NUI CORPORATION
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
as Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of March 2, 2001
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions..............................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent......................................4
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.....................................4
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates......................................5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration................................6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.....................................................7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights....7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates..............9
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration
of Securities...................................................10
Section 10. Capital Stock Record Date.......................................11
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights................................................11
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares......20
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power...................................................20
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.........................23
Section 15. Rights of Action................................................24
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.....................................24
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder..............25
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.....................................25
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......26
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent..........................................26
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent..........................................28
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.............................29
Section 23. Redemption and Termination......................................29
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events........................................30
Section 25. Notices.........................................................30
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments......................................31
Section 27. Successors......................................................32
Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.......32
i
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement......................................32
Section 30. Severability....................................................32
Section 31. Governing Law...................................................33
Section 32. Counterparts....................................................33
Section 33. Descriptive Headings............................................33
Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation
Exhibit B - Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C - Form of Summary of Rights
ii
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 2, 2001 (the "Agreement"), between NUI
Corporation, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), and the American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, on March 2, 2001 (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, no par value of the
Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the Close of Business on March 2,
2001 (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-hundredth 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");
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 or (v) any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan. 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, in- creases 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, 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 New Jersey 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" shall mean the common stock, no 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) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
(j) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(k) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, no 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.
(l) "Preferred Stock Fraction" shall mean one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock.
(m) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the first Whereas
clause.
(n) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean the event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(o) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y) or
(z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(p) "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.
(q) "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.
(r) "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 and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) 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.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates. (a) Until Close of Business on the
earlier of (i) the Close of Business on 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, 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 Rights Agreement between NUI Corporation
and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of March 2, 2001 (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 NUI 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 March 2, 2011 unless redeemed prior thereto. NUI 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, 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. 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, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal 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 principal 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 governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Rights Certificates.
(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 reasonably 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 principal 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 March 2, 2011 (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 $50, 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 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 transfer tax, 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 appropriate.
(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 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 an 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 use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its 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)
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 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 national
securities 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 issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement et 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 federal and state transfer 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 transfer tax 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 shall have been
paid (any such tax 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 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 transfer taxes) 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 re-
classification, 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, becomes 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 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. 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 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
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 (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.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, 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-millionth 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 one-millionth) 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 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 one one-hundredth of 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, 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 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 pursuant to
Sections 18 through 20 inclusive, 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 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 principal
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 or ruling 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 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 administration and execution 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, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the
premises. (b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its 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 corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust or
stock transfer 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 corporation 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 the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement 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 opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such 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 to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
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 negligence,
bad faith or willful misconduct.
(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 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 it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered 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 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 legal entity.
(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, reasonable care was exercised 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 reasonably
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 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 corporation organized, doing
business and in good standing under the laws of the United States or of the
States of New York or New Jersey (or of any other state of the United States so
long as such corporation is authorized to do business in the State of New York
or New Jersey), having a principal office in the State of New York or New
Jersey, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock
transfer 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 $100,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of any
such corporation 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 (a) 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 (b) 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 (i) 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 (ii) 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 (i) the date on
which a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs or (ii) 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, (i) 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 (ii) 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 (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock), or (iv) 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
(v) 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:
NUI Corporation
000 Xxxxx 000-000
X.X. Xxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Secretary and
General Counsel
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:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
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, 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.
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 New Jersey 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.
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: NUI CORPORATION
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxx Xxxx
----------------------- -------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Xxx Xxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Secretary and General Counsel
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------- -------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice-President
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NUI CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 14A: 7-2(4) of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act
NUI CORPORATION, a corporation organized and existing under the New Jersey
Business Corporation Act, (the "Corporation") in accordance with the provisions
of Section 14A:7-2(4) thereof, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: The name of the Corporation is NUI Corporation.
SECOND: Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on March 2, 2001 duly adopted the following resolution
creating a series of Preferred Stock designated as Series A 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 its 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall initially be one hundred thousand
(100,000), no 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 A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A
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
1
"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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded
to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 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, no 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after March 2, 2001 (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 A 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
A 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 per share on the
Series A 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A 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
A 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 A 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
2
Series A 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 A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 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 shares, then in each such case
the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A 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 A 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 A 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 A
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 A 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 A 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 (10%) 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
3
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 A 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
4
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 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 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 A 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 A 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 A 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 A 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 A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series
A 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 A 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A 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
5
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 A 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
$100 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 A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of
the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made
to the holders of shares of Series A 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 A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 100 (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 A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment
in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A 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 A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which
rank on a parity with the Series A 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.
6
(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 A 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 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 A 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 A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A 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 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 A 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 A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a
class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A 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
7
distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
THIRD: The Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation is amended
so that the rights, preferences and limitations of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock are as stated in the foregoing resolution.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed this Amendment to the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of the Corporation this 2nd day
of March 2001.
NUI CORPORATION
By: ____________________________
Name: Xxxx Xxxx, Xx.
Title: President
8
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
NUI 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 Rights Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2001 (as it may be amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), between NUI
Corporation, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a New York trust company (the "Rights Agent"), 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 March 2, 2011 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a share of
the Company's Series A Junior Participating Preferred stock, no par value (the
"Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price of $50 (the "Purchase Price") per one
one-hundredth 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 ___________, 20__,(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-hundredth 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.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company.
Dated as of __________, 20__
ATTEST: NUI CORPORATION
___________________________________ By_____________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned: American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
By_________________________________ By_____________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
(1) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
(2) Insert the Distribution Date.
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: ____________________, 20__
__________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate 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
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: __________________, 20__ ________________________________
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: NUI 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: __________________, 20__ ________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate 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
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: __________________, 20__ ________________________________
Signature
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On March 2, 2001, the Board of Directors of NUI Corporation, a New
Jersey corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend distribution of one
Right for each outstanding share of common stock, no par value (the "Common
Stock") of the Company, to stockholders of record at the close of business on
March 2, 2001 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the record holder to
purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share ("Preferred Stock
Fraction") of the Company's Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no
par value (the "Preferred Stock") at a price of $50 (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 be certified bank check or money order payable to
the order of the Company. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth
in a Rights Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2001 (as it may be amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company
and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 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:
- the close of business on the tenth day after the 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 (the "Stock Acquisition
Date"), or
- 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:
- the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and
will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates,
- new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference, and
- 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 March 2, 2011 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 $50 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 $100
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $50. Assuming
that the Common Stock had a per share value of $25 at such time, the holder of
each valid Right would be entitled to purchase four shares of Common Stock for
$50. Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder to surrender each Right
in exchange for one share of Common Stock (with a value of $25) 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:
- the Company engages in a merger or consolidation in which the
Company is not the surviving corporation
- 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
- 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or
transferred (except with respect to the first two bullet points
above, a merger or consolidation which follows an offer described
in the second preceding paragraph and 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 under the following
circumstances:
- 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,
- 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 under the following
circumstances: 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 the date on which a Section
11(a)(ii) Event occurs and 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.
