THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Whereas, Caterpillar Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent") entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
dated September 27, 2001; and
Whereas, the Company and the Rights Agent
entered into a Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated October 18,
2002 which added a provision for a required review at least every three years of
the continued appropriateness of the Rights Agreement by a TIDE Committee
composed entirely of independent outside Directors; and
Whereas, the
Company and the Rights Agent wish to update the legend language contained in
Section 3(c)
of the Rights Agreement by executing this Third Amended and
Restated Rights Agreement dated
June 12; 2003; and
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 at the close of business on
December 23, 1996 (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 set forth, and 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 or the Final Expiration Date (as such
terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be
issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 21 of this
Agreement;
Now, therefore, the parties 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
who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall
be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include
(i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan, or (v) any Person, who or which together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares because of the acquisition of Common
Shares directly from the Company, and (B) no Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" either (X) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by
the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding,
increases the proportional number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person; except that if (i) a
Person would become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this subclause
X) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the Company, and (ii)
after such share acquisition by the Company, such Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common
Shares, then such Person shall be deemed an Acquiring Person, or (Y) if (i)
within 8 days after such Person would otherwise have become an Acquiring Person
(but for the operation of this subclause Y), such Person notifies the Board of
Directors that such Person did so inadvertently and (ii) within 2 days after
such notification, such Person is the Beneficial Owner of less than 15% of the
outstanding Common Shares.
(b) "Act" shall mean the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in effect on the date of this
Agreement.
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(c) "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 and in
effect on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange
Act").
(d) A Person shall be the "Beneficial Owner"
of 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, or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or
options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner 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 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 Exchange Act rules
and (2) is not then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act;
or
(iii) which are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate
thereof) with which such Person (or any such Person's Affiliates or Associates)
has 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) relating to the acquisition, holding, voting
(except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company.
(e) "Business
Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal
holiday.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date
shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on such date; provided, however,
that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time,
on the next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common
Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company or, in the event of a
subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to such shares of Common
Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such subdivision, combination
or consolidation. "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.
(h) "Distribution Date"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.
(i) "Final
Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7.
(j) "Interested Stockholder" shall mean any
Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person or any
other Person in which any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an
interest, or any other Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in
concert with an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
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(k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, trust, association, joint venture or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(l) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, with a par value of $1.00 per
share of the Company having the relative rights, preferences and limitations set
forth in the Certificate of Designation dated November 14, 1986, applicable to
such Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
(m) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7.
(n) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall
mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii).
(o) "Section
13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (a), (b) or (c) of
Section 13.
(p) "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.
(q) "Subsidiary"
of any Person shall mean any Company or other Person of which a majority of the
voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(r) "Triggering
Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13
Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.
The
Company appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance
with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent accepts such
appointment.
Section 3. Issuance of Right
Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth
day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth day (or such later date
as may be determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors) after the
date of commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the company, any Subsidiary of the
Company or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including, in the case of both (i) and
(ii), 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 certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Right Certificates) and not be separate Right Certificates, and (y)
the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares (including a transfer to the
Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof, and prepare and execute, the Rights
Agent will countersign, and the Company will send to each record holder of
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date a Right
Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit A (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of and
after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
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(b) Promptly following the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares in the form of Exhibit B (the "Summary of Rights") to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date. 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 holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Dates 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, shall also constitute the transfer of Rights associated with Common Shares.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate evidences and entitles the holder to
certain rights set forth in a Amended and Restated Rights Agreement between
Caterpillar Inc. and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as amended and restated from
time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
incorporated by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
executive offices of Caterpillar 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. Caterpillar Inc. will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge
after receipt of a written request for it. Under certain circumstances, Rights
issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and
certain related persons, whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person
or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
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 certificate 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 canceled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are
no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right
Certificate.
The Right Certificates shall be in the form of
Exhibit A and may have such marks, legends, summaries or endorsements as the
Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect the rights, duties or
responsibilities of the Rights Agent). The Right Certificates shall entitle the
holders to purchase such number of one-hundredths of a Preferred Share set forth
at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth (the
"Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon
the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment
as provided.
