RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN BAGEL, INC.
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AS RIGHTS AGENT
DATED AS OF JUNE 7, 1999
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, dated as of June 7, 1999, between New World Coffee-Manhattan
Bagel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared
a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common
Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on June 7, 1999 (the
"Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (other than an Excluded
Person) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen (15%) percent or more of the
Common Shares of the Company then outstanding (which figure may be reduced by
the Board of Directors, before there is an Acquiring Person, but to not less
than ten (10%) percent); it being specifically noted that the Rights issued in
respect of any Common Shares that are beneficially owned by each such Acquiring
Person shall be void, and the Acquiring Person shall have no right to exercise
such Rights under any provisions of this Agreement (determined pursuant to
Section 9(a)(ii) hereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Person shall
become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by
the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to fifteen
(15%) percent or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding
provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of fifteen
(15%) percent or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by
reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases
by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of
the Company, then such Person shall be deemed an "Acquiring Person"; and (ii) if
the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), has inadvertently become an Acquiring Person,
and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common
Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," then such
Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this
Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to have the "Beneficial Ownership" of and to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has
(A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities)
or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than
these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf
of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to
vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under
the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding, oral or written (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to
Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in New York State are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(h) "Excluded Person" shall mean (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (v) any person
whom the Board of Directors of the Company determines by resolution,
consistently with its obligations, to treat as an Excluded Person.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8
hereof.
(j) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (any merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(k) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company having the rights
and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation attached to
this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(1) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8 hereof.
(m) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(n) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition
Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the board of directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person
(other than an Excluded Person) of, or of the first public announcement of the
intention of any Person (other than an Excluded Person) to commence a tender or
exchange offer, the consummation of which would result in any Person (other than
an Excluded Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating
fifteen (15%) percent or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including
any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as
the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the Certificate for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Rights Certificates as such term is hereinafter defined) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As
soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and
execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause
to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class,
insured, postage pre-paid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common
Share so held. On and following the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between New World Coffee-Manhattan
Bagel, Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of June 7,
1999, (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of New World Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc. Under certain circumstances,
as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. New World
Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy
of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement,
Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) will be null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until
the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented
by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificates shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding or which are held as treasury stock.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the
holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share set forth herein and therein (the "Purchase Price"), and the
number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Company either by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
Person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the Right
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer. Split Up. Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to
the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on
the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier
of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or
Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing rights that have
become void pursuant to Section 9(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged
pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled
such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Upon receipt, or as soon
as practical thereafter, the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 8. Exercise of Rights: Purchase Price: Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at
any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate,
with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed,
to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent, together with
payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share as
to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close
of Business on June 30, 2009, (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at
which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption
Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in
Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be ten ($10.00)
dollars, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 9 and 10 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of
the Purchase Price for the Shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 12 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case, certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent of the Preferred Shares
with such depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent
to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as
may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt,
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
Section 9. Adjustment of Purchase Price: Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 9.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the
outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 9(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon the exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of
the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Company's Common Shares
(determined pursuant to Section 9(d) hereof) as of the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were
acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person, including, without limitation, any Rights
issued in respect of any Common Shares that are beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person at the time such Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to
exercise such Rights under any provisions of this Agreement. No Right
Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to
the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right
Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an
Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence
or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring
Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the
Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights are void pursuant
to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued
but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares
for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after
good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each
Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number
of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Preferred Shares; ("Equivalent Preferred Shares") or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares at a
price per Preferred Share or Equivalent Preferred Share (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent
Preferred Shares) less than the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 9(d)) on such record date, the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or
Equivalent Preferred Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred Shares and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 9(1) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares after such record
date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security") on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the
30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately
prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per
share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on
such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into
such shares or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per
share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market
price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by The
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use, or, if on
any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the
method set forth in Section 9(d)(i); provided, however, that if the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 9(d)(i)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof) multiplied by one hundred, if the
Preferred Shares are not then convertible; or if then convertible, the number of
Common Shares into which the Preferred Shares are then convertible. If neither
the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or
traded, the "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustment which by reason of this Section
9(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account
in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 9 shall be
made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred
Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 9(e), any adjustment required
by this Section 9 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years
from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date
of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 9(a) hereof,
the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive
any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 9(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 8, 10, 12 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 9(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 9(1) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a
share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (i) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and if known at the time,
the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on
which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 9(i), the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject
to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall
cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates, on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
non-assessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(1) In any case in which this Section 9 shall require that an adjustment in
the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event,
the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to
the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of
the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that
the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 9 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company
shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to
those adjustments expressly required by this Section 9, as and to the extent
that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash
of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, issuance wholly
for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible
into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable
in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 9(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments
provided for in this Section 9(n) shall be made successively whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.
