UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
and
Mellon Investor SERVICES, L.L.C.
as Rights Agent
Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement
As of December 18, 2000
AMENDED AND RESTATED
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December
18, 2000, amending and restating the Rights Agreement dated December 18, 1996
between Uniroyal Technology Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (as
successor to the Bank of New York) (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H :
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, on December 18, 1996 (the "Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each share of common stock,
$.01 par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the Close of
Business on December 30, 1996 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the
issuance of one Right (as such number may be hereinafter adjusted pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the
Company issued or delivered (whether originally issued or delivered from
treasury) between the Record Date and the Distribution Date (as such term is
hereinafter defined) and as otherwise provided herein, each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one one hundred-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined) upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth (individually a "Right" and collectively the
"Rights"); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Bank of New York, as Rights
Agent, entered into the Rights Agreement dated as of December 18, 1996; and
WHEREAS, the successor Rights Agent has succeeded to the
position of Rights Agent under the aforesaid Rights Agreement as of the date
hereof, with the term "Rights Agent" hereinafter referring to the successor
Rights Agent from and after the date of this Amended and Restated Rights
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates (as such term is
hereinafter defined) and Associates (as such term is hereinafter defined) of
such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined)
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company (iv) any dividend reinvestment plan of the Company, (v) any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan or (vi) any Exempt Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of
Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
to 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided,
however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of such an
acquisition and shall, after such acquisition, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional shares of Common Stock (other than by means of any stock dividend
or stock split), then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to beneficially own, any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right or obligation to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) at any time prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event, securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights or (C) from
and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights which were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section
3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i)
hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act and any successor provision
thereof), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions
of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also
then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with
which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), but
excluding customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in
the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any
voting securities of the Company.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the States of New York or
Delaware are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock", when used in reference to the Company,
shall mean the common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company, except that "Common
Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital shares of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(h) "Exempt Person" shall mean (i) any Person who is a
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Company's Common Stock on the date of
this Agreement (provided, that if such Person shall become, together with such
Person's Affiliates and Associates, the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split)
and immediately after becoming, together with such Person's Affiliates and
Associates, the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock,
shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock, then
outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed an Acquiring Person) and (ii) any
Person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person, whom the Board of the
Directors of the Company determines in good faith has become such inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that such
Person Beneficially Owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise
cause such Person to be an Acquiring Person or (B) such Person was aware of the
extent of such Person's Beneficial Ownership but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement), and if such
Person, either prior to or as promptly as practicable after being advised of
such determination, divests himself or itself of Beneficial Ownership of a
sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer
be an Acquiring Person, in which case such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to have become an Acquiring Person for any purposes of this Agreement.
(i) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(j) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
limited liability company, partnership or other entity.
(l) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, of the Company having the rights
and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designations attached to
this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(m) "Preferred Stock Fraction" shall mean one one
hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock.
(n) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
first Whereas clause.
(o) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean the event described
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(p) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clause (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(q) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange
Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person, that an Acquiring Person has become
such.
(r) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any other
Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership
interests having ordinary voting power, in the absence of contingencies, to
elect at least a majority of the directors or other persons performing similar
functions is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or
which is otherwise controlled by such Person.
(s) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event
or any Section 13 Event.
Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in this
Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations under, the
Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and rules as amended from
time to time and any successor provisions thereto.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such Co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates. (a) Until Close of
Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date
(or, if the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record
Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date) or (ii) the Close of Business on
the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by the Company's
Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan or employee
stock plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning
of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if
upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii)
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date and after the Rights Agent has been
provided with a list of Shareholders of Common Stock, the Rights Agent will send
by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more Rights Certificates, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (individually a "Rights Certificate"
and collectively the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share
of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event
that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been
made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights
Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding
adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as
of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock
outstanding on or after the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto and the registered holders of the
Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights.
Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer
of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock with or without a copy
of the Summary of Rights attached thereto in respect of which Rights have been
issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such
Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates issued after the Record
Date, but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date,
shall also be deemed to be Certificates for Rights and shall bear the following
legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement dated December 18, 2000, amending and restating the
Rights Agreement dated December 18, 1996 between Uniroyal Technology
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon
Investor Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (as
successor to the Bank of New York), as Rights Agent (as it may be
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of
Uniroyal Technology Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Rights will expire on the Close of Business on
December 18, 2006 unless redeemed prior thereto. Uniroyal Technology
Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or
held by, any person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such
person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such Certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such Certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates. (a) The Rights
Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set
forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or
designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the
Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Agreement and which do not adversely affect the rights, duties or
responsibilities of the Rights Agent, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date (or, in the case of Rights issued with respect to
Common Stock issued by the Company after the Record Date, as of the date of
issuance of such Common Stock), shall note the date of issuance and on their
face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Preferred
Stock Fractions as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein
(such exercise price per Preferred Stock Fraction, the "Purchase Price"), but
the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right
and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee
of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company
has determined is part of a plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon
transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate
referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement.
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Agreement shall be operative whether or
not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificates.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Rights
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its President or its Secretary, either manually or by facsimile
signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile
thereof. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned manually by the Rights
Agent, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Rights Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an
officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights
Agent of all relevant information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office or offices designated as the appropriate place for such
purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the certificate number of each of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at
or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
(or receive) a like number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or, following a
Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate, or Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder or holders in the case of a transfer to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the
Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment set forth on the reverse side of each such Rights Certificate and
shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to
Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from the holder of the
Right of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or similar charge that may be imposed
in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights
Certificates. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation under this
Section 6 unless and until it is satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges,
if any, have been paid.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase set
forth on the reverse side thereof and the certificate contained therein duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase
Price (except as provided in Section 11(q)) with respect to the surrendered
Rights for the total number of the Preferred Stock Fractions (or Common Stock,
other securities or property, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered
Rights are exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business
on December 18, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date") or (ii) the time at which the
Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) or (ii)
being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Stock Fraction
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $17.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section
13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse side thereof and the certificate contained therein duly and properly
executed, accompanied by payment (except as provided in Section 11(q)), with
respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock
Fraction (or Common Stock, other securities or property, as the case may be) to
be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable tax or
charge, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) and Section 14(b)
hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the
shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
transfer agent for the shares of Preferred Stock) certificates for the total
number of Preferred Stock Fractions to be purchased and the Company hereby
irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests
subject to applicable law, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit
the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of Preferred Stock Fractions as are
to be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply
with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any,
to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof,
(iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same
to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the
Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) shall be made (x) in cash or by certified bank check or money order
payable to the order of the Company, or (y) by delivery of a certificate or
certificates (with appropriate stock powers executed in blank attached thereto)
evidencing a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the then Purchase Price
divided by the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such exercise. In the event
that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock)
of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by
the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with this Agreement.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 6 and
Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
the Acquiring Person has any continuing plan, agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, agreement,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further
action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when this Section 7(e)
applies and shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of
this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company's failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the
Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased
or acquired by the Company, otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock;
Registration of Securities. (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will
cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
shares of Preferred Stock (and following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in treasury) the
number of shares of Preferred Stock (and following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, except as provided
in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any
stock exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after
such time as the Rights become exercisable (and the Company reasonably
anticipates that a Right may be exercised), all shares (or other securities)
reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of
issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined pursuant to this
Agreement (including in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof), or as soon
as is required by law or regulation following the Distribution Date, as the case
may be, a registration statement or statements under the Securities Act of 1933
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to the shares of Common Stock or other
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form or
forms, (ii) cause such registration statement or statements to become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and (iii) cause such registration
statement or statements to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and
(B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such
action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities
or blue sky laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of
the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to
exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first
sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension, the Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent
thereof and issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement (with a
prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent) at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or the
exercise thereof would be in violation of applicable law.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Stock Fractions
(and following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all taxes and charges which may be payable in
respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any
certificates for a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as