Section 5. Countersignature and
Registration.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be
executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, any Group President, or any
of its Vice Presidents, shall have affixed the Company's seal and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company. The Right
Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid
unless countersigned.
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(b) Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights
Agent of all necessary information, the Rights Agent will keep books for
registration and transfer of the Right Certificates. 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
certificate number 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
Certificate.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section
14, 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 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-hundredth 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
Certificates shall make such request in writing to the Rights Agent, and shall
surrender the Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. The
Company may require payment 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. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or
obligation to take any action under any Section of this Agreement which requires
the payment by a Rights holder of applicable taxes and governmental charges
unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all such taxes and/or
charges have been paid.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and
the Rights Agent of evidence 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 satisfactory to them, and, at the
Company's or the Rights Agent'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 to the Rights Agent for
countersignature and delivery.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights;
Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) The
registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights 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 and the certificate duly
executed, to the Rights Agent 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 December 11, 2006 (the
"Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed
as provided in Section 22 (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section
23.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $300,
subject to adjustment as provided. 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, each Common Share outstanding
following such subdivision, combination or consolidation shall continue to have
a Right associated with it and the Purchase Price following any such event shall
be proportionately adjusted to equal the result obtained by multiplying the
Purchase Price immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior
to the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common
Shares outstanding immediately following the event.
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(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares and an
amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder,
the Rights Agent shall promptly (i) (A) requisition certificates for the number
of Preferred Shares to be purchased or (B) requisition depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share to be
purchased, (ii) when necessary to comply with this Agreement, requisition from
the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as
may be designated by the holder, and (iv) when necessary to comply with this
Agreement, after receipt thereof, 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 Sections 6 and 14 hereof.
Section 8.
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 canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this Rights 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 exercise. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to
the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy canceled
Right Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the
Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred
Shares.
(a) The Company agrees that prior to a Section
11(a)(ii) Event it will reserve out of its authorized and unissued Preferred
Shares, or any authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the
number of Preferred Shares sufficient to permit exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights and, after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
shall, to the extent reasonably practicable, so reserve a sufficient number of
Common Shares (and/or other securities) which may be required to permit exercise
in full of Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The Company
agrees that it will pay any taxes and governmental charges which may be payable
for 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 tax or charge which may be payable for any transfer or delivery of
Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates of depository 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 or charge shall have been paid or until it has been established to
the Company's satisfaction that no tax or charge is due.
Section 10.
Preferred Shares Record Date.
Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall be
the holder of record of the Preferred Shares represented, 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 taxes
and charges) 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 exercise of the Rights, 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.
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Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights.
The Purchase Price, the number and kind of
shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment as provided in this Section.
(a) (i) If
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
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving Company), except as otherwise provided in
this Section, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of such event, 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, such holder 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
exercise of one Right.
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or
together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person,
then each holder of a Right shall have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof
at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price such number of Common Shares
as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per
share market price of the Company's Common Shares on the date of such first
occurrence;
(iii) After the occurrence of such event, any
Rights that were acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of
such Rights shall have no right to exercise the Rights under any provision 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
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be
canceled.
(iv) If there shall not be sufficient treasury
shares or authorized but unissued (and unreserved) Common Shares to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights, the Company shall take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional Common Shares. If the Company is unable to
authorize 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.
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(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of
Preferred 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
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 per share market price, and the denominator of which shall be
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 determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent. 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 Company) of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Shares
on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on 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.
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(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for
the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) shall be the average of the daily closing
prices per share of such Security for thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days
immediately prior to but not including 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 of (A) a dividend or
distribution 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 thirty (30) Trading Days after but not
including 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, 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 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 National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("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. If on any such date no such
market marker is making market in the Security, the fair value of the Security
on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used. 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 11(d)(i).
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
11(d)(i), (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by 100. If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "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 and shall be binding on 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 adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one 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 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an
adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13, the holder of any
Right exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of
the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of other shares
so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to
adjustment.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price shall evidence the right
to purchase at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to
further adjustment as provided.
