FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of December 20, 2006 between MICROTEK MEDICAL HOLDINGS, INC. and COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC
FIRST
AMENDED AND RESTATED
dated
as of
December
20, 2006
between
and
COMPUTERSHARE
INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I
|
CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS
|
2
|
1.1
|
Certain
Definitions
|
2
|
ARTICLE
II
|
THE
RIGHTS
|
9
|
2.1
|
Summary
of Rights
|
9
|
2.2
|
Legend
on Common Stock Certificates
|
9
|
2.3
|
Exercise
of Rights; Separation of Rights
|
9
|
2.4
|
Adjustments
to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
|
12
|
2.5
|
Date
on Which Exercise is Effective
|
14
|
2.6
|
Execution,
Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates
|
14
|
2.7
|
Registration,
Registration of Transfer and Exchange
|
15
|
2.8
|
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates
|
16
|
2.9
|
Persons
Deemed Owners
|
17
|
2.10
|
Delivery
and Cancellation of Certificates
|
17
|
2.11
|
Agreement
of Rights Holders
|
17
|
ARTICLE
III
|
ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
|
18
|
3.1
|
Flip-in
|
18
|
3.2
|
Flip-over
|
21
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
THE
RIGHTS AGENT
|
22
|
4.1
|
General
|
22
|
4.2
|
Merger
or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
|
23
|
4.3
|
Duties
of Rights Agent
|
24
|
4.4
|
Change
of Rights Agent
|
27
|
ARTICLE
V
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
28
|
5.1
|
Redemption
|
28
|
5.2
|
Expiration
|
29
|
5.3
|
Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
|
29
|
5.4
|
Supplements
and Amendments
|
30
|
5.5
|
Fractional
Shares
|
31
|
5.6
|
Rights
of Action
|
31
|
5.7
|
Holder
of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder
|
31
|
5.8
|
Notice
of Proposed Actions
|
32
|
5.9
|
Notices
|
32
|
5.10
|
Suspension
of Exercisability
|
33
|
5.11
|
Costs
of Enforcement
|
33
|
i
5.12
|
Successors
|
34
|
5.13
|
Benefits
of this Agreement
|
34
|
5.14
|
Determination
and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
|
34
|
5.15
|
Descriptive
Headings
|
34
|
5.16
|
Governing
Law
|
34
|
5.17
|
Counterparts
|
35
|
5.18
|
Severability
|
35
|
ii
SUMMARY
OF SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS PLAN
Distribution
and Transfer of Rights; Rights Certificates:
The
Board declared and paid a dividend of one Right for each share of Common Stock
outstanding on December 31, 1996. Prior to the Separation Time referred to
below, the Rights are evidenced by and trade with the Common Stock and are
not
exercisable. After the Separation Time, the Company will mail Rights
Certificates to shareholders and the Rights will become transferable apart
from
the Common Stock.
Separation
Time:
Rights
will separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable following the earlier
of (i) the date of the Flip-In Trigger referred to below or (ii) the tenth
business day (or such later day as the Board may decide) after any person
commences a tender offer that would result in such person holding a total of
15%
or more of the Common Stock.
Exercise
of Rights:
After
the Separation Time, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for an
Exercise Price of $32.00, Participating Preferred Stock designed to have
economic and voting terms similar to those of one share of Common
Stock.
“Flip-In”
Trigger:
Upon
announcement that any person has acquired 15% or more of the outstanding Common
Stock, then:
(i)
|
Rights
owned by the person acquiring such stock (an “Acquiring Person”) or
transferees thereof will automatically become void;
and
|
(ii)
|
each
other Right will automatically become a right to buy, for the Exercise
Price, that number of shares of Common Stock or Participating Preferred
Stock having a market value of twice the Exercise
Price.
|
Exchange
Option:
If any
person acquires between 15% and 50% of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board
may, in lieu of allowing Rights to be exercised, require each outstanding Right
to be exchanged for one share of Common Stock or Participating Preferred Stock
designed to have economic and voting terms similar to those of one share of
Common Stock.
“Flip-over”
Trigger:
After an
Acquiring Person has become such, the Company may not consolidate, merge or
otherwise combine with, or sell 50% or more of its assets or earning power
to,
any person (a “Flip-Over Transaction or Event”) unless proper provision is made
so that each Right would thereafter become a right to buy, for the Exercise
Price, that number of shares of common stock of such other person having a
market value of twice the Exercise Price.
Redemption:
The
Rights may be redeemed by the Board, at any time, until a “Flip-in” Trigger has
occurred, at a Redemption Price of $0.001 per Right, subject to the restriction
described below.
iii
Power
to Amend:
The
Board may amend the Plan in any respect until a “Flip-in” Trigger has occurred,
subject to the restriction described below. Thereafter, the Board may amend
the
Plan in any respect not materially adverse to Rights holders
generally.
Restriction
on Redemption and Amendments:
The
right of the Board to redeem the rights or amend the Plan is restricted in
the
event of certain circumstances designed to address a situation where a potential
“raider” has obtained control of the Board through the election or appointment
of non-incumbent directors. These restrictions generally prohibit non-incumbent
directors from voting on any proposal with respect to redemptions of the Rights
or amendments of the Plan for up to 365 days following election of non-incumbent
directors.