the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such
tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificates at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Capital Stock Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
such Preferred Stock Fractions (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes and
charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock Fraction (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock Fraction (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares (fractional or otherwise) for which the Rights
shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to
receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights,
and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares
covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock or other capital stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller
number of shares, or (D) issue any share of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in Section 11(a)(ii) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date
for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in
effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock (or other capital
stock, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company were open, he would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be
in addition to, and shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan or employee stock plan
of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, any dividend reinvestment
plan of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established
by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) alone or together
with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the date hereof,
become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such threshold to be
crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition
of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by at least a majority
of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the Company and
who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring
Person, after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be
(a) at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking into account all factors
which such members of the Board deem relevant including, without limitation, the
long-term prospects and value of the Company and the prices which could
reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly
basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests
of (1) the Company and its stockholders (including the possibility that these
interests may best be served by the continued independence of the Company), (2)
the Company's employees, suppliers, creditors, customers and (3) the community
in which the Company operates, then, promptly following the first occurrence of
the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, proper provision shall be made
so that each holder of a Right (except as provided in Section 11(a)(iii), and in
Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of Preferred Stock Fractions, such number of
shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred
Stock Fractions for which a Right was exercisable by such holder immediately
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing
that product (such product, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be
referred to as the Purchase Price for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence
(such number of shares of Common Stock is herein called the "Adjustment
Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common
Stock which are authorized but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for
purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not sufficient, or there
shall not have been received regulatory approvals necessary, in each case to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the
excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a
Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, preferred
shares, or Preferred Stock Fractions), which the Board of Directors of the
Company has deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such
shares, "common stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5)
other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the first occurrence of (x) a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or (y) the date
on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires
(the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash,
which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the
Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is
likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days following
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the
Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional
shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to
the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x)
shall provide subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
authorization of additional shares, to take any action to obtain any required
regulatory approval and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be
made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the
event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect (in each case with prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent). For
purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share
of Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any
common stock equivalents shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common
Stock on such date.
(iv) If the rules of the national securities exchange,
registered as such pursuant to Section 6 of the Exchange Act, or of the national
securities association, registered as such pursuant to Section 15A of the
Exchange Act, on which the shares of Common Stock are principally traded would
prohibit such exchange or association from listing or continuing to list, or
from authorizing for or continuing quotation and/or transaction reporting
through an inter-dealer quotation system, the shares of Common Stock or other
equity securities of the Company if the Rights were to be exercised for shares
of Common Stock in accordance with subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a)
because such issuance would nullify, restrict or disparately reduce the per
share voting rights of holders of shares of Common Stock or for any other
reason, the Company shall: (A) determine the Spread and (B) with respect to each
Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon
payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) equity securities of the
Company, including, without limitation, "common stock equivalents," other than
securities which would have the effect of nullifying, restricting or disparately
reducing the per share voting rights of holders of shares of Common Stock or
otherwise cause the prohibition described above, (3) debt securities of the
Company, (4) other assets, or (5) any combination of the foregoing, having an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, cash having an aggregate value equal to
the Spread. To the extent that the Company determines that an action needs to be
taken pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 11(a)(iv), the Company (x)
shall provide, subject to Section 7(e), that such action shall apply uniformly
to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights,
but not longer than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date,
in order to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to
such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes
of this Section 11(a)(iv), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common
stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on
such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders
of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period
expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred
Stock, (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the
Preferred Stock ("equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred
Stock or equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if
a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent Preferred Stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent Preferred Stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or onto which the convertible securities
to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be
paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Stock owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend paid out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in capital stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing price per share of Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior
to, but not including, such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant
to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the current market price per share of Common Stock
on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing price per
share of Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following, but not including, such date; provided, however, that in the event
that the then current market price per share of Common Stock is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of
(i) any dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in such shares of
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than
the Rights), (ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
shares of Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30)
Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, in each such case, the
current market price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares
of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted sale price or, if not so quoted, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market
in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which
the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock
are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if
the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or
not so listed or traded, current market price per share shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the
same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in Section 11(d)(i) (other
than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in Section 11(d)(i), the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock
shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100,000 (as such number