Page 9
(h) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of 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, and shall promptly give the Rights Agent a copy of such
announcement. 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 ten (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 11(h), 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 the additional Rights to which
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 distributed shall be
issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record as specified in the public
announcement.
(i) Right Certificates 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.
(j) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below par value, if any, of the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other securities
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action necessary for the Company to validly issue such number of fully paid and
nonassessable one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other
securities at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(k) If Section 11 requires an adjustment in the Purchase Price effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may defer (and shall give prompt written notice of such election to the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other 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 adjustment.
(l) The Company may make reductions in the Purchase Price so that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13, the Company
shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth the adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary to each holder of a Right Certificate. The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment contained
therein and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and
until it shall have received such certificate.
Page 10
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
In the event, 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 (b) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving Company of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be 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 to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then (i) each holder of a right shall have the right to receive, in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving Company) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the 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 then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11 (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 in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, 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 13 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 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
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 market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such a date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
Page 11
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are one one-hundredth or 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 one one-hundredth or 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 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 one one-hundredth
or integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates 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 one
Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of exercise.
(c) Following occurrence of one of the
transactions or events specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to
receive Common Shares, capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares)
or other securities upon the exercise of a Right, the Company shall not be
required to issue fractions of shares or units of such Common Shares, capital
stock equivalents or other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractions of such Common Shares, capital
stock, equivalents or other securities. In lieu of fractional shares or units of
such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other securities, the Company
may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value
shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11(d) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of exercise and, if such capital stock equivalent
is not traded, each capital stock equivalent shall have the value of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.
(d) The Rights Agent shall
have no duty or obligation with respect to this Section 14 or any other
Section hereof concerning fractional shares unless and until it has received
specific instructions (and sufficient cash, if required) from the Company with
respect to its duties and obligations under such Sections.
Section 15.
Agreement of Right Holders.
Every holder of a Right agrees
that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection 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 office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate form fully executed;
(c) the Company and the
Rights Agent may 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;
and
Page 12
(d) neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 16. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder 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, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate 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, or to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised.
Section 17. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered, and, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred (and, to the extent fees for such services are provided for, such compensation and expenses are in accordance with the fee schedule provided for in Exhibit D to the Service Agreement for Transfer Agent Services to Caterpillar Inc., dated September 13, 2001 between the Company and Mellon Investor Services) in the preparation, administration, delivery, execution and amendment of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (each as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered 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 hereunder and of enforcing the rights of indemnification. The provisions of this Section 17 and Section 19 below shall survive the expiration of the Rights, the termination of this Agreement and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no liability for any action in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for 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 document believed to be genuine and signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 19. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice in writing.
Page 13
Section 18. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated,
or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding
to the stock transfer or all or substantially all of the corporate trust
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent. 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 a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) If 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 19. Duties of Rights
Agent.
The Rights Agent undertakes only those duties and
obligations imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties and obligations)
upon the following terms and conditions, all of which the Company and the
holders of Rights Certificates shall be bound:
(a) The Rights
Agent may consult with legal counsel and the advice or opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action
taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with such advice or
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under
this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking,
suffering or omitting to take action hereunder, such fact or matter may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chief Executive Officer, any Group President or any Vice President of the
Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent for any action in reliance upon
such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable only
for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as
determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a
court of competent jurisdiction). Any liability of the Rights Agent under this
Agreement will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the
Rights Agent.
(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 the Right Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right
Certificates) 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.
Page 14
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility or have
any liability in respect of the validity of this Agreement or its execution and
delivery (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 Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights,
a transfer to an Acquiring Person or any adjustment required under Section 11 or
Section 13 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12);
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 or
Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate
or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares will, when issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform,
execute, acknowledge and deliver acts, instruments and assurances reasonably
required by the Rights Agent.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby
authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance
of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman, any Group President, or
Vice President of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties and such instructions shall be full
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall not
be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions
from the Company may, at the option of the Right Agent, set forth in writing any
action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Right Agent under this Rights
Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such
omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date
any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such
officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to
taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the
Rights Agent shall have received written instruction in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken, suffered or
omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, affiliate,
director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any
of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily
interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or
contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely
as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or
for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or any other reason resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling or a court of competent jurisdiction) in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if it reasonably believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured it.
