XXXXXXXXX-XXXX COMPANY
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of November 9, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 8. Cancellation of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares and Number of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earnings Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed
a Shareholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 23. Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Section 30. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Section 31. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Section 32. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Section 33. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Agreement, dated as of November 9, 1998, between Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx
Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of New York,
a New York banking corporation (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of
Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the
close of business (as defined below) on December 22, 1998 (the "Record
Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth
(subject to adjustment) of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and
has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to
adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each share of Common Stock
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); provided, however, that Rights may be issued
with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after
the Distribution Date and prior to the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22.
Accordingly, 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 meaning indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, but shall not include an Exempt Person (as such
term is hereinafter defined); provided, however, that if the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that
it beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise
cause such Person to be a "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was
aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had
no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership
under this Rights Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and such Person, as promptly as
practicable divested or divests himself or itself of Beneficial
Ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such
Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, then such Person shall
not be deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person
shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of
shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of
shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and
thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of
Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" unless upon the consummation of the acquisition of such
additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not own 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The phrase "then
outstanding", when used with reference to a Person's Beneficial
Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, shall be
deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly
within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement;
(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, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of,
or to beneficially own, (x) 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, (y) securities which such
Person has a right to acquire on the exercise of Rights at any time
prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or (z)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the time
a Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such Rights were acquired
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by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof ("original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i)
or Section 11(n) with respect to an adjustment to original Rights;
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 by
reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding 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 (whether or not in writing)(other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
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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.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York,
or the State in which the principal office of the Rights Agent is
located, are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date
is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the common stock, presently par value $2.00 per share, of the
Company. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other
than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or, in the case of an
unincorporated entity, the equivalent equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a
subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately
control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Exempt Person" shall mean (i) the Company, (ii) any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or (iv) any entity or trustee holding Common Stock for or
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pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any
such plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(j) "New York Stock Exchange" shall mean the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc.
(k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(l) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Preference Stock,
without par value, of the Company having the rights and preferences set
forth in the form of certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
Incorporation attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(m) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(n) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(o) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such or such earlier date as a majority of the Board
of Directors shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(p) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary
voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or
other persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other
entity that is otherwise controlled by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents
as it may deem necessary or desirable upon ten (10) days' prior written
notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent.
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Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of
(i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) 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 an Exempt Person) of,
or of the first public announcement of the intention of such Person (other
than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial
Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating 15% or more of the Common Stock
then outstanding (including any such date which is after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof
and not by separate Right Certificates and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock. The
Company shall give the Rights Agent prompt written notice of the Distribution
Date. 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, at
the expense of the Company, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail) to
each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right (subject to
adjustment as provided herein) for each share of Common Stock so held. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of
Preferred Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary
of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date (other than any
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), at
the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect
to certificates for Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates
registered in the names of the holders thereof together with the Summary of
Rights. 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 Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of
the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented thereby.
(c) Certificates issued for Common Stock (including, without
limitation, upon transfer of outstanding Common Stock, disposition of Common
Stock out of treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Stock out of
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authorized but unissued shares) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expira-
tion Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise
affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company and The Bank of
New York, dated as of November 9, 1998, as the same may
be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
executive offices of Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company. 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. Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, Rights owned by or transferred to
any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in
the Rights Agreement) and certain transferees thereof
will become null and void and will no longer be
transferable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate, except as otherwise provided
herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or
otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer
outstanding.
Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), the omission of a legend shall
not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of
any holder of the Rights.
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 in the form set forth in
Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and
such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may
deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with
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any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of the New York Stock Exchange or of any other stock exchange or automated
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. The Right Certificates shall be in a machine printable
format and in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. The Right
Certificates shall show the date of countersignature and, subject to the
provisions of Sections 11, 13 and 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock set forth therein (the "Purchase
Price"), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock and the Purchase Price 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 any one of the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors, the President, any of the Vice Presidents, the Treasurer or the
Controller of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall
have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose
unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery
by the Company, such 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 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 an office or agency 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.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Sections 7(e), 11(a)(ii) and 14 hereof, at any
time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the
close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expi-
ration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
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Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. 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 may require payment by the holders of Rights 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) Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, at any
time after the Distribution Date and prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in
case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the
Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered
holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become
exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as
otherwise provided herein, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or
in part 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 or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are exercised, at any time
which is both after the Distribution Date and prior to the earliest of (i)
the close of business on December 22, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price shall be initially $200 for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of
a Right. The Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock or other securities or property to be acquired upon
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exercise of a Right 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 paragraph (c) of this Section
7.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right
Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase
Price for the shares of Preferred Stock 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, in cash or by
certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from
any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of
shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased (and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests), or (B)
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing
interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with
the depositary agent) (and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to
comply with such request), (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) 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 (iv)
when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, 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 exercisable 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 of Rights upon the occurrence of
any purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or
this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and
signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment or election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered
for such transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of
the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request.
