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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
between
GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP
and
UMB BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Rights Agent
Dated as of April 27, 2000
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INDEX
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of
Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 9. Availability of Capital Stock . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 10. Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares or Number of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
or Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . 18
Section 15. Rights of Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed
a Shareholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . 23
Section 23. Redemption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 24. Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 28. Successors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 30. Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 31. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 32. Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made and entered into as of April 27, 2000, between
German American Bancorp, an Indiana corporation (the "Company"), and UMB Bank,
National Association, a national banking association, as rights agent (the
"Rights Agent").
RECITALS
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 as of the Close of Business
on May 10, 2000 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-hundredth (.01) of a Series A Preferred Share of the Company (a
"Preferred Share Unit"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein 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 and the
Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined). The Rights Agent
has agreed to accept its appointment as such, and to carry out the duties
imposed on it hereunder.
In consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set
forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the Company that, by reducing the number of
shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by
reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases
by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of
the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter defined).
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "Beneficially Own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately
or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement
or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to Beneficially Own hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of Indiana or State of Missouri
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern
Standard Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of the Company designated in its Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation as "Common Shares." "Common Shares" when used with reference to
any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock or other equity
interest with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other
Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately
control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(j) "Exchange Date" shall mean the time at which such Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(k) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
(l) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the Close of Business on April 26,
2010.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Preferred Share Unit" shall mean one one-hundredth (.01) of a
Preferred Share of the Company.
(o) "Preferred Shares" shall mean the shares of the Company designated in
the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, as "Series A
Preferred Shares".
(p) "Purchase Price" shall initially be $75.00 for each Preferred Share
Unit purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right, and shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and 13 hereof and shall
be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with
Section 7(c).
(q) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
hereof.
(r) "Redemption Date" shall mean the time at which the Rights are redeemed
as provided in Section 23 hereof.
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(s) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23
hereof.
(t) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
hereof.
(u) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof. (v) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
hereof.
(w) "Rights Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(c)
hereof.
(x) "Security" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(y) "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 or such earlier date as a majority of the Directors shall become
aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(z) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or other
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(aa) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)
hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (a) the tenth business day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (b) the tenth business day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by 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 entity holding
Common Shares 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 entity holding Common Shares 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 the Beneficial Owner
4
of Common Shares aggregating 30% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares,
including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the issuance of the Rights (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to
as the "Distribution Date"), (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (ii) the Rights Certificates will not be
transferable except as a part of the transfer of certificates for Common Shares,
and until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the
Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of
Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. As soon as practicable
after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights
Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the
Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a separate Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A
hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so
held. Following the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as practicable following
the Record Date, a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, to any holder of Rights from time to
time prior to the Expiration Date upon the request of the holders.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares issued after the Record Date but prior
to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date (whether as an original issuance of Common Shares or as a
transfer or re-registration of outstanding Common Shares) shall have impressed
on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER
HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP AND THE RIGHTS AGENT
THEREUNDER (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE
HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH
IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF GERMAN
AMERICAN BANCORP. 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. GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP WILL MAIL TO THE
HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR.
AS DESCRIBED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO ANY
PERSON WHO BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT) SHALL BECOME NULL AND VOID.
5
(d) In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares
after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated
with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the
Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common
Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on the
reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto and may,
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. or any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be
listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections
11, 13, and 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of Preferred Share Units as shall be set forth therein
at the price per Preferred Share Unit set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"),
but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President, or any of its Vice Presidents, either
manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.
The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and
shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of
the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to
be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may
be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company
with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office or such other office designated for such
purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of
Business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates
representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
Preferred Share Units (or other securities, as the case may be) as the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates by the surrender of the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed with
signature guaranteed as provided for in the form of Right Certificate, and with
the Certificate as to beneficial ownership duly executed by the registered
holder. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be,
as so requested. The Company or the Rights Agent may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right
Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to
them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and,
in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security of the Company
and the Rights Agent reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent, and, at the
Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all
reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent
and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Rights Agent will
make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at
any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate,
with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed,
to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share
Unit (or other securities, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (a) the Final Expiration Date, (b) the
Redemption Date, or (c) the Exchange Date.
(b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Share Unit (or other securities,
as the case may be) pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
$75.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections
11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with Section 7(c) below.