Expiration:
The
Rights will expire December 31, 2016.
iv
FIRST
AMENDED AND RESTATED
THIS
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (as amended
from time to time, this "Agreement"),
dated
as of December 20, 2006, between MICROTEK MEDICAL HOLDINGS, INC., a Georgia
corporation formerly known as Isolyser Company, Inc. (the "Company"),
and
COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC, as Rights Agent (the "Rights
Agent",
which
term shall include any successor Rights Agent hereunder).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
as set forth in that certain Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated
as
of December 20, 1996, as amended by that certain First Amendment and Second
Amendment thereof dated as of October 14, 1999 and May 31, 2006, respectively,
between the Company and the Rights Agent (the “Original
Agreement”),
the
Board of Directors of the Company has (a) authorized and declared a dividend
of
one right ("Right")
in
respect of each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) held of record
as
of the close of business on December 31, 1996 (the "Record
Time")
and
(b) authorized the issuance of one Right in respect of each share of Common
Stock issued after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time (as
hereinafter defined) and, to the extent provided in Section 5.3, each share
of
Common Stock issued after the Separation Time;
WHEREAS,
subject to the terms hereof, each Right entitles the holder thereof, after
the
Separation Time, to purchase securities of the Company (or, in certain cases,
of
certain other entities) pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions
set
forth herein; and
WHEREAS,
the
Company desires to amend and restate the Original Agreement as set forth
below;
NOW
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective agreements set
forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1
ARTICLE
I
CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain
Definitions
: For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
"Acquiring
Person"
shall
mean any Person who is a Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock; provided,
however,
that
the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person (i)
who
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares
of
Common Stock solely as a result of an acquisition by the Company of shares
of
Common Stock, until such time thereafter as such Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner (other than by means of a stock dividend or stock split) of
any
additional shares of Common Stock, (ii)
who is
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
but who acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock without any
plan
or intention to seek or affect control of the Company, if such Person promptly
enters into an irrevocable commitment promptly to divest, and thereafter
promptly divests (without exercising or retaining any power, including voting,
with respect to such shares), sufficient shares of Common Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock) so that
such Person ceases to be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock, or (iii)
who is
the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock consisting solely of shares
of
Common Stock, the Beneficial Ownership of which was acquired by such Person
pursuant to any action or transaction or series of related actions or
transactions approved by the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to a
favorable vote of at least a majority of those directors eligible to vote before
such person otherwise became an Acquiring Person. In addition, the Company,
any
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company and any employee stock ownership or
other
employee benefit plan of the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company
shall not be an Acquiring Person. Any applicable determination made by the
Company’s Board of Directors under the preceding clause (iii) shall constitute a
modification of this Agreement and be subject to Section 5.4
hereof.
2
"Affiliate"
and
"Associate"
shall
have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended (the "Securities
Exchange Act"),
as
such Rule is in effect on the date of this Agreement.
A
Person
shall be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner",
and
have "Beneficial
Ownership"
of, and
to "Beneficially
Own",
any
securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is or may be deemed to be the beneficial owner pursuant to Rule
13d-3
and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act as such Rules are in effect on
the
date of this Agreement as well as any securities as to which such Person or
any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has the right to become the Beneficial
Owner (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage
of time or the occurrence of conditions) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement
or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however,
that a
Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or to have "Beneficial
Ownership" of, or to "Beneficially Own", any security (i) solely because
such security has been tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made
by
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
security is accepted for payment or exchange or (ii) solely because such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has or shares the power
to vote or direct the voting of such security pursuant to a revocable proxy
given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made to more than
ten holders of shares of a class of stock of the Company registered under
Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act and pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations under the Securities
Exchange Act, except if such power (or the arrangements relating thereto) is
then reportable under Schedule 13D under the Securities Exchange Act (or
any similar provision of a comparable or successor report). For purposes of
this
Agreement, in determining the percentage of outstanding shares of Common Stock
with respect to which a Person is the Beneficial Owner, all shares as to which
such Person is deemed the Beneficial Owner shall be deemed outstanding.
Notwithstanding anything in this paragraph to the contrary, a Person shall
not
be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "Beneficially
Own", any security beneficially owned by
another Person
solely by reason of an agreement, arrangement or understanding with such other
Person for the purposes of: (x) soliciting the Company's stockholders for the
election of director nominees or any other shareholder resolution, the formation
of and membership on any committee for the purpose of promoting or opposing
any
shareholder resolution or for electing a slate of nominees to the Board, service
on such a slate of nominees, or agreement to serve on a slate of director
nominees, provided that such other Person retains the right at any time to
withdraw as a nominee or member of any such committee, and to withhold or revoke
any vote or proxy for or against any such shareholder resolution or for such
slate of nominees; (y) entering into revocable voting agreements or the granting
or solicitation of revocable proxies with respect to any of the matters
described in the foregoing clause (x); or (z) the sharing of expenses and the
indemnification against expenses and liabilities by any such other Person with
respect to expenses incurred or conduct occurring during the time such other
Person is a nominee or a member of any such committee described in the foregoing
clause (x). Further, notwithstanding anything in this paragraph to the contrary,
a Person engaged in the business of underwriting securities shall not be deemed
to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "Beneficially Own," any securities
acquired in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration
of
forty days after the date of such acquisition.
3
"Business
Day"
shall
mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the State of Georgia are generally authorized or obligated
by
law or executive order to close.
"Close
of business"
on any
given date shall mean the time on such date (or, if such date is not a Business
Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the office of the
transfer agent for the Common Stock (or, after the Separation Time, the office
of the Rights Agent) is closed to the public.
"Common
Stock"
shall
mean the shares of common stock, $.001 par value, of the Company.
4
"Exchange
Time"
shall
mean the time at which the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate pursuant
to Section 3.1(c) hereof.
"Exercise
Price"
shall
mean, as of any date, the price at which a holder may purchase the securities
issuable upon the exercise of one whole Right. Until adjustment thereof in
accordance with the terms hereof the Exercise Price shall equal
$32.00.
"Expiration
Time"
shall
mean the earliest of (i) the Exchange Time, (ii) the Redemption Time, (iii)
December 31, 2016, and (iv) upon the merger of the Company into another
corporation pursuant to an agreement entered into when there is no Acquiring
Person.
"Flip-in
Date"
shall
mean any Stock Acquisition Date which is not the result of a Flip-over
Transaction or Event.
"Flip-over
Entity",
for
purposes of Section 3.2, shall mean (i) in the case of a Flip-over Transaction
or Event described in clause (i) of the definition thereof, the Person issuing
any securities into which shares of Common Stock are being converted or
exchanged and, if no such securities are being issued, the other party to such
Flip-over Transaction or Event and (ii) in the case of a Flip-over Transaction
or Event referred to in clause (ii) of the definition thereof, the Person
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power being transferred
in such Flip-over Transaction or Event, provided in all cases that if such
Person is a subsidiary of a corporation, the parent corporation shall be the
Flip-over Entity.