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Section 8. Cancellation of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall
deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights
Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or
acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock. (a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept
available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock or any
shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares of
Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and
other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or listed on any other
national securities exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted
to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or listed on any other exchange or
quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the
Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance
of shares of Preferred Stock (and following the time that a Person first
becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities)
upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such shares of Preferred
Stock (and following the time that a Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities) under the Securities Act
and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws (to the extent
exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement
and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing
and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier of
the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities
and the Final Expiration Date. 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 a registration statement under the Securities Act
and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement, in each case with simultaneous written
notice to the Rights Agent, stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this
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Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall
have been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities
Act (if required) shall have been declared effective. The Rights Agent may
assume that any Right exercised is permitted to be exercised under applicable
law and shall have no liability for acting in reliance upon such assumption.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of
Common Stock and other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates therefor (subject to payment of
the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid
and nonassessable shares.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock
or other securities) 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 Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other securities) in a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates or
depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other
securities) upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by that holder of such Right
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of the shares of Preferred Stock 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 Stock transfer
-12-
books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become
the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock 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 Stock for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or
other distributions, 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 and
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this
Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and
kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised
after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number
and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, the holder
would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement and except as
otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(ii), in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a
price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such
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number of shares of Common Stock (or at the option of the Company,
such number of one one-thousandths of shares of Preferred Stock) as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock 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 Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event; provided,
however, that the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common
Stock so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be
subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with
Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, however, from and after the time (the
"invalidation time") when any Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, any Rights that are beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring
Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person), (y)
a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or
Associate) who becomes a transferee after the invalidation time or
(z) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or
Associate) who became a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the invalidation time pursuant to either (I) a transfer from the
Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities or to any
Person with whom it has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer
which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of
avoiding the provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent
transferees of such Persons, shall be void without any further
action and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any provision
of this Agreement. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied
with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right
Certificates or other Person as a result of its determination or
its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
From and after the invalidation time, no Right Certificate shall be
issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents
Rights that are or have become void pursuant tograph, and any Right
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights
that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this
paragraph shall be canceled. From and after the occurrence of an
event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that
theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section
11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with
Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) The Company may at its option substitute for a share of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance
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with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) such number or fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock having an aggregate current market value
equal to the current per share market price of a share of Common
Stock. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock 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 Board of Directors shall, to the
extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then
in effect to which the Company is a party (A) determine the excess
of (1) the value of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of a Right in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) (the "Current Value") over (2) the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of shares of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to the time that the Acquiring Person became such (such excess, the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)), make
adequate provision to substitute for the shares of Common Stock
issuable in accordance with subparagraph (ii) upon exercise of the
Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) shares of Preferred Stock or
other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock which,
by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights
substantially comparable to those of the shares of Common Stock,
are deemed in good faith by the Board of Directors to have
substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such
shares of Preferred Stock and shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having a value
which, when added to the value of the shares of Common Stock
actually issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any
reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has
been determined by the Board of Directors upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good
faith by the Board of Directors; provided, however, if the Company
shall not make adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to
clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the date that
the Acquiring Person became such (the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the
extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then
in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the surrehout
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available), and then, if necessary, such number or
fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (to the extent available)
and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an
aggregate value equal to the Spread. If, upon the date any Person
-15-
becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors shall determine
in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares
of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in
full of the Rights, then, if the Board of Directors so elects, the
thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional
shares (such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is
herein called the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the
Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
second and/or third sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and
the last sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, that such
action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of
the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to such second sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the current per share
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)) on the
Section 11(a)(ithe per share or fractional value of any "Common
Stock equivalent" shall be deemed to equal the current per share
market price of the Common Stock. The Board of Directors of the
Company may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to
allocate the right to receive shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Stock ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per share of
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Sec-
tion 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of
-16-
Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent
preferred shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number
of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the con-
vertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock
and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price
may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent. Shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares owned
by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in
the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (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 Stock) or subscription rights or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior
to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator
of which shall be such current per share market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Stock; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares
of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right.
-17-
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) Except as otherwise provided herein, 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 (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible
into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of 30
Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share
market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current
market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price
for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by 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 report-
ing 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 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, if the
Preferred Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market price"
of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method
set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly
traded but the Common Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share
-18-
market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be
the current per share market price of the Common Stock as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) multiplied by one thousand (appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transac-
tion occurring after the date hereof). If neither the Common Stock nor
the Preferred Stock is publicly 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 ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or
share of Common Stock or other share or security as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of
(i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise
any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other
than the Preferred Stock, thereafter the Purchase Price and the number
of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of a 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 Stock contained in Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(e), 11(h),
11(i) and 11(m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14
hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to
any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right
to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further
adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase
Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
-19-
(calculated to the nearest one ten- thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths
of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to such adjustment by
(y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of
the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Pur-
chase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the
Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall
be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to
the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price
in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to
adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the
adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to
be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price
is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company may, 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 distributed
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for
herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase
Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
-20-
Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Stock or other shares of capital stock 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 shares of
Preferred Stock or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date
for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right
exercised after such record date of the Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due
xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 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 consolidation or subdivision
of the Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly
for cash or Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock or issuance of
rights, options or warrants referred to herein above in Section 11(b),
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall
not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend payable in
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of Common Stock, then in
any such case, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common
Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter
-21-
associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such
event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence
of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence
of such event.