7
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of
the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (a) (i) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares certificates for the total number of Preferred Share Units to be
purchased (and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests), or (ii) requisition from the Company's
depositary agent, if any, depositary receipts representing such number of
Preferred Share Units as are to be purchased, in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depositary agent (and the Company hereby directs its depositary
agent to comply with such request), (b) when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares
in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (c) promptly after receipt of such
certificates (or depositary receipts), cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder and (d) when appropriate,
after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set
forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such
exercise; and provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this 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 the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall destroy
such cancelled Right Certificates in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof
to the Company.
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Section 9. Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any
authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of
Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7, and shall, to the extent
reasonably practicable, so reserve and keep available a sufficient number of
Common Shares (and/or other securities which may be required to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights) pursuant to the Agreement. The Company covenants
and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that
all securities delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery
of the certificates for such securities (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(b) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may
be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to
pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery
of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) 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 (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) prepare and file, as
soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, a registration statement under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), on an appropriate
form with respect to the securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii)
use its best efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after filing, and (iii) use its best efforts to cause the
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder) until the earlier of the exercise of all of the Rights and the
Expiration Date. The Company will also take all actions required to comply with
the state securities laws applicable to the Rights and Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) issuable upon
exercise of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of
time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare
and file the registration statement. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall
issue a public announcement and notice to the Rights Agent stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, and the Company
9
shall issue a public announcement and notice to the Rights Agent when the
suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction in which any requisite registration or qualification has not been
obtained or any requisite notice of exemption has not been filed.
(d) The Company agrees to provide to the Rights Agent, immediately
following the later to occur of an event described in Section 11(a)(i)(B) or
Section 13 hereof or the Distribution Date, an opinion of counsel acceptable to
the Rights Agent that the Common Stock underlying the Rights have been or are
being properly registered under the Securities Act and all securities or "blue
sky" laws of the various states, as applicable, or in the alternative, the
Rights are not subject to registration under the Securities Act and/or any
securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states.
Section 10. Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities as the case may be)
is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or
other securities as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing
such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided however, that if the date of such
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Share (or Common Share
and/or other securities as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Share (or Common Share and/or
other securities as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open.
Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares
(or Common Shares and/or other securities as the case may be) for which the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote,
to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (1) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (2) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (3)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
Shares or (4) issue any securities in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date
for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination
10
or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Share 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. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(a) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
(ii) In the event (1) any Person alone or together with its Affiliates
and Associates shall become an Acquiring Person, or (2) during such time as
there is an Acquiring Person, there shall be any reclassification of
securities (including any reverse stock split) or recapitalization or
reorganization of the Company which has the effect, directly or indirectly
of increasing by more than 1% the proportionate share of the outstanding
shares of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof, each holder of a Right shall, for a period of sixty (60)
days after the later of the occurrence of any such event or the effective
date of the registration statement referred to in Section 9 hereof, have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then
current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement such
number of Common Shares of the Company (or, in the discretion of the Board,
Preferred Share Units) as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Preferred
Share Units for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product
by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's
Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
such Person became an Acquiring Person. In the event that any Person shall
become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the
Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of the earlier of the events described in
clauses (i) and (ii) above, any Rights that are or were acquired or
beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate
of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such 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 or any Associate or Affiliate thereof shall be cancelled.
11
In case any event described in clauses (i) and (ii) above shall occur, then
the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of
a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event which notice shall describe such event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under this Section 11
(a)(ii).
(iii) If there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued but not
outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company
shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, including the
calling of a meeting of shareholders. If the Company shall, after good
faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute, for
each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a
Right, a number of Preferred Share Units (or a security with substantially
similar rights, privileges, preferences, voting power and economic rights)
such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share Unit
(or such other security) is equal to the current per share market price of
one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Share Unit
(or other security).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a
price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the purchase price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
12
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than 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 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) 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 the Company to be issued upon
exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such
a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to
such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share
market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (1) a dividend or
distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or
securities convertible into such shares, or (2) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend
or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination of
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price
per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading
on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which
the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
13
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.
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 one
hundred. 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.