"Flip-over
Stock"
shall
mean the capital stock (or similar equity interest) with the greatest voting
power in respect of the election of directors (or other persons similarly
responsible for direction of the business and affairs) of the Flip-over
Entity.
"Flip-over
Transaction or Event"
shall
mean a transaction or series of transactions after the time when an Acquiring
Person has become such in which, directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall
consolidate, merge, participate in a share exchange or otherwise combine with
any other Person or (ii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one
or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) assets (A)
aggregating more than 50% of the assets (measured by either book value or fair
market value) or (B) generating more than 50% of the operating income or cash
flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person (other
than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries) or to two
or
more such Persons which are Affiliates or Associates or otherwise acting in
concert.
5
"Market
Price"
per
share of any securities on any date shall mean the average of the daily closing
prices per share of such securities (determined as described below) on each
of
the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and including the Trading Day
immediately preceding such date; provided,
however,
that if
an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4
hereof shall have caused the closing prices used to determine the Market Price
on any Trading Days during such period of 20 Trading Days not to be fully
comparable with the closing price on such date, each such closing price so
used
shall be appropriately adjusted in order to make it fully comparable with the
closing price on such date. The closing price per share of any securities on
any
date shall be the last reported sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place or is quoted on such date, the average of the closing bid
and
asked prices, regular way, for each share of such securities, in either case
as
reported on the principal national securities exchange or quotation system
which
the securities are listed or admitted to trading or, if the securities are
not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the securities selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company; provided,
however,
that if
on any such date the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a
national securities exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market, the
closing price per share of such securities on such date shall mean the fair
value per share of securities on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a nationally
recognized investment banking firm and set forth in a certificate delivered
to
the Rights Agent. If the Preferred Stock is not publicly held and listed or
traded in a manner set forth in this paragraph, the "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 or capitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Market Price per share of Common
Stock determined as provided in this paragraph.
6
"Person"
shall
mean any individual, partnership, association, group (as such term is used
in
Rule 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act, as such Rule is in effect on
the
date of this Agreement), corporation or other entity.
"Preferred
Stock"
shall
mean the series of Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company
created by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended.
“Proxy
Contestant”
shall
mean any Person included within the definition of the term “participant” in
Schedule 14A of the Securities Exchange Act, as such Schedule is currently
in
effect (for purposes of which the term “registrant” shall mean the Company), to
the extent the subject solicitation of proxies or consents is in connection
with
the election or removal of directors of the Company, and any Affiliate or
Associate of any such Person.
"Redemption
Price"
shall
mean an amount equal to one-tenth of one cent ($0.001).
"Redemption
Time"
shall
mean the time at which the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate pursuant
to Section 5.1 hereof.
“Section
624 Director”
shall
mean any member of the Company’s Board of Directors who is or was a director,
officer, employee, affiliate or associate of any interested shareholder or
person seeking to become an interested shareholder, or a director, officer
or
employee of an affiliate of an interested shareholder or person seeking to
become an interested shareholder. The construction of the term “Section 624
Director” shall be undertaken consistent with Section 624(d)(2) of the Georgia
Business Corporation Code. For purposes of determining whether one or more
persons is a Section 624 Director, the determination in good faith by those
directors who are not and have not been Proxy Contestants shall be a
determination made in accordance with Section 5.14 of this
Agreement.
"Separation
Time"
shall
mean the close of business on the earlier of (i) the tenth business day (or
such
later date as the Board of Directors of the Company may from time to time fix
by
resolution adopted prior to the Separation Time that would otherwise have
occurred) after the date on which any Person commences a tender or exchange
offer which, if consummated, would result in such Person's becoming an Acquiring
Person and (ii) the Flip-in Date; provided,
that if
any tender or exchange offer referred to in clause (i) of this paragraph is
canceled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time without
the purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such offer shall
be
deemed, for purposes of this paragraph, never to have been made.
7
"Stock
Acquisition Date"
shall
mean the first date of public announcement by the Company (by any means) that
an
Acquiring Person has become such.
"Subsidiary"
of any
specified Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority
of the voting power of the equity securities or a majority of the equity
interest is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by such
Person.
"Trading
Day",
when
used with respect to any securities, shall mean a day on which The Nasdaq Stock
Market is open for the transaction of business or, if such securities are not
listed or admitted to trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, a day on which the
principal national securities exchange or quotation system on which such
securities are listed or admitted to trading, is open for the transaction of
business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange or quotation system, a Business Day.
"Transaction"
shall
mean any merger, consolidation, share exchange, other business combination
or
sale of assets as a result of which all of the holders of the Common Stock
immediately prior to the transaction do not hold in the same proportion all
of
the voting power of the corporation surviving the transaction, or the Company
shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its subsidiaries
shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions assets
aggregating more than 50% of the assets (measured by either book value or fair
market value) or generating more than 50% of the operating income or cash flow
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person (other
than
the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned subsidiaries).
8
ARTICLE
II
THE
RIGHTS
2.1
Summary
of Rights.
As soon
as practicable after the Record Time, the Company mailed a letter summarizing
the terms of the Rights to each holder of record of Common Stock as of the
Record Time, at such holder's address as shown by the records of the
Company.
2.2 Legend
on Common Stock Certificates.
Certificates for the Common Stock issued after the Record Time but prior to
the
Separation Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock
represented thereby and shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or
otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
Until
the
Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to below), this
certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights
as
set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of December 20, 1996 (as such may
be
amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), between Microtek Medical
Holdings, Inc., f/k/a Isolyser Company, Inc. (the "Company") and Computershare
Investor Services, LLC, successor to SunTrust Bank, as Rights Agent, the terms
of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is
on
file at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
redeemed, may be exchanged for shares of Common Stock or other securities or
assets of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, may expire, may become
void (if they are "Beneficially Owned" by an "Acquiring Person" or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof, as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement, or
by
any transferee of any of the foregoing) or may be evidenced by separate
certificates and may no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company
will mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the
holder of this certificate without charge within five days after the receipt
of
a written request therefor.