may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date
of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of Common
Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or
so listed or traded, "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of a Preferred Stock
Fraction shall be equal to the "current market price" of one share of Preferred
Stock divided by 100,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) to the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a
share of Common Stock or other share or one one-billionth of a share of
Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this
Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later
than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which
mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any capital shares other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares receivable upon exercise of any Right
and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time
in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions
with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e),
(g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q) hereof, and the provisions of Sections 7,
9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Stock
Fractions (or other consideration, as the case may be) purchasable from time to
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Preferred Stock Fractions (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Stock Fractions covered
by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii)
dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of Preferred Stock Fractions purchasable upon
the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Preferred Stock
Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement and promptly notify the Rights Agent of its election to
adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and,
if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date
may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter,
but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10)
days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have
been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date
Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment,
or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders
of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates
so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of Preferred Stock Fractions issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock Fraction and the
number of Preferred Stock Fractions which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of Preferred Stock Fractions issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Stock Fractions at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that
an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer (and shall promptly notify the
Rights Agent of any such election), until the occurrence of such event, the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of Preferred Stock Fractions and other capital shares or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
Preferred Stock Fractions and other capital shares and securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall
deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder's right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise)
of Common Stock and other capital shares or securities upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such
reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly
required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith
judgment the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable
in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current
market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares
of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or
warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holder
of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at
any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof) or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person or Persons
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in
effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on
the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) In the event that the Rights become exercisable following
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company by action of a majority of the Board of
Directors, at its option, may provide that each Right, subject to section 7(e),
shall be exchanged for one share of Common Stock (or cash or other securities or
assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares pursuant to subsection
11(a)(iii)) appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof, in consideration of the
surrender to the Company of the Rights so exercised and without other payment of
the Purchase Price. Upon the Company's election to provide for such exchange,
all Rights shall be terminated and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive the above described securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange
at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting
for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each
transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such
certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights
Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. (a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case and except as
set forth in Section 13(d) hereof, proper provision shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
Preferred Stock Fractions for which a Right is exercisable by such holder
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the Section 13 Event, multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the first occurrence of such
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the number of Preferred Stock Fractions for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first occurrence) and dividing
that product (such product, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof with respect to the Common Stock) per share
of Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such
Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations
and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to
refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares
of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction
as may be necessary to insure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be
of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer
of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
(2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Stock of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3)
in case such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed
by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same
Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the
chains of ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party
were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint ventures and the Principal
Parties in each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section
13 in the same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear
to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of Common Stock which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to
cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the Blue
Sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock that complies with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (or a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per
Common Share offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of Common Stock whose shares were purchased
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange and (iii) the form of consideration
being offered to the remaining holders of Common Stock pursuant to such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the
Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole
Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise
issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock (other than integral multiples of Preferred Stock
Fractions) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than integral multiples of
Preferred Stock Fractions). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not Preferred Stock Fractions or integral multiples thereof, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(b), the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock shall be the
closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one share of Common Stock. For purposes
of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock
shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, except those rights of action vested in the Rights Agent
under this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Holders of Rights shall be entitled to recover from the Company the reasonable
costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by them in any action to
enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary;
and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree, judgment, or ruling (whether
interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a
governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute,
rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree, judgment, or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
Preferred Stock Fractions or any other securities of the Company which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) The Company
agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent,
its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other
disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, administration, execution
and amendment of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty,
claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense, incurred without gross negligence,
bad faith or willful misconduct as finally determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction on the part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or
omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance, preparation,
delivery, administration and amendment of this Agreement, including the costs
and expenses of defending against any claim of liability. The indemnity provided
herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the termination and the
expiration of the Rights, and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent.