(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-hundredth of a Preferred
Share or one- hundredth 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 (a) three
years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (b) the
date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof,
the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive
any securities of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number
of such other securities so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares
contained in Sections 11(a) through 11(c), inclusive, and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on
like terms to any such other securities.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Share Units
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
14
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Preferred Share Units
obtained by (a) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Share Units covered by a
Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (b) dividing the
product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of Preferred Share Units 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 Preferred Share Units 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 obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public
announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the
record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right
Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of Preferred Share Units issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price and the number of Preferred Share Units which were expressed in
the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue
fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
15
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
Preferred Share Units, Common Shares or other securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Preferred Share Units,
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 such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that, it, in its sole discretion, shall determine to be advisable in
order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any 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, or (iv)
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding in the
event that at any time after the date of this Rights Agreement and prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common
Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of Preferred Share Units
purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be
determined by multiplying the number of Preferred Share Units so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such
event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each
Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect
to it. The adjustments provided for in the preceding sentence shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and
Common Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) if a Distribution Date has
occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate.
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on such certificate, shall
not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment, and shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment unless and until it shall have
received such certificate.
16
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event, directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall consolidate
with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall
consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company
shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed
into or exchanged for securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or
any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or
one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) , in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (1) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Preferred Share
Units for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Share Units, such number of freely
tradeable Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor
thereto or as the surviving corporation), free and clear of any liens, rights of
call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall equal the
result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of Preferred Share Units 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; (2) 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; (3) the term "Company"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (4) such issuer shall
take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient
number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection
with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) 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 providing for the
terms set forth in Section 13(a) hereof and further providing that, as soon as
practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets mentioned in Section 13(a) hereof, such issuer at its own expense shall:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and will use its best efforts to cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder) until the
Expiration Date;
17
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for such issuer and each of its Affiliates which comply in all material
respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
(c) 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 such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
18
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as Beneficial Owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as expressly provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section
18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
19
(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
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Share certificate) is registered on the registration books of the Company
as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates
or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone other than the Company
or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor
the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder,
as such, of any Right Certificate shall be deemed for any purpose to be the
holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may
at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right
Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses
and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises and
reasonable counsel fees and expenses. The indemnity provided herein shall
survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
20
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust 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 corporation would be eligible for appointment
as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case
at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by
this Agreement any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of
the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates in its name as the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations specifically imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound and no implied duties
or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
21
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other
Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof)
provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual
notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other
securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or
as to whether any Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities 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 or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out of performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable
for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
those instructions.
Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the
Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action
proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement
and the date on and/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 such 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
22
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any
holders of Rights, any holders of Common Stock or any holders of Preferred Stock
for interest or earnings on any monies held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this
Agreement.
(l) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to
have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without limitation,
any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person
as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and
until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company
of such fact, event or determination, and all notices shall be effective if
given in accordance with Section 25 hereof, and in the absence of such notice
the Rights Agent may conclusively assume that no such event or condition exists.
(m) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof), the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with
respect to such requested exercise of transfer without receiving written
instructions of the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
23
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Preferred Shares and Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and Common Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate or the retiring Rights Agent
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be (i) a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or the State of Indiana (or of any other state of the
United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a
banking institution), validly existing and which is authorized under such laws
to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50 million or (ii) a subsidiary of a corporation described in clause (i)
of this sentence. 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 and the duties and
obligations of the retiring Rights Agent shall cease and terminate; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to
the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Right 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.
Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the tenth business day after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
24
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $.0001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price");
provided, however, that during the time period in which the Rights may be
redeemed, the Board of Directors of the Company may extend the time during which
the Rights may be redeemed for a time period as may be determined by the Board
of Directors. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of the
event described in Section 11(a)(ii) until such time as the Company's right of
redemption hereunder has expired. The redemption of the Rights by the Board of
Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole
discretion, may establish. The Company may, at is option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, Common Shares (based on the current market price at the time of
redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board
of Directors.