Certificates
representing shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding at the
Record Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock evidenced
thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend.
2.3 Exercise
of Rights; Separation of Rights.
(a) Subject to Sections 3.1, 5.1 and 5.10 and subject to adjustment as
herein set forth, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, after the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, to purchase, for the Exercise
Price, one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock.
9
(b) Prior
to
the Separation Time, (i) no
Right may be exercised and (ii) each
Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated share of Common
Stock (together, in the case of certificates issued prior to the Record Time,
with the letter mailed to the record holder thereof pursuant to
Section 2.1) and will be transferable only together with, and will be
transferred by a transfer (whether with or without such letter) of, such
associated share.
(c) Subject
to the terms hereof, after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration
Time,
the Rights (i) may
be exercised and (ii) may
be transferred independent of shares of Common Stock. Promptly after the Company
has notified the Rights Agent of the occurrence of the Separation Time, the
Rights Agent will mail to each holder of record of Common Stock as of the
Separation Time (other than any Persons with respect to whom the Rights Agent
has been notified that their Rights have become void pursuant to
Section 3.1(b)), at such holder's address as shown by the records of the
Company (the Company hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the
Rights Agent for this purpose), (x) a certificate (a "Rights
Certificate")
in
substantially the form of Exhibit A
hereto
appropriately completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder
at the Separation Time and having 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 law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any national
securities exchange or quotation system on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed or traded, or to conform to usage, and (y) a disclosure
statement describing the Rights.
(d) Subject
to the terms hereof, Rights may be exercised on any Business Day after the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time by submitting to the Rights
Agent the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights with an Election to Exercise
(an "Election
to Exercise")
substantially in the form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed,
accompanied by payment in cash, or by certified or official bank check or money
order payable to the order of the Company, a sum equal to the Exercise Price
multiplied by the number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to
cover
any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer
involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance
or
delivery of certificates for shares or depository receipts (or both) in a name
other than that of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
10
(e) Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate, with an Election to Exercise accompanied by
payment as set forth in Section 2.3(d), and subject to the terms hereof,
the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition
from a transfer agent stock certificates evidencing such number of shares or
other securities to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its
transfer agents to comply with all such requisitions) and (B) if
the Company elects pursuant to Section 5.5 not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares, requisition from the depository selected by
the
Company depository receipts representing the fractional shares to be purchased
or requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 5.5 and (ii) after
receipt of such certificates, depository receipts and/or cash, deliver the
same
to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate,
registered (in the case of certificates or depository receipts) in such name
or
names as may be designated by such holder.
(f) In
case
the holder of any Rights shall exercise (except pursuant to Section 3.1(a))
less
than all the Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the
Rights Agent to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
In
the
case of an exercise of the Rights by the holder of a Rights Certificate pursuant
to Section 3.1(a), the Rights Agent shall return such Rights Certificate to
such
holder (or such holder’s duly authorized assigns) after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the Rights represented by such Rights
Certificate no longer include the Rights provided by Section 3.1(a) of this
Agreement or, if less than all of the Rights represented by such Rights
Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Rights
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue to include
the Rights provided by Section 3.1(a).
11
(g) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly
authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable;
(ii) take
all such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable requirements
of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act, and the rules
and
regulations thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in
connection with the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; and
(iii) pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the
Rights Certificates or of any shares issued upon the exercise of Rights,
provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or
charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer
or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates
for shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being
transferred or exercised.
2.4 Adjustments
to Exercise Price; Number of Rights.
(a) In
the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to
the
Separation Time (i) declare or pay a dividend on Common Stock payable in Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock in to a smaller number of shares of Common Stock,
(x)
the Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number
of
shares of Common Stock (the "Expansion
Factor")
that a
holder of one share of Common Stock immediately prior to such dividend,
subdivision or combination would hold thereafter as a result thereof and (y)
each Right held prior to such adjustment will become that number of Rights
equal
to the Expansion Factor, and the adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to
be
distributed among the shares of Common Stock with respect to which the original
Rights were associated (if they remain outstanding) and the share issued in
respect of such dividend, subdivision or combination, so that each such share
of
Common Stock will have exactly one Right associated with it. Each adjustment
made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made as of the payment or effective
date for the applicable dividend, subdivision or combination.
12
In
the
event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the
Separation Time issue any shares of Common Stock otherwise than in a transaction
referred to in the preceding paragraph, each such share of Common Stock so
issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which Right
shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such share. To the extent
provided in Section 5.3, Rights shall be issued by the Company in respect
of shares of Common Stock that are issued or sold by the Company after the
Separation Time.
(b) In
the
event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the
Separation Time issue or distribute any securities or assets in respect of,
in
lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock (other than pursuant to a regular
periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid solely in Common Stock) whether by
a
dividend, in a reclassification or recapitalization (including any such
transaction involving a merger, consolidation or share exchange), or otherwise,
the Company shall make such adjustments, if any, in the Exercise Price, number
of Rights and/or securities or other property purchasable upon exercise of
Rights as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion, may
deem to be appropriate under the circumstances in order to adequately protect
the interests of the holders of Rights generally, and the Company and the Rights
Agent shall amend this Agreement as necessary to provide for such
adjustments.
(c) Each
adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be
calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price
is
made pursuant to this Section 2.4, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment, (ii) promptly file with the Rights Agent and
with each transfer account for the Common Stock a copy of such certificate
and
(iii) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights. The Rights Agent
shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such a
certificate.
13
(d) Irrespective
of any adjustment or change in the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the
Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue
to express the securities so purchasable which were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
2.5 Date
on Which Exercise is Effective.
Each
person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise
of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of
the shares 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 Exercise Price for such Rights (and any applicable taxes
and
other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder) was
made;
provided, however that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date
upon
which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall
be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the stock transfer
books of the Company are open.
2.6 Execution,
Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates.
(a) The
Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman
of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer,
Vice
Chairman of the Board, or Executive Vice President, under its corporate seal
reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant
Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates
may be manual or facsimile.
Rights
Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who
were
at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights
Certificates.