Section 10. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has
become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person, or any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and into the Company and, in connection with such merger,
all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other
property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other
than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in
each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a
Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such
other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving
corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of
the current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person
(determined pursuant to Section 9(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 12 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company
shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 10
if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments
or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result
of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially
diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of
this Section 10 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidation or
sale or other transfers.
Section 11. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 9 or 10 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.
Section 12. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its
authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its
treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 8. The
Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all Federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax is due.
Section 13. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Shares 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
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise
of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled to any Rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights
shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to
receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights,
and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as Beneficial Owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 9(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the
date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right 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.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
together with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument
of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose
name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of
the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder,
as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of
the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the 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 for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall
be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution
or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties
hereto; provided, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned;
and in case at the time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
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 Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel, and the opinion of
such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter 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 any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other
Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 9(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof)
provided for in Section 3, 9, 10, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence
of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice
that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued,
be fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of it duties hereunder from any one
of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any
Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to
such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it
shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting
while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniary interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights agent may resign and be discharged form its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Rights Certificates by first class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Right Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of New York State (or of any other state of the United States so
long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution
in the State of New York State), in good standing, having an office in the State
of New York State, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers an 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 million. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not
less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in
its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section
23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or
any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption.
Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of
redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may
redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other
than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and
other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the
Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(a)(ii) hereof) one-half of
the number of Common Shares, one-thousandths of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property for which the Rights are then exercisable (such exchange
being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than an Excluded
Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24
and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient authorized Common
Shares to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In
the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the
Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable
upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such
that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by
such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one
Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction
thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu
of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common
Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this
paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 9(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Date immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in
stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred
Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Shares by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 9(a)(ii) hereof shall occur,
then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of
a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 9(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
New World Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to time
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in
Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% plus
the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the
Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than an Excluded Person)
and (ii) 10%.
Section 28. Registration. If, under applicable securities laws, any of the
securities issued or issuable hereunder are required to be registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in order to be transferred free of the
restrictions or transfer imposed thereunder, the Company shall make all
reasonable efforts to effect the registration of the same thereunder and under
applicable state securities laws, at the cost and expense of the Company.
Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under
this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit
of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued
hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed
entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN
BAGEL, INC.