Page 15
Section 20. Change of Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing to the Company and to holders
of the Rights Certificates. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' written notice to the Rights Agent
or successor Rights Agent and to holders of the Rights Certificates. If the
Rights Agent shall resign or be removed, the Company shall appoint a successor
to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by 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 a court, shall be (i) a
Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of
the State of Illinois or New York (or of any other state of the United States so
long as such Person is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the
State of Illinois or New York), in good standing, having an office in the State
of Illinois or New York, is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or transfer powers and which is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, or (ii) an
Affiliate of a Person described in clause (i). 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 in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice in
writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give
adequate notice shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment, of the successor Rights
Agent.
Section 21. Issuance of New Right
Certificates.
(a) The Company may, at its option,
issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved
by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property
purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement.
(b) In addition, in connection with the
issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date, and prior to
the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Company
(a) shall with respect to Common Shares as issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by
the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be obligated to issue
any such Right Certificates if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be
advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been
made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 22. Redemption and
Termination.
(a) (i) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, redeem all but not less than all outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Redemption of the
Rights may be 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.
Page 16
(b) Immediately upon redemption, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders shall be to receive
the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any
redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within ten
(10) days after the date for redemption set forth in a resolution of the Board
of Directors ordering the redemption, the Company shall mail a notice of
redemption to all the holders of the outstanding Rights and shall give prompt
written notice to the Rights Agent. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section and other than
in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
(c) The Company may discharge all of its obligations by
(i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights in
accordance with this Agreement and (ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price
to the registered holders of the Rights.
Section 23.
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 for Common
Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). The Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect an exchange after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company, or any such Subsidiary,
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such a
plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
subsection (a) 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 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 exchange (with prompt written notice
thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. The Company shall promptly mail notice of any exchange to all holders.
Each notice 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 valid Rights held.
(c) In any exchange
pursuant to this Section, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred
Shares for some or all of the Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the
initial rate of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred
share) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments
in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares, so that the fraction of a
Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same
voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) In the event that there
shall not be sufficient Common Shares or Preferred Shares authorized to permit
an exchange of Rights, the Company shall take all action necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares or Preferred Shares for issuance.
Page 17
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) If
the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class
to the holders of its Preferred Shares, (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 any other Person 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 to any other Person or Persons, or (v) to effect
the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate notice of such proposed action
and file a certificate with the Rights Agent to that effect, 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 occur and
the date of participation by the holders of the Preferred Shares. Such notice
shall be given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at
least ten (10) days prior to the date for determining holders of the Preferred
Shares for purposes of the action, and in the case of any other action, at least
ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of the proposed action or the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares, whichever shall
be earlier.
(b) In case of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable give to each holder of a Right Certificate,
notice of such event, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph (a) to
Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer also to Common Shares
and/or, if appropriate, other securities of the Company.
Section 25.
Notices.
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any 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) or by facsimile transmission as
follows:
Caterpillar
Inc.
Attn: General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary
000 X. X.
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX
00000-0000
Attention:
Secretary
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
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:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xx. Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Relationship Manager
Facsimile No.:
(000) 000-0000
Page 18
with a copy to:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, XX
00000
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
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 or, if prior
to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing Common
Shares shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and
Amendments.
Prior to the Distribution Date, the Company and the
Rights Agent may, if the Company so directs but subject to the other provisions
of this Section, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and
after the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent may, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder
in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall
not adversely affect the interest of the holders of Right Certificates (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person);
provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights
are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is
for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment, provided that such supplement or
amendment does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or
obligations of the Rights Agent under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Shares.
Section 27.
Successors.
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 28. 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 29. Governing Law.
This Agreement, each Right 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.
