NTI Northern Technologies International

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 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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

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:  x

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), check the following box:  o

Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates:  Not applicable

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:  None

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

This Form 8-A is being field by Northern Technologies International Corporation (“NTIC”) in connection with the listing of its common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on or about June 30, 2008 and NTIC’s related withdrawal of the listing of its common stock on the American Stock Exchange.

NTIC is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.02 per share, and 10,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, no par value per share.  NTIC currently does not have any issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock.

The securities to be registered are shares of NTIC’s common stock.  The following is a summary of NTIC’s common stock and certain provisions of its restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.  Because it is a summary, it does not include all of the information that is included in NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation.  The following description does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and applicable law.  Copies of NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws have been filed as exhibits to this registration statement.

Common Stock

NTIC is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of common stock, of which 3,723,166 shares were issued and outstanding as of June 25, 2008.  Each share of common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share.  Holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends as and when declared by NTIC’s Board of Directors from time to time out of funds properly available to the payment of dividends.  Subject to the liquidation rights of any outstanding preferred stock, the holders of common stock are entitled to share pro rata in the distribution of the remaining assets of NTIC upon a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of NTIC.  The holders of common stock have no cumulative voting, preemptive, subscription, conversion, redemption or sinking fund rights.

Undesignated Preferred Stock

NTIC is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of preferred stock, none of which were issued and outstanding as of June 25, 2008.  NTIC’s Board of Directors is authorized to issue one or more series of preferred stock with such rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions as the Board may determine.  The preferred stock, if issued, may be entitled to rank senior to NTIC’s common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distributions of assets in the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of NTIC.

Anti-Takeover Provisions of NTIC’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law

Certain provisions of NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire NTIC, even if doing so would be beneficial to NTIC’s stockholders.  These provisions include:

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·                   authorization of the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that could be issued by NTIC’s Board of Directors to increase the number of outstanding shares and thwart a takeover attempt;

·                   prohibition on cumulative voting in the election of directors, which would otherwise allow less than a majority of stockholders to elect director candidates;

·                   restrictions on who may call a special meeting of NTIC’s stockholders; and

·                   advance notice procedures for stockholder proposals and director nominations.

NTIC is also subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner.  Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder.  Generally, an interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, in the case of affiliates or associates of the corporation, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock.  The existence of this provision could have anti-takeover effects with respect to transactions not approved in advance by NTIC’s Board of Directors, such as discouraging takeover attempts that might result in a premium over the market price of NTIC’s common stock.

Indemnification

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to an action (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the corporation’s request, as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) that are actually and reasonably incurred by such person, and judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement of such action, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Although the DGCL permits a corporation to indemnify any person referred to above against expenses in connection with the defense or settlement of an action by or in the right of the corporation, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, if such person has been judged liable to the corporation, indemnification is only permitted to the extent that the Court of Chancery (or the court in which the action was brought) determines that, despite the adjudication of liability, such person is entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.  The determination as to whether a person seeking indemnification has met the required standard of conduct is to be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such

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determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.  The DGCL also provides for mandatory indemnification of any present or former director or officer against expenses to the extent such person has been successful in any proceeding covered by the statute.

In addition, the DGCL provides that, to the extent a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith; that indemnification provided for by the DGCL shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and that the scope of indemnification extends to directors, officers, employees or agents of a constituent corporation absorbed in a consolidation or merger and persons serving in that capacity at the request of the constituent corporation for another.

The DGCL also allows a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under the DGCL.  NTIC maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, including a reimbursement policy in favor of NTIC.

Article VII of NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation provides that each director and officer, past or present, of NTIC, and their respective heirs, administrators and executors, shall be indemnified by NTIC in accordance with, and to the fullest extent provided by, the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law as may be amended from time to time.

Additionally, Article VII of NTIC’s amended and restated bylaws provides that NTIC shall indemnify any director, officer or employee and their respective heirs, administrators and executors against any and all judgments, penalties, fines, amounts paid in settlement and expenses incurred or imposed in connection with, or which result from, any proceeding in which such person is or may become involved by reason of being a director, officer or employee.  A proceeding means any actual, threatened or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, administrative hearing or other formal claim that could result or has resulted in personal liability, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.  In connection with a proceeding, NTIC may advance expenses to the director, officer or employee upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such advance if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification by NTIC.  Article VIII gives NTIC the express authority to enter into such agreements as the board of directors deems appropriate for the indemnification of present of future directors and officers of NTIC.

The foregoing represents a summary of the general effect of the Delaware General Corporation Law, NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation and NTIC’s amended and restated bylaws, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the terms and provisions of the Delaware General

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Corporation Law, NTIC’s restated certificate of incorporation and NTIC’s amended and restated bylaws.

Item 2.  Exhibits.

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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.

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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM 8-A

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

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