Attest:
By: /s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx By: /s/R. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
------------------- -----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: R. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Secretary Title: Chief Executive Officer
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
Attest:
By: /s/Xxxxx Xxxxxx By: /s/Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------- -----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Asst. Secretary Title: Vice President
Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN BAGEL, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law
New World Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc., a corporation organized and
existing under the General Corporation law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter
called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151
of the General Corporation law at a meeting duly called and held on June __,
1999:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board
of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of Directors" or
the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of
Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the
Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes
the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred
Stock shall be 700,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series
A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $0.001
per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior
stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or
(b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate
per share amount payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions (or if the Series A Preferred Stock becomes convertible into
Common Stock, on a Common Stock equivalent basis), other than a dividend payable
in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under clause of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event, or if the Series A Preferred Stock
is then convertible, on an "as converted" basis.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after
it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no
dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the
period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series A
Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such
shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which cash dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend
and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes
on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation (or if
the Series A Preferred Stock becomes convertible into Common Stock, on a Common
Stock equivalent basis). In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event, or if the Series A Preferred
Stock is then convertible, on an "as converted" basis as hereinafter set forth.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of
Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by
law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares
of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general
voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by Delaware law,
holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
Section 4. Conversion
The Series A Preferred Stock shall be convertible into Common Stock as
follows (all capitalized terms to have the meaning set forth in a Rights
Agreement [the "Rights Agreement"] dated June 7, 1999 between the Corporation
and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, which are incorporated herein by
reference, unless otherwise defined herein):
(A) Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of this Section 4,
the holder of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the right, at
such holder's option, at any time or from time to time after the earlier of (i)
the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the board of directors of
the Corporation prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than an Excluded Person)
of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other
than an Excluded Person) to commence a tender or exchange offer, the
consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Excluded Person)
becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating fifteen (15%) percent
(or such lesser percentage as may be fixed by the board of directors of the
Corporation pursuant to the Rights Agreement) or more of the then outstanding
Common Shares, to convert any of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock into
fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock as follows: the number of
Shares of Common Stock into which one share of Series A Preferred Stock may be
converted is computed by dividing (i) the Liquidation Amount (as hereinafter
defined) by (ii) 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Stock
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) on the date on which the Series A Preferred
Stock first becomes convertible into Common Stock (said amount being referred to
herein as the "Conversion Price" and being subject to adjustment pursuant to
Section 4(D) hereof).
(B) Subject to Subsection 4(A) above, the holder of any shares of Series A
Preferred Stock may exercise the conversion right specified in Subsection 4(A)
by surrendering to the Corporation or any transfer agent of the Corporation the
certificate or certificates for the shares to be converted, accompanied by
written notice specifying the number of shares to be converted. Conversion shall
be deemed to have been effected on the date when delivery of notice of an
election to convert and certificates for the shares to be converted are
delivered to the Corporation or the transfer agent. Such date is referred to
herein as the "Conversion Date." Subject to the provisions of Section 4(D)(iv)
hereof, as promptly as practicable thereafter, the Corporation shall issue
and deliver to or upon the written order of such holder a certificate or
certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock to which such holder
is entitled and a check or cash with respect to any fractional interest in a
share of Common Stock as provided in Section 4(C). Subject to the provisions of
Section 4(D)(iv), the person in whose name the certificate(s) for Common Stock
are to be issued shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such
Common Stock on the applicable Conversion Date. Upon conversion of only a
portion of the number of shares represented by a certificate of Series A
Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion, the Corporation shall issue and
deliver to or upon the written order of the holder of the certificate so
surrendered, at the expense of the Corporation, a new certificate in the number
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock representing the unconverted portion of
the certificate so surrendered.
(C) No fractional shares of Common Stock or scrip shall be issued upon
conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock. If more than one share of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be surrendered for conversion at any one time by
the same holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon
conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock so surrendered. Instead of any fractional
shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be issuable upon conversion of any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall pay a cash adjustment
in respect of such fractional interest in an amount equal to that fractional
interest of the then current market price.
(D) The Conversion Price set forth in Section 4(A) hereof shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time as follows:
(i) If the Corporation shall (a) declare a dividend or make a distribution
on its Common Stock in shares of its Common Stock, (b) subdivide or reclassify
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, or (c)
combine or reclassify the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, the Conversion Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision, combination,
or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion after such date
shall be entitled to receive the number of shares of Common Stock which he would
have owned or been entitled to receive had such Series A Preferred Stock been
converted immediately prior to such date. Successive adjustments in the
Conversion Price shall be made whenever any event specified above shall occur.