The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall
be paid by the Company. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event
shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, consequential
or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of
such loss or damage.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur
no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent. (a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party or any Person succeeding to the
shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, however, that such Person would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement
(and no implied duties or obligations) upon the following terms and conditions,
by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such advice or
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of current market prices) be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or
the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement
in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct as finally determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility or
liability in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible
for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual
notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to
make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of
any Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any Common Stock or Preferred Stock
will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Treasurer and the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and such advice or
instructions shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer,
Affiliate or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, the Rights Agent did not
act with gross negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct, as finally determined
by a court of competent jurisdiction in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured
to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form
of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse
thereof, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an
affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not
take any further action with respect to such requested exercise of transfer
without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by any registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any
Rights Certificate or the Rights Agent may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a
Person doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States
or of the States of New York or Delaware or of any other state of the United
States, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stockholder services
powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of any
such Person described in clause (a) above. After appointment, the successor
Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
or, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common
Stock. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or
any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation
or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent,
as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the
Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall, with
respect to Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and may,
in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors
of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of
Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of
the date on which a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs or the Close of Business on
the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, as such amount shall be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); and the Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price either in cash or securities or both having a
current market price, as of a date determined by the Board of Directors, of
$.001.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have
been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for
each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption
to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, to pay any dividend
payable in shares of any class of capital stock to the holders of Preferred
Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other
than a regular quarterly cash dividend paid out of earnings or retained earnings
of the Company), or to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or
warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred
Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, or to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock), or to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) or to effect any sale or other transfer (or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any other Person (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in
one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in
each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate,
to the extent feasible, and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of
such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of
such share dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and
such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or
(ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining
holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking
of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of
the Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible, in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event and the consequences of the event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and (ii) all references in the
preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to
Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Uniroyal Technology Corporation
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C.
Attention Relationship Manager
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or if prior
to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing Common
Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the next to last sentence of this Section 26,
the Company may, by resolution of its Board of Directors and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates representing
Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the next to
last sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to change or supplement the
provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person), or (iv) to shorten or lengthen any time period
hereunder; provided, this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to
lengthen, pursuant to clause (iv) of this sentence, (A) a time period relative
to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then
redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the
purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26 and, provided such
supplement or amendment does not change or increase the Rights Agent's duties,
liabilities, or obligations hereunder, the Rights Agent shall execute such
supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to
the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the
Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price, or the number
of Preferred Stock Fractions for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 27. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including
for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common
Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect as of the date hereof. The Board of
Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of Clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent shall
always be entitled to assume that the Company's Board of Directors acted in good
faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and
each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the laws of the state of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State; provided,
however, that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the
Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within such State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
-------------------- -------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Secretary Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C.
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Business Development
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS,
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF SERIES C
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
We, Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, President, and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Secretary,
of Uniroyal Technology Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 151 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said
Corporation, the said Board of Directors on December 18, 1996 adopted the
following resolutions creating a series of Preferred Stock designated as Series
C Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board
of Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 5
of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred
Stock of the Corporation be and it hereby is created and that the designation
and amount thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional, and other special rights of the shares of such series,
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the
number of shares constituting such series shall initially be four hundred and
fifty (450), $.01 par value, such number of shares to be subject to increase or
decrease by action of the Board of Directors as evidenced by a certificate of
designations.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders
of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series C Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to
the greater of (a) $10.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 100,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and 100,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of
all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, $.01 par
value, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly
Dividend payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a
share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after December 18, 1996 (the "Rights Declaration
Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph
(A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that,
in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on
the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares
of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such share is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a
Quarterly Dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series C Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series C
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle
the holder thereof to 100,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of hares,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares
of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior
to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the
holders of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, all
holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of the Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to
(6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall have the right to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of
the holders of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised
initially at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this
Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that neither such voting right nor the right
of the holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in
certain cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be exercised unless the
holders of ten percent in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding shall
be present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of
Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of
such voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall
exercise such voting right initially during an existing default period, they
shall have the right, voting as a class, to fill such vacancies, if any, in the
Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such right
is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number
which may be so elected at any special meeting does not amount to the required
number, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such
increase in the number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election
by them of the required number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall
have exercised their right to elect Directors in any default period and during
the continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not be increased
or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock as herein provided
or pursuant to the rights of any equity securities ranking senior to or pari
passu with the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall,
during an existing default period, have previously exercised their right to
elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series,
may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock,
which meeting shall thereupon be called by the Chairman of the Board, the
President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any
annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant
to this paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of Preferred
Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last address as the same
appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time
not earlier than 10 days and not later than 60 days after such order or request,
such meeting may be called on similar notice by any stockholder or stockholders
owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting shall be called during the period
within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting
of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common
Stock, and other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders
of Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors
voting as a class, after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so
elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their
successors shall have been elected by such holders or until the expiration of
the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as
provided in paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority
of the remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of
stock which elected the Director whose office shall have become vacant.
