G.S. 55-16-20(b). If annual financial statements that meet the requirements of this subdivision are not reasonably available, then the corporation shall provide reasonably equivalent financial information.

(2) The latest available quarterly financial statements of the corporation, if any.

(e) The right to receive the information described in subsection (d) of this section may be waived in writing by a shareholder before or after the corporate action.