(b) In addition, in the exercise of its sole discretion the Board of
Directors of the Company may redeem all but not less than all of the then
outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price following the occurrence of a Shares
Acquisition Date but prior to any event described in Section 13(a) either (a) in
connection with any event specified in Section 13(a) in which all holders of
Preferred Share Units are treated alike and not involving (other than as a
holder of Preferred Share Units being treated like all other such holders) an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any
other Person in which such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or such Associate has any
interest, or any other Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in
association with any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate, or (b)
following the occurrence of an event set forth in, and the expiration of any
period during which the holder of Rights may exercise the rights under, Section
11(a)(ii) if and for as long as the Acquiring Person is not thereafter the
Beneficial Owner 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, and at the time
of redemption there are no other persons who are Acquiring Persons.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, and without any further, action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price. Within ten days after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such
holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
25
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) 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
involving either the Preferred Shares or the Common Shares occurring after the
date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be
empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(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 of such Rights shall be to
receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by
such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give
public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give,
or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange.
The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the
holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the
Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange
shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred stock, as such
term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the Common Shares
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one Preferred Share Unit (or
equivalent preferred stock) for each Common Share, as appropriate adjusted to
reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the
terms thereof, so that each Preferred Share Unit delivered in lieu of each share
of Common Stock shall have the same voting rights as one share of Common Stock.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares
or Preferred Share Units or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Common Shares or Preferred Share Units. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares
or Preferred Share Units, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares or
26
Preferred Share Units would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share or Preferred
Share Units. For the purposes of this Section 24(d), the current market value of
a whole Common Share or Preferred Share Unit, shall be the closing price of a
Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant
to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall propose
(i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its
Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more
of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed,
and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause
(i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining
holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such
proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur,
then (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder
of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
and (ii) all references in the foregoing Section 25(a) to Preferred Shares shall
be deemed thereafter to refer also, if appropriate, to Common Shares and/or, if
appropriate, other securities of the Company.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
27
German American Bancorp
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
X.X. Xxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: President
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
upon receipt if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed
(until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
X.X. Xxx 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to time
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, including but not limited to
extending the Final Expiration Date, any such supplement or amendment to be
evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided,
however, that this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. This Agreement shall
not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect or change the duties
of the Rights Agent or provide any additional duties or obligations to the
Rights Agent. The Company shall provide Notice to the Rights Agent of any
supplements and amendments.
Section 28. 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 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement and this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
28
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent Jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. 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 Indiana 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, except for Sections 18, 19,
20, and 21 hereof and relations to rights, duties and obligations of Rights
Agent, which shall be governed by the laws of the State of Missouri without
reference to its choice of law rules.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
29
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
GERMAN AMERICAN, BANCORP
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
UMB BANK, N.A., As Rights Agent
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Senior Vice President
30
Exhibit A
---------
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- _________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER APRIL 26, 2010, OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT
TO REDEMPTION AT $.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON
THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP
This certifies that __________________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between German American Bancorp, an Indiana corporation (the "Company"), and UMB
Bank, National Association, as Rights Agent, (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., Eastern Standard Time,
on April 26, 2010, at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth
(.01) of a fully paid and non-assessable Preferred Share (the "Preferred Share
Units") of the Company, at a purchase price of $75.00 per Preferred Share Unit
(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 Preferred Share
Units 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 April
27, 2000, based on the Preferred Share Units as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred
Share Units 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.
A-1
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations the Company and the holders of the Right
Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights
Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Share Units or other securities 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 Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for the Company's
Common Stock, without par value.
No fractional Preferred Share Units will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fraction shares that are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depository 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 that may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in 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 purchase
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company, and
its corporate seal. Dated as of ___________________, 20__.
ATTEST: GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP
________________________________ By___________________________________
Countersigned:
________________________________
By______________________________
Authorized Signature
A-3
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ____________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_______________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated:__________________, 20___
________________________________________
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.
CERTIFICATE
-----------
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
A-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate --- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To German American Bancorp:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares, Common
Shares or such other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares, Common Shares or such
other securities 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: _________________, 20____
________________________________________
Signature
A-5
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.
CERTIFICATE
-----------
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 foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or
the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or
Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-6
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On April 27, 2000, the Board of Directors of German American Bancorp (the
"Company") adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan (the "Rights Plan"). The purpose of
the Rights Plan is to deter certain coercive takeover tactics and enable the
Board of Directors to represent effectively the interest of shareholders in the
event of a takeover attempt. The Rights Plan does not deter negotiated mergers
or business combinations that the Board of Directors determines to be in the
best interest of the Company and its shareholders.