References in this paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a
particular class of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to
fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default
period, (x) the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors
shall be such number as may be provided for in the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws irrespective of any increase made
pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number
being subject, however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in
the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws). Any vacancies
in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in
the preceding sentence may be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock as
provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series
C Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of
stock ranking on a parity with the Series C Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation
in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the
acquisition thereof. All such shares upon their cancellation become authorized
but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new
series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the
Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set
forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon
any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall have received $100,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date
of such payment (the "Series C Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment
of the full amount of the Series C Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment")
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series C Liquidation
Preference by (ii) 100,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph C below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii),
the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series
C Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock,
respectively, holders of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock and
holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate
share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment
Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per
share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient
assets available to permit payment in full of the Series C Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred
stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series C Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation
preferences. In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the
Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed
into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such
case the shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the
same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100,000 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after
the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series C Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's
Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets,
unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner
which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights
of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them
adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) or
more of the outstanding shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series C Junior Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the
holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting
rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit
of all other rights of holders of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this
Certificate and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury
this eighteenth day of December, 1996.
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
---------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: President
Attest:
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Secretary
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R-
______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT REFERRED TO BELOW). THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE
OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH
RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.] /1
Rights Certificate
UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
This certifies that ___________________ , or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of December
18, 2000 amending and restating the Rights Agreement dated December 18, 1996
between Uniroyal Technology Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (as
successor to the Bank of New York) (as it may be amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), to purchase from the
Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York time) on the Expiration Date
(as defined in the Rights Agreement), which shall not be later than December 18,
2006 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
or its successors as Rights Agent, one one hundred-thousandth of a share of the
Company's Series C Junior Participating Preferred stock, $.01 par value (the
"Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price of $17.00 (the "Purchase Price") per one
one hundred-thousandth of a Preferred Stock (such fraction, a "Preferred Stock
Fraction"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase set forth on the reverse hereof and the Certificate
contained therein duly executed. Except as otherwise provided in Section 11(q)
of the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price shall be paid at the election of the
holder in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of
the Company. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate and the
number of Preferred Stock Fractions which may be purchased upon exercise thereof
and the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock Fraction, set forth above, are the
number of Rights, number of one Preferred Stock Fractions and Purchase Price as
of _____________, 19__ /2, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such
date.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon
the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the
Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, concurrently with or after such transfer, became an Acquiring
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall
become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any rights with respect to
such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holder of the Rights Certificate, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the office of the Rights Agent as
set forth in the Rights Agreement and are also available upon written request to
the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights
entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Stock
Fractions as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Board of Directors of the
Company at its option at a redemption price of $.001 per Right at any time prior
to the earlier of (i) the date on which a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs and
(ii) the Final Expiration Date.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon
the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of one one hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares
of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
_____________________
1/ The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceeding sentence.
2/ Insert the distribution date.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of __________, 20____
ATTEST: UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
By:__________________________ By:________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C.
By:__________________________
Name:
Title:
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED_________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers
unto ___________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company
with full power of substitution.