14
Promptly
after the Company learns of the Separation Time, the Company will notify the
Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates
executed by the Company to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and, subject
to Section 3.1(b), the Rights Agent shall manually countersign and deliver
such
Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.3(c)
hereof. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent.
2.7 Registration,
Registration of Transfer and Exchange.
(a)
After the Separation Time, the Company will cause to be kept a register (the
"Rights
Register")
in
which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company
will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights Agent
is
hereby appointed "Rights
Registrar"
for the
purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the Company and registering
Rights and transfers of Rights after the Separation Time as herein provided.
In
the event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the
Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all
reasonable times after the Separation Time.
After
the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for
registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject
to
the provisions of Section 2.7(c) and (d), the Company will execute, and the
Rights Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the
designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's
instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate
number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except
as
otherwise provided in Section 3.1(b), all Rights issued upon any registration
of
transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be the valid obligations
of
the Company, and such Rights shall be entitled to the same benefits under this
Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such registration of transfer or
exchange.
(c) Every
Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall
be
duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company or the Rights Agent, as the case may be, duly
executed by the holder thereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in
writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under
this
Section 2.7, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation
thereto.
15
(d) The
Company shall not be required to register the transfer or exchange of any Rights
after such Rights have become void under Section 3.1(b) or been redeemed or
terminated under Section 5.1.
2.8 Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) If
any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to
the
Expiration Time, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b) and 5.1, the Company shall
execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor
a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights
Certificate so surrendered.
(b) If
there
shall be delivered to the Company and the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration
Time (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of
any
Rights Certificate and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by
them to save each of them and any of their agents harmless, then, subject to
Sections 3.1(b) and 5.1 and in the absence of notice to the Company or the
Rights Agent that such Rights Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide
purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Rights Agent
shall
countersign and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights
as
did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As
a
condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section
2.8,
the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected
therewith.
(d) Every
new
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.8 in lieu of any destroyed,
lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an original additional
contractual obligation of the Company whether or not the destroyed, lost or
stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall
be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately
with any and all other Rights duly issued hereunder.
16
2.9 Persons
Deemed Owners.
Prior
to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time,
the associated Common Stock certificate) for registration or transfer, the
Company, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Company or the Rights Agent
may
deem and treat the person in whose name such Rights Certificate (or, prior
to
the Separation Time, such Common Stock certificate) is registered as the
absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for all purposes
whatsoever, including the payment of the Redemption Price and neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
As
used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "holder"
of any Rights shall mean the registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to
the
Separation Time, the associated shares of Common Stock).
2.10 Delivery
and Cancellation of Certificates.
All
Rights Certificates surrendered upon exercise or for registration of transfer
or
exchange shall, if surrendered to any person other than the Rights Agent, be
delivered to the Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly canceled
by
the Rights Agent, except as provided by Section 2.3(f). The Company may at
any
time deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation of any Rights Certificates
previously countersigned and delivered hereunder which the Company may have
acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates so delivered
shall be promptly canceled by the Rights Agent. No Rights Certificates shall
be
countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights Certificates canceled
as
provided in this Section 2.10, except as expressly permitted by this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall destroy all canceled Rights Certificates and deliver
a
Certificate of destruction to the Company.
2.11
Agreement
of Rights Holders.
Every
holder of Rights by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company
and
the Rights Agent and with every other holder of Rights that:
(a) prior
to
the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only together with, and
will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated share of Common
Stock;
17
(b) after
the
Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be transferable only on the Rights
Register as provided herein;
(c) prior
to
due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time,
the
associated Common Stock certificate) for registration of transfer, the Company,
the Rights Agent and any agent of the Company or the Rights Agent may deem
and
treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as
the
absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected
by
any notice to the contrary;
(d) Rights
beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under the circumstances set forth
in
Section 3.1(b), become void; and
(e) this
Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time pursuant to Section
2.4(b) or 5.4 hereof.
ARTICLE
III
ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE RIGHTS
IN
THE
EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in.
(a) In
the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Date shall occur, the
Company shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide
that,
except as provided in this Section 3.1, each Right shall constitute the right
to
purchase from the Company, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms
hereof (but subject to Section 5.10), that number of shares of Common Stock
having an aggregate Market Price on the Stock Acquisition Date equal to twice
the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such
right
to be appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of the holders
of
Rights generally in the event that on or after such Stock Acquisition Date
an
event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a)
or
(b) shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock).
18
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any Rights that are or were Beneficially Owned on or after the
Stock Acquisition Date by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof or by any transferee, direct or indirect, of any of the foregoing shall
become void and any holder of such Rights (including transferees) shall
thereafter have no right to exercise or transfer such Rights under any provision
of this Agreement. If any Rights Certificate is presented for assignment or
exercise and the Person presenting the same will not complete the certification
set forth at the end of the form of assignment or notice of election to exercise
and to provide such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
and its Affiliates and Associates (or former Beneficial Owners and their
Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall reasonably request, then the
Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the Beneficial Owner thereof
to
be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a transferee
of
any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights evidenced thereby
to
be void and not transferable or exercisable.
(c) The
Board
of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after a Flip-in
Date
and prior to the time that an Acquiring Person becomes the Beneficial Owner
of
more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, elect to exchange
all
(but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (which shall not include
Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.1(b))
for
shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per
Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of holders
of
Rights generally in the event that after the Separation Time an event of a
type
analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have
occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such exchange ratio, as adjusted
from
time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company electing to exchange
the Rights, without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1 will terminate and each Right
(other than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) will
thereafter represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio and any rights occurring by reason of Section
3.2. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors electing to exchange
the Rights, the Company shall give notice thereof (specifying the steps to
be
taken to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange for Rights) to the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights (other than Rights that have become void
pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) outstanding immediately prior thereto by mailing
such notice in accordance with Section 5.9.
19
Each
person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the exchange
of
Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1(c) shall for all purposes be deemed to
have
become the holder of record of the shares 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 any applicable taxes
and other governmental charges payable by the holder was made; provided,
however,
that if
the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the stock transfer
books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become
the
record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the stock transfer books of the Company are
open.