(ii) In case of any consolidation with or merger of the Corporation with or
into another Corporation, or in case of any sale, lease or conveyance to another
Corporation of the assets of the Corporation as an entity or substantially as an
entity, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall after the date of such
consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance be convertible into the number
of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) to which the
Common Stock issuable (at the time of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or
conveyance) upon conversion of such share of Series A Preferred Stock would have
been entitled upon such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance; and in
any such case, if necessary, the provisions set forth herein with respect to the
rights and interests thereafter of the holders of the shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be appropriately adjusted so as to be applicable, as
nearly as may reasonably be, to any shares of stock or other securities or
property thereafter deliverable on the conversion or other securities or
property thereafter deliverable on the conversion of the shares of Series A
Preferred Stock.
(iii) All calculations under this Section 1(D) shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest one hundredth (1/100th) of a share, as the case may be.
Any provision of this Section 4(D) to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be made if the amount of such
adjustment would be less than $0.01, but any such amount shall be carried
forward and an adjustment with respect thereto shall be made at the time of and
together with any subsequent adjustment which, together with such amount and any
other amount or amounts so carried forward, shall aggregate $0.01 or more.
(iv) In any case in which the provisions of this Section 4(D) shall require
that an adjustment shall become effective immediately after a record date for an
event, the Corporation may defer until the occurrence of such event (a) issuing
to the holder of any share of Series A Preferred Stock converted after such
record date and before the occurrence of such event the additional shares of
Common Stock issuable upon such conversion by reason of the adjustment and (b)
paying to such holder any amount of cash in lieu of a fractional share of Common
Stock pursuant to Subsection (D) of this Section 4; provided that the
Corporation upon request shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares, and such cash, upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(F) Whenever the Conversion Price shall be adjusted as provided in Section
4 (D), the Corporation shall forthwith file in the office of any transfer agent
for the Series A Preferred Stock and at the principal office of the Corporation,
a statement showing in detail the facts requiring such adjustment and the
Conversion Price that shall be in effect after such adjustment, and the
Corporation shall also cause a copy of such statement to be sent by mail, first
class postage prepaid to each holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock at
its address appearing on the Corporation's records.
(G) In the event the Corporation shall propose to take any action of the
type that would result in an adjustment in the Conversion Price as provided in
Section 4(D), the Corporation shall give notice to each holder of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, which notice shall specify the record date, if any,
with respect to any such action and the approximate date on which such action is
to take place. Such notice shall also set forth such facts with respect thereto
as shall be reasonably necessary to indicate the effect of such action (to the
extent such effect may be known at the date of such notice) on the Conversion
Price and the number, kind or class of shares or other securities or property
which shall be deliverable upon conversion of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock. In the case of any action which would require the fixing of a record
date, such notice shall be given at least 10 days prior to the date so fixed,
and in case of all other action, such notice shall be given at least 15 days
prior to the taking of such proposed action. Failure to give such notice, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of any such action.
(H) The Corporation shall pay all documentary, stamp, transfer or other
transactional taxes attributable to the issuance or delivery of shares of Common
Stock upon conversion of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock; provided that
the Corporation shall not be required to pay any taxes which may be payable in
respect of any transfer involved in the issuance or delivery of any certificate
for such shares in a name other than that of the holder of the shares of Series
A Preferred Stock in respect of which such shares are being issued.
(I) The Corporation shall reserve at all times so long as any shares of
Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding, free from preemptive rights, out of
its treasury stock (if applicable) or its authorized but unissued shares of
Common Stock, or both, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, sufficient shares of Common Stock to provide
for the conversion of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or if
it cannot do so, to use all reasonable efforts to effect on increase in the
authorized Common Stock of the Corporation.
(J) All shares of Common Stock which shall be issued upon conversion of the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock will, upon issuance by the Corporation, be
duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes,
liens and charges with respect to the issuance thereof, and the Corporation
shall take no action which will cause the contrary result.
Section 5. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends
paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of
any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any
such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up)
to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in
writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights
and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 5,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 6. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate
of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as
otherwise required by law.