Page 19
Section 30. Determinations And Actions By The Board Of Directors,
Etc.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company shall
have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Rights Agreement and
to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors
or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of
this Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Rights Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Rights Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights
or to amend the Rights Agreement and a determination of whether there is an
Acquiring Person. All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors in
good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights
Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the
Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights. The Rights
Agent shall always be entitled to assume that the Company's Board of Directors
acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in
reliance thereon.
(b) It is understood that the TIDE Committee
(as defined below) of the Board of Directors shall review and evaluate this
Rights Agreement in order to consider whether the maintenance of this Rights
Agreement continues to be in the interests of the Company, its shareholders and
any other relevant constituencies of the Company, at least every three years, or
sooner if any Person shall have made a proposal to the Company, or taken any
other action, that, if effective, could cause such Person to become an Acquiring
Person hereunder, if a majority of the members of the TIDE Committee shall deem
such review and evaluation appropriate after giving due regard to all relevant
circumstances. Following each such review, the TIDE Committee will communicate
its conclusions to the full Board of Directors, including any recommendation in
light thereof as to whether this Rights Agreement should be modified or the
Rights should be redeemed. The TIDE Committee shall be comprised of the members
of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board, composed of Directors
of the Company who are not officers, employees or Affiliates of the
Company.
Section 31. 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.
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and
attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
Attest: |
|||||
By: |
/s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
By: |
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxx
| ||
Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxx | ||
Title: |
Assistant Secretary |
Title: |
Vice President & Secretary | ||
Mellon Investor Services LLC | |||||
Attest: |
|||||
By: |
/s/Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
By: |
/s/Xxxx X. Brunette
| ||
Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx |
Name: |
Xxxx X. Brunette | ||
Title: |
Assistant Vice President |
Title: |
Assistant Vice President |
Page 20
Exhibit A
Exhibit A to Rights Agreement
Form of Right
Certificate
Certificate No. R-
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 11, 2006 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER
RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
This certifies that __________________________________, 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 Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as
of September 27, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Caterpillar Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company") and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New
Jersey limited liability 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 April 30, 2006
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, 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
$1.00 per share, of the Company, (the "Preferred Shares") at a purchase price of
$300 (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) 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 December 11, 1996, 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 incorporated by reference. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on
file at the offices of the Company and Rights Agent.
This Right
Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, 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.
Subject to the provisions
of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may
be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may
be exchanged for shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $1.00 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
Page 21
the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
No holder of this 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
ATTEST:
By
Name:
Name:
Title:
Title:
Countersigned:
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
By
Name:
Title:
Page 22
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 transfer unto
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all rights, 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:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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
Page 23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FORM OF ELECTION TO
PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by this
Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares 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:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase 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 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.
Page 24
Exhibit B
Exhibit B to Rights Agreement
December 23, 1996
RE: SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES
On December 11, 1996, the Board of Directors of Caterpillar Inc. declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Caterpillar common stock (the "Common Shares"). The dividend is payable on December 23, 1996 (the "Record Date") to stockholders of record on that 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 (the "Preferred Shares") for $300 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. Terms of the Rights are in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC (the "Rights Agent").
Separate certificates evidencing the Rights will not be distributed until the earlier of:
- 10 days following public announcement that a person (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares; or
- 10 business days following commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer which would result in a person or group owning15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the "Distribution Date").
Until the Distribution Date:
- the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share
certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by the Common Share
certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached;
- the Rights will be transferred only with the Common Shares;
- new Common Share certificates will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference;
- 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 attached, will constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares.
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 these separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
Page 25
Exhibit B
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on December 11, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company. The number of outstanding Rights, the Purchase Price, and the number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment to prevent dilution.
If any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each Right holder, other than the Acquiring Person, will have the right to receive that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. If the Company is acquired in a merger or other transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will have the right to receive that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights at a ratio of one Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, per Right.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). Immediately upon redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the Rights holders will be to receive the Redemption Price.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A copy of the Rights Agreement also is available free of charge from the Company by contacting the Company's Secretary. This summary description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by the Rights Agreement which is incorporated by reference.
Page 26