(d) Whenever
the Company shall become obligated under Section 3.1(a) or (c) to issue shares
of Common Stock upon exercise of or in exchange for Rights, the Company, at
its
option, may substitute therefor shares of Preferred Stock, at a ratio of one
one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock for each share of Common
Stock so issuable.
(e) In
the
event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or authorized but
unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company to permit
the
exercise or exchange in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 3.1(a)
or
(c), the Company shall either (i) call a meeting of shareholders seeking
approval to cause sufficient additional shares to be authorized (provided that
if such approval is not obtained, the Company will take the action specified
in
clause (ii) of this sentence) or (ii) take such action as shall be necessary
to
ensure and provide, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any agreements
or instruments in effect on the Stock Acquisition Date to which it is a party,
that each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to receive, (x) at the
Company's option, either (A) in return for the Exercise Price, debt or equity
securities or other assets (or a combination thereof) having a fair value equal
to twice the Exercise Price, or (B) without payment of consideration (except
as
otherwise required by applicable law), debt or equity securities or other assets
(or a combination thereof) having a fair value equal to the Exercise Price,
or
(y) if the Board of Directors of the Company elects to exchange the Rights
in
accordance with Section 3.1(c), debt or equity securities or other assets (or
a
combination thereof) having a fair value equal to the product of the Market
Price of a share of Common Stock on the Flip-in Date times the Exchange Ratio
in
effect on the Flip-in Date, where in any case set forth in (x) or (y) above
the
fair value of such debt or equity securities or other assets shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, after
consultation with a nationally recognized investment banking firm.
20
3.2 Flip-over.
(a)
Prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall not enter into any agreement
with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any Flip-over Transaction or
Event unless and until it shall have entered into a supplemental agreement
with
the Flip-over Entity, for the benefit of the holders of the Rights, providing
that, upon consummation or occurrence of the Flip-over Transaction or Event
(i)
each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to purchase from the Flip-over
Entity, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, that number
of shares of Flip-over Stock of the Flip-over Entity having an aggregate Market
Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-over Transaction
or
Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the
Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to protect
the
interests of the holders of Rights generally in the event that after such date
of consummation or occurrence an event of a type analogous to any of the events
described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to the
Flip-over Stock), (ii) the Flip-over Entity shall thereafter be liable for,
and
shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-over Transaction or Event and such
supplemental agreement, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant
to this Agreement, and (iii) the rights set forth in Section 3.1(a) and (c)
shall be of no effect following the consummation of a Flip-over Transaction
or
Event. The provisions of this Section 3.2 shall apply to successive Flip-over
Transactions or Events.
21
(b) Prior
to
the Expiration Time, unless the Rights will be redeemed pursuant to Section
5.1
hereof in connection therewith, the Company shall not enter into any agreement
with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any Flip-over Transaction or
Event if at the time thereof there are any rights, warrants or securities
outstanding or any other arrangements, agreements or instruments that would
eliminate or otherwise diminish in any material respect the benefits intended
to
be afforded by this Rights Agreement to the holders of Rights upon consummation
of such transaction.
ARTICLE
IV
THE
RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General.
(a) The
Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby
accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such
co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days’
prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty
to
supervise, and in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such
co-Rights Agent. 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
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, its officers, employees, agents
and
directors for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability,
or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct
on the part of the Rights Agent for anything done or omitted to be done by
the
Rights Agent or such other indemnified party in connection with the acceptance
or administration of this Agreement or the exercise or performance of its duties
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim
of
liability.
22
(b) The
Rights Agent shall be protected by the Company 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 or the exercise or performance of its
duties hereunder in reliance upon any certificate for securities purchasable
upon exercise of Rights, Rights Certificate, certificate 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, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 4.3(a).
Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights
Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless
of the form of the action.
4.2 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 is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder services
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will 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 that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time
such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement
any
of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at
that
time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of
the
predecessor Rights Agent 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.
23
(b) In
case
at any time the name of the Rights Agent is 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.
4.3 Duties
of Rights Agent.
The
Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this
Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Rights Agent) 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 written advice or opinion of such counsel will 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 deems
it
necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation,
the identity of any Acquiring Person, Affiliate, Associate, Beneficial Owner
and
the determination of Market Price) 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 a person
believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the President,
the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will
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.
24
(c) The
Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The
Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of
fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or the Rights Certificates
(except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but
all
such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the
Company only.
(e) The
Rights Agent is serving as an administrative agent and, accordingly, will not
be
under any responsibility in respect of the validity of any provision of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization,
execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity
or execution of any certificate for securities purchasable upon exercise of
Rights or Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereto); nor will
it
be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition
contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor will it be
responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment in
the
terms of the Rights required herein 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
after receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.4 describing any
such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or any Rights or as to whether
any securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights will, when issued, be duly
and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and
nonassessable.
25
(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 person believed
by
the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Secretary
or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such persons for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for
any
action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions
of
any such person.
Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed
to
be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on
or
after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective.
The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the
Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application
on
or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less
than five Business Days after the date any officer of the Company expressly
referenced above actually receives such application, unless any such officer
shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking
any
such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights
Agent
shall have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The
Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights
Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Stock, 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.
26
(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 will 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 the Rights Agent was not negligent in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No
provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk
its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of
any
of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be
reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured to
it.
4.4 Change
of Rights Agent.
The
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 60 days' notice (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Company)
in
writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of Common Stock by
registered or certified mail, and (if such resignation occurs following the
Separation Time) to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9.
In
the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and
the
Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to resign automatically
on the effective date of such termination; and any required notice will be
sent
by the Company. The Company may remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice
in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common
Stock by registered or certified mail, and (if such removal occurs following
the
Separation Time) to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9.
If
the Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable
of
acting, the Company will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company
fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal
or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by
the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights (which
holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Rights 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 corporation
or
other business organization (or, with the Company’s prior approval, an affiliate
of such a corporation or other business organization) organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United
States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
the
powers of the Rights Agent contemplated by this Agreement and is subject
to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has
at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus
of at
least $50,000,000. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will 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 delivery
any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose.