Section 7. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1)
to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
received $1,000 (the "Liquidation Amount") per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if greater, an aggregate amount
per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal
to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of
shares of Common Stock, or, if the Series A Preferred Stock is then convertible,
on an "as converted" basis, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on
a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the
Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. Notwithstanding clause (1) an if
the Series A Preferred Stock is then convertible into Common Stock, the number
of shares of Common Stock in to which one share of Series A Preferred Stock is
then convertible shall be substituted for the number "100" in Clause (1).
Section 8. Consolidation. Merger. etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property payable in kind), as the case may be,
into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. However, if the Series A Preferred
Stock becomes convertible into Common Stock, the provisions of Section 4(D)
shall be controlling.
Section 9. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not
be redeemable.
Section 10. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to
the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of
any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation
shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the
powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to
affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least
two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf
of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board and attested by its Secretary
this ___ of ____ 1999.
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN
BAGEL, INC.
By: ____________________________________
R. Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST:
-------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Secretary
Exhibit B
Certificate No. Rights ______
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JUNE 30, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECTTO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN BAGEL, INC.
This certifies that the above-named person, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of June ___, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), between New
World Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on June 30,
2009 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $10.00
per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may
be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set
forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of June ___, 1999, based on
the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights
Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
This Right 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 Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
As provided by the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $0.001
per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred Shares or
shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof of a
cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of __________.
NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN
BAGEL, INC.
Attest:
By:________________________________
By:____________________________ Name:
Name: Title:
Title:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By:___________________________________
Authorized Officer
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer
the Right Certificate.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto (please print name and address of transferee) this Right
Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within Right
Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Dated:
----------------------------------
Signature
------------------------------
Signature Guaranteed
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
---------------------------------
Signature
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(CFO be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the
Right Certificate.)
To: NEW WORLD COFFEE-MANHATTAN BAGEL, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise_____ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares as provided in the Rights Agreement) issuable upon the exercise of
such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued
in the name of:
Please insert social security or other identifying number:
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number:
(Please print name and address)
Dated:
Signature:
Signature Guaranteed:
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature:
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as
the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or
the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or
Election to Purchase will not be honored.
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On June ___, 1999, the Board of Directors of New World Coffee-Manhattan
Bagel, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.001
per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on to
the stockholders of record on _________, 1999 (the "Record Date"). Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of
a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $10.00 per one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other than (A) the
Company, (B) a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, (C) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, or
(D) any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) have acquired beneficial ownership of fifteen (15%) percent or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (an "Acquiring Person") or (ii) 10 business days (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior
to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring
Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make,
a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the
beneficial ownership by a person or group of fifteen (15%) percent or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and
only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption
or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the
Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record
Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being
attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights
("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on June 30, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchased upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share, or if the
Preferred Shares are then convertible, on an "as converted" basis. In the event
of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a
minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share,
or if the Preferred Shares are then convertible, on an "as converted" basis.
Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares, or if the Preferred Shares are then convertible, on an "as converted"
basis. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share, or if the Preferred
Shares are then convertible, on an "as converted" basis. These rights are
protected by customary anti-dilution provisions.
From and after the Distribution Date, the liquidation amount of the
Preferred Shares ($1,000 per share) is convertible into shares of Common Stock
at a rate of 50% of the market value of the Common Stock on the Distribution
Date, subject to adjustment for stock splits, combinations and distributions,
and for mergers and asset acquisitions. Thereafter, voting and dividend rights
will be based on the Common Stock equivalent of the Preferred Shares, that is,
each Preferred Share, for such purpose, shall be treated as if it had been fully
converted into shares of Common Stock.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper
provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price
of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company
which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated
or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the
Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right
to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of
two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void) for one-half of the
number of Common Shares, one-thousandths of Preferred Shares or other securities
or property for which the Rights are then exercisable.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to such time as any person becomes an Acquiring
Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the
Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment
to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the greater of (i)
the sum of .001 % and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares
then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons (other than an excepted person) and (ii) 10%,
except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely
affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Report on Form 8K dated __________, 1999.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.
This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