Dated:_________________
_________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:_____________________ Signature_____________________
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if the registered holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: UNIROYAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_______ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
__________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
__________________________________________________________
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:______________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance
of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
_________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_________________________________________________________
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:_____________________________
Dated: _________________
Signature_______________
Signature Guaranteed:______________________
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [
] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:__________________ Signature_________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On December 18, 1996, the Board of Directors of Uniroyal
Technology Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), declared a
dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of common stock,
$.01 par value (the "Common Stock") of the Company, to stockholders of record at
the close of business on December 30, 1996 (the "Record Date"). Each Right
entitles the record holder to purchase from the Company one one
hundred-thousandth of a share ("Preferred Stock Fraction") of the Company's
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $.01 par value (the "Preferred
Stock") at a price of $17.00 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment in
certain circumstances. Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, the
Purchase Price may be paid, at the election of the registered holder, in cash or
by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in an Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2000 amending and restating the
Rights Agreement dated December 18, 1996 between Uniroyal Technology
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon Investor
Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (as successor to the
Bank of New York)(as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to
time, the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company and Mellon Investor Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to the certificates
representing outstanding shares of Common Stock, and no Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
"Distribution Date" will occur upon the earlier of (i) the close of business on
the tenth day after the date (the "Stock Acquisition Date") of a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (ii) the
close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by the Company's Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the commencement of a tender offer or
exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, the person or group making such
offer would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after the
Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders
of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution
Date and, thereafter, such separate Rights Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights. Except in certain limited circumstances, only shares of Common Stock
issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date
and will expire at the close of business on December 18, 2006 unless earlier
redeemed by the Company as described below.
Except in the circumstances described below, after the
Distribution Date each Right will be exercisable into a Preferred Stock
Fraction. Each Preferred Stock Fraction carries voting and dividend rights that
are intended to produce the equivalent of one share of Common Stock. The voting
and dividend rights of the Preferred Stock are subject to adjustment in the
event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations with respect to the Common
Stock of the Company. In lieu of issuing certificates for fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of Preferred
Stock Fractions), the Company may pay cash in accordance with the Rights
Agreement.
In the event that, at any time following the Distribution
Date, a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (other than pursuant to an offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms which the
majority of the independent Directors determine to be fair to, and otherwise in
the best interests of, stockholders), the Rights Agreement provides that proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to two (2) times the exercise price of the Right. In lieu of requiring
payment of the Purchase Price upon exercise of the Rights following any such
event, the Company may provide that each Right be exchanged for one share of
Common Stock (or cash, property or other securities, as the case may be). The
only right of a holder of Rights following the Company's election to provide for
such exchange shall be to receive the above described securities.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in this paragraph, any Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person shall immediately become null and void.
For example, at an exercise price of $17 per Right, each
Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following
an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to
purchase $34 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for
$17. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $8.50 at such time,
the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase four shares of
Common Stock for $17. Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder to
surrender each Right in exchange for one share of Common Stock (with a value of
$8.50) without the payment of any consideration other than the surrender of the
Right.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock
Acquisition Date, (i) the Company engages in a merger or consolidation in which
the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the Company engages in a
merger or consolidation with another person in which the Company is the
surviving corporation, but in which all or part of its Common Stock is changed
or exchanged, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is
sold or transferred (except with respect to clauses (i) and (ii), a merger or
consolidation (a) which follows an offer described in the second preceding
paragraph and (b) in which the amount and form of consideration is the same as
was paid in such offer), the Rights Agreement provides that proper provision
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously
have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof, common stock of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two (2) times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in
this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Stock
Fractions or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights
are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event
of a stock dividend on the Preferred Stock or other capital stock, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Preferred Stock, (ii) upon
the grant to holders of the Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for Preferred Stock or securities convertible into Preferred Stock at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends or dividends payable in
Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of Preferred Stock Fractions) will be
issued upon exercise of the Rights and, in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be
made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date
prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier of (i) the date on which a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Board of
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a
price of $.001 per Right, payable in cash or securities or both (the "Redemption
Price"). Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of Rights is
subject to regulatory approval. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof,
as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of
the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders
may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event
that the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of
the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement, other than
certain provisions relating to the principal economic terms of the Rights, may
be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution
Date. Thereafter, the provisions, other than certain provisions relating to the
principal economic terms of the Rights, of the Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board in order: to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; or in any other
respect that will not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights
(excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person); provided that no amendment to
adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the
Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement will be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement of
the Company on Form 8-A. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of
charge from the Company upon written request therefor. This summary description
of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