Not
later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company will
file
notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer
agent of the Common Stock, and (if such effective date follows this Separation
Time) mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders of the Rights. Failure
to
give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4, 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.
27
ARTICLE
V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Redemption.
(a) The
Company (upon approval of its Board of Directors by a favorable vote of at
least
a majority of those directors eligible to vote) may, at its option, at any
time
prior to the Flip-in Date, elect to redeem all (but not less than all) of the
then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price and the Company, at its option,
may pay the Redemption Price either in cash or shares of Common Stock or other
securities of the Company deemed by the Board of Directors, in the exercise
of
its sole discretion, to be at least equivalent in value of the Redemption
Price.
28
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company electing to redeem
the
Rights (or, if the resolution of the Board of Directors election to redeem
the
Rights states that the redemption will not be effective until the occurrence
of
a specified future time or event, upon the occurrence of such future time or
event), without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter represent only the
right to receive the Redemption Price in cash or securities, as determined
by
the Board of Directors. Promptly after the Rights are redeemed, the Company
shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of
the
then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice in accordance with Section
5.9.
(c) For
a
period of 365 days following the last preceding election of a Section 624
Director to the Company’s Board of Directors, no Section 624 Director shall be
eligible to vote on a proposal to redeem the Rights or any related action of
the
Company. In addition, for a period of 180 days following the election of a
Person as a director of the Company who is nominated by a Proxy Contestant,
no
such Person shall be eligible to vote on a proposal to redeem the Rights or
any
related action of the Company.
5.2 Expiration.
The
Rights and this Agreement shall expire at the Expiration Time and no Person
shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement or any Right after the
Expiration Time, except, if the Rights are exchanged or redeemed, as provided
in
Section 3.1(c), 3.1(d), 3.1(e), 3.2 or 5.1 hereof.
5.3 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 number or kind or class of shares of
stock purchasable upon exercise of Rights made in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of
shares of Common Stock by the Company following the Separation Time and prior
to
the Redemption Time or Expiration Time pursuant to the terms of securities
convertible or redeemable into shares of Common Stock or to options, in each
case issued or granted prior to, and outstanding at, the Separation Time, the
Company shall issue to the holders of such shares of Common Stock,
Rights
Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with the issuance or sale
of such
shares of Common Stock; provided,
however,
in each
case, (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
to the
Person to whom such Rights Certificates would be issued, (ii) no such Rights
Certificates shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall have otherwise been made in lieu of the issuance thereof, and (iii)
the
Company shall have no obligation to distribute Rights Certificates to any
Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any
transferee of any of the foregoing.
29
5.4 Supplements
and Amendments.
The
Company (upon approval of its Board of Directors by a favorable vote of at
least
a majority of those directors eligible to vote) and the Rights Agent may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights (i) prior to the Flip-in Date, in any respect and (ii) after
the close of business on the Flip-in Date, to make any changes that the Company
may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not materially adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights generally or in order to cure any
ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may
be inconsistent with any other provisions herein or otherwise defective. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company stating
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of
this Section, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment that changes the rights and duties of the Rights Agent
under this Agreement shall be effective without the consent of the Rights Agent.
For
a
period of 365 days following the last preceding election of a Section 624
Director to the Company’s Board of Directors, no Section 624 Director shall be
eligible to vote on a proposal to amend or supplement this Agreement or a
proposal to approve any action or transaction or series of related actions
or
transactions under clause (iii) of the definition of “Acquiring Person”
contained in Section 1.1 hereof. In addition, for a period of 180 days following
the election of a Person as a director of the Company who is nominated by a
Proxy Contestant, no such Person shall be eligible to vote on a proposal to
amend or supplement this Agreement or a proposal to approve any action or
transaction or series of related actions or transactions under clause (iii)
of
the definition of “Acquiring Person” contained in Section 1.1
hereof.
30
5.5 Fractional
Shares.
If the
Company elects not to issue certificates representing fractional shares upon
exercise or redemption of Rights, the Company shall, in lieu thereof, in the
sole discretion of the Board of Directors, either (a) evidence such fractional
shares by depository receipts issued pursuant to an appropriate agreement
between the Company and a depository selected by it, providing that each holder
of a depository receipt shall have all of the rights, privileges and preferences
to which such holder would be entitled as a beneficial owner of such fractional
share, or (b) pay to the registered holder of such Rights an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of such share.
5.6 Rights
of Action.
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement (including Section 3.1(b)), rights of action
in
respect of this Agreement, other than rights of action vested solely in the
Rights Agent, are vested in the respective holders of the Rights; and any holder
of any Rights, without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of
any
other Rights, may, on such holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit
and the benefit of other holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise such holder's
Rights in the manner provided in such holder's 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
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations
of
any Person subject to this Agreement.
5.7 Holder
of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder.
No
holder, as such, of any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or
be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares or any other securities which
may
at any time be issuable on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Rights, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company
or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted
to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 5.8 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until such Rights shall have been
exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.
31
5.8 Notice
of Proposed Actions.
In case
the Company shall propose after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration
Time (i) to effect or permit (in cases where the Company's permission is
required) occurrence of any Flip-in Date or Flip-over Transaction or Event
or
(ii) 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 Right, in
accordance with Section 5.9 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which
shall specify the Flip-in Date or the date on which such Flip-over Transaction
or Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place, and such
notice shall be so given at least 20 Business Days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action.
5.9 Notices.
Notices
or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by
the
Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights
Agent) as follows:
00000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
President
Any
notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by
the Company or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent shall
be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company)
as follows:
32
Computershare
Investor Services, LLC
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Relationship Management
Notices
or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by
the
Company or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time,
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.
5.10 Suspension
of Exercisability.
To the
extent that the Company determines in good faith that some action will or need
be taken pursuant to Section 3.1(a), (b), (d) or (e) or to comply with federal
or state securities laws, the Company may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights for a period of up to ninety (90) days following the date of the
occurrence of the Separation Time or the Flip-in Date in order to take such
action or comply with such laws. In the event of any such suspension the Company
shall issue as promptly as practicable a public announcement stating that the
exercisability or exchangeability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
Notice thereof pursuant to Section 5.9 shall not be required.