To implement the Rights Plan the Board of Directors declared a dividend of
one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding common share
of the Company (the "Common Shares"). The dividend is payable to shareholders of
record on May 10, 2000 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the
"Preferred Share Units") at a price of $75.00 per Preferred Share Unit (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and UMB Bank, National Association, as Rights Agent (the "Rights
Agent").
Rights Attach to Common Shares Initially
Initially and until a Distribution Date (as defined below) occurs, the
Rights are attached to all Common Shares and no separate Rights certificates
will be issued. During this initial period,
* the Rights are not exercisable;
* the Rights are transferred with the Common Shares and are not
transferable separately from the Common Shares;
* new Common Shares certificates or book entry shares issued will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference;
and
* the transfer of any Common Shares will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with those Common Shares.
Distribution of Rights
Separate certificates evidencing the Rights will be mailed to holders of
record of the Common Shares on the "Distribution Date." The Distribution Date is
the earlier to occur of the following two events (or such later date as may be
determined by the Board of Directors):
B-1
* 10 business days following a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have
acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares; or
* 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person) after the commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation
of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group
of 30% or more of such outstanding Common Shares.
Acquisitions by the following persons will not result in the person
becoming an Acquiring Person: the Company, any subsidiary or employee benefit
plan of the Company, or any other person approved in advance by the Board of
Directors.
After the Distribution Date, the Rights will be tradeable separately from
the Common Shares. After the Distribution Date and after the Company's right to
redeem (as described below) has expired, the Rights will be exercisable in two
different ways depending on the circumstances as set forth below.
Right to Purchase Company Stock
After the Distribution Date and after the Company's redemption right has
expired, each holder of a Right (except those held by the Acquiring Person and
its affiliates and associates) will have the right to purchase, upon exercise,
that number of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, Preferred Share
Units or other similar securities of the Company in lieu of such Common Shares)
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right, subject to
the availability of a sufficient number of authorized but unissued Common Shares
(such right being called the "Subscription Right"). The Subscription Right will
be exercisable for a 60-day period after the effective date of a registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering the Common
Shares (or Preferred Share Units or other securities).
Right to Purchase Acquiring Person Stock
Alternatively, if the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at
the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise
price of the Right (such right being called the "Merger Right"). Each holder of
a Right (other than an Acquiring Person) will continue to have the Merger Right
whether or not such holder exercises the Subscription Right.
B-2
Exchange of Company Stock for Rights
At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares or the announcement of a tender or exchange offer resulting in the
beneficial ownership by a Person or group of 30% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares and prior to the acquisition by such Person or group of more than
50% outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have
become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per
Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares or Preferred Share Units will
be issued and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Common Shares or Preferred Share Units on the last trading
day prior to the date of exercise.
Adjustment of Shares
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Share Units or
other securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment
from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on,
or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii)
upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants
to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities
convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then
current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to
holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained
earnings or dividends payable on Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Share Units or
other securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares, or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Redemption
At any time prior to the close of business on the tenth day following the
acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or the
announcement of a tender or exchange offer resulting in the beneficial ownership
by a Person or group of 30% or more of the outstanding Common Shares and subject
to extension of the redemption period by the Board of Directors, the Board of
B-3
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a
price of $.0001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as
the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Additionally the
Company may, following the time that a person has become an Acquiring Person,
redeem the then outstanding Rights in whole, but not in part, at the Redemption
Price provided that such redemption is (i) in connection with a merger or other
business combination transaction or series of transactions involving the Company
in which all holders of Common Shares are treated alike but not involving an
Acquiring Person or any person who was an Acquiring Person or (ii) following an
event giving rise to, and the expiration of the exercise period for, the
Subscription Right if and for as long as no person beneficially owns securities
representing 15% or more of the Company's outstanding Common Shares. Immediately
upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.
Expiration of Rights
The Rights will expire on April 26, 2010, unless the expiration date is
extended by amendment as described below or unless the Rights are redeemed or
exchanged by the Company as described above.
Amendments
As long as the Rights are redeemable, the terms of the Rights may be
amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the
holders of the Rights, except that no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
Miscellaneous
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Preferred Share Units
issuable upon exercise of each Right are subject to adjustment under certain
circumstances.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the value of a Preferred Share Unit that may be purchased upon
exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company upon
request to the Corporate Secretary of the Company.
B-4
This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
hereby incorporated herein by reference.
B-5