Failure
to give a notice pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall not affect
the validity of any action taken hereunder.
5.11
Costs
of Enforcement.
The
Company agrees that if the Company or any other Person, the securities of which
are purchasable upon exercise of Rights, fails to fulfill any of its obligations
pursuant to this Agreement, then the Company or such Person will reimburse
the
holder of any rights for the costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred
by such holder in actions to enforce such holder's rights pursuant to any Rights
or this Agreement.
33
5.12 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.
5.13
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 holders of the Rights 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 holders
of
the Rights.
5.14 Determination
and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
The
Board of Directors of the Company (or specified members thereof as elsewhere
set
forth herein) shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board or to 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. 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 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 of the Company or
any
member thereof to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
5.15 Descriptive
Headings.
Descriptive headings appear herein for convenience only and shall not control
or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
5.16 Governing
Law.
THIS
AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT ISSUED HEREUNDER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT
MADE
UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS
TO BE MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE.
34
5.17 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.
5.18 Severability.
If any
term or provision hereof or the application thereof to any circumstance shall,
in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, such term
or
provision shall be ineffective as to such jurisdiction to the extent of such
invalidity or unenforceability would invalidate or render unenforceable the
remaining terms and provisions hereof or the application of such term or
provision to circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid
or
unenforceable.
35
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the date first above written.
By:
/s/ Xxx X. Xxx
|
|
Name:
Xxx X. Xxx
|
|
Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
COMPUTERSHARE
INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC
|
|
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
|
|
Title:
Regional Vice President
|
|
36
EXHIBIT
A
[Form
of
Rights Certificate]
Certificate
No. W-
|
______
Rights
|
THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION OR MANDATORY EXCHANGE, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR TRANSFEREES OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING
WILL
BE VOID.
Rights
Certificate
This
certifies that ______________ or registered assigns, is the registered holder
of
the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered
holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the First
Amended and Restated Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated as of
December 20, 2006 (as amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"),
between MICROTEK MEDICAL HOLDINGS, INC., a Georgia corporation (the "Company"),
and COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent",
which term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement),
to purchase from the Company at any time after the Separation Time (as such
term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the close of business on
December 31, 2016, one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a fully paid share of
Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the "Preferred Stock"), of the
Company (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at the
Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed at the principal
office of the Rights Agent in Atlanta, Georgia. The Exercise Price shall
initially be $32.00 per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain
events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
37
In
certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase securities of
an
entity other than the Company or securities or assets of the Company other
than
Preferred Stock, all as provided 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 holders of the Rights Certificates. Copies
of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company and
are
available without cost upon written request.
This
Rights Certificates, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged
for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor evidencing
an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced
by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered. If
this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised (other than pursuant to Section 3.1(a)
of
the Rights Agreement) in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon
surrendering hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised. If this Rights Certificate shall be
exercised in whole or in part pursuant to Section 3.1(a) of the Rights
Agreement, the holder shall be entitled to receive this Rights Certificate
duly
marked to indicate that such exercise has occurred as set forth in the Rights
Agreement.
Subject
to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, each Right evidenced by this
Certificate may be (a) redeemed by the Company under certain circumstances,
at
its option, at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, or (b) exchanged by
the
Company under certain circumstances, at its option, for one share of Common
Stock or one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock per Right
(or, in certain cases, other securities or assets of the Company), subject
in
each case to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
38
No
holder
of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of any securities 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 shareholder of the Company or any right to vote
for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereto or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except
as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised or exchanged 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.
39
WITNESS
the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate
seal.
Date:
_______________________________
|
|
ATTEST:
|
|
By:
_____________________________
|
|
__________________________________
|
Name:
___________________________
|
Secretary
|
Title:
____________________________
|
Countersigned:
|
|
COMPUTERSHARE
INVESTOR SERVICES, LLC
|
|
By:
_________________________________
|
|
Authorized
Signature
|
40
FORM
OF
ASSIGNMENT
(To
be
executed by the registered holder if such
holder
desires to transfer this Rights Certificate.)
FOR
VALUE
RECEIVED _________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
______________________________ (Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:____________,
____
Signature
Guaranteed:
_____________________________________
|
|
Signature
|
|
(Signature
must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any
change whatsoever)
|
Signatures
must be guaranteed by a member form of a registered national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.,
or a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States.
41
(To
be
completed if true)
The
undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
shares of Common Stock that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are
not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associated thereof (as defined
in the Rights Agreement).
_____________________________________
|
|
Signature
|
NOTICE
In
the
event the certification set forth above is not completed in connection with
a
purported assignment, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights
evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) or a
transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
42
[To
be
attached to each Rights Certificate]
FORM
OF
ELECTION TO EXERCISE
(To
be
executed if holder desires to
exercise
the Rights Certificate.)
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise whole Rights represented
by
the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Participating
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
_____________________________________
|
|
Address:
______________________________
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Social
Security or Other Taxpayer
|
|
Identification
No: ________________________
|
If
such
number of Rights shall not be all of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate and this Rights Certificate is being exercised pursuant to Section
2.3 of the Rights Agreement, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to the person set forth
as follows, and if this Rights Certificate is being exercised pursuant to
Section 3.1(a), this Rights Certificate indicating the balances, if any, of
such
Rights which may still be exercised pursuant to each of Section 3.1(a) and
Section 3.2 of the Rights Agreement shall be returned to the
following:
_____________________________________
|
|
Address:
______________________________
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
Social
Security or Other Taxpayer
|
|
Identification
No: ________________________
|
Dated: _________________, ____
Signature
Guaranteed:
_____________________________________
|
|
Signature
|
|
(Signature
must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any
change whatsoever)
|
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Signatures
must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.,
or a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States
(To
be
completed if true)
The
undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are
not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined
in
the Rights Agreement).
_____________________________________
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|
Signature
|
NOTICE
In
the
event the certification set forth above is not completed in connection with
a
purported assignment, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights
evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) or a
transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
44