(o) The Company agrees that, after the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as permitted by
Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take)
any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 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 Common Stock or the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 25 hereof (if so required under Section 25 hereof).
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate
and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earnings Power. (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
any Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall merge with
and into any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or any Person shall 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 Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or of
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 upon the first
occurrence of such event, proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each
holder of record of a Right (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable (whether or not such Right was then
-22-
exercisable) immediately prior to the time that any Person first became an
Acquiring Person (each as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant to
Sections 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m)), in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as defined herein) not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the time that
any Person first became an Acquiring Person (as subsequently adjusted
thereafter pursuant to Sections 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and
11(m)) and (2) dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided, that the Purchase Price
and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party issuable
upon exercise of each Right shall be further adjusted as provided in Section
11(f) of this Agreement to reflect any events occurring in respect of such
Principal Party after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (B) such Principal Party 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; (C) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party;
and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of Common
Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided, that, upon the subsequent occurrence of
any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common
Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant
to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be
necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with
the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or
(ii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that
is the issuer of the securities into which the shares of Common Stock
are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than
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one such issuer, the issuer the shares of Common Stock of which have the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (B) if no
securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the
merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than
one such Person, the Person the shares of Common Stock of which have the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the
Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the
merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company
if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii)
of the first sentence in Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the
party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each
Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the
same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred or if the
Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons as is the issuer of
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time
or has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and if such Person is a direct or
indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has
been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of
more than one Person, the Common Stock of all of which is and has been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such
Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market
value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or
indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not
owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in
clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners having an
interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a
Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in
each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such
interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the
Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements
of Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance
with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this
Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant
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to Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable
after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal
Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the earlier of the close of business on the
Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, and similarly comply with
applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or
admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock
Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause the
Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be
reported by such other system then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under
the Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or
preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party
subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to a
transaction referred to in this Section 13 has provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or
other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have
the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to
holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section
13, shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then
current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock of
such Principal Party at less than such then current market price, or (ii)
providing for any special payment, tax or similar provision in connection
with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the
provisions of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with
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each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction
unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the
provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been cancelled,
waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so
that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after a Person first becomes an Acquiring Person, enter into any
transaction of the type contemplated by clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section
13(a) hereof if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or
other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which
would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer of other son who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (z) the form or nature
of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the
exercisability of the Rights.
(f) In no event shall the Rights Agent have any liability in
respect of any such Principal Party transactions, including, without
limitation, the property thereof. The Rights Agent may rely and be fully
protected in relying upon a certificate of the Company stating that the
provisions of this Section 13 have been fulfilled. Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, the prior written consent of the Rights
Agent must be obtained in connection with any supplemental agreement which
alters the rights or duties of the Rights Agent.
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
-26-
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted
price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices
in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system
then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by
a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker
is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be
used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of
Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by de-
positary 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 Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, 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 share of Preferred Stock. For the purposes
of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a share of Preferred Stock
shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on his
own behalf and for his own benefit, may enforce, and may institute and
-27-
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 (or, prior to the Distribution Date, such Common
Stock) 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 Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer;
(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 Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any nota-
tions of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the Common
Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any
holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any
of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order
promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority prohibiting or otherwise
restraining performance of such obligation; provided that the Company must
use its reasonable best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling
lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
-28-
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 (except as provided in this Agreement), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance
with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) The Company agrees
to pay to the Rights Agent such compensation as shall be agreed to in writing
between the Company and the Rights Agent 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
(whether asserted by the Company, a holder of a Right or any other Person)
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability
arising therefrom, directly or indirectly. The provisions of this Section
18(a) shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this
Agreement.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, instruction,
direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed and executed by the proper
Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent. (a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or
any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
-29-
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 either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) 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 expressly imposed by this Agreement, and no
implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the
Rights Agent, upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel of its
selection (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 of Directors, the President, any
Vice President, the Treasurer, the Controller 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.
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(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 Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 and 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 the Rights Agent's actual receipt of a certificate
furnished pursuant to Section 12, describing such change or adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation
or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of
Preferred Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of
Preferred Stock or other securities will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable, nor shall the
Rights Agent be responsible for the legality of the terms hereof in its
capacity as an administrative agent.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as
may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or
performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder
from any person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Chief Financial
Officer or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers
for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered 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
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Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the
option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the
date on 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 officer of the Company actually receives such application,
unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier
date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written
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 thereof.
(j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the
form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify
the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof), a Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect
to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the
Company.
(k) 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 reasonable assured to it.
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(l) The Company agrees to give the Rights Agent prompt written
notice, as soon as reasonably practicable, of any event or ownership
which would prohibit the exercise or transfer of the Right Certificates.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under
this Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or
certified 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
Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified 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 Rights Agent
or registered holder of any Right Certificate may, at the reasonable expense
of the Company, apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the ap-
pointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State thereof,
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. After appointment,
the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights,
duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time
held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the
effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof
in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the
Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, 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 forms 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
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Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following
the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common Stock
so issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options, (ii) under
any employee plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a
contractual obligation of the Company in each case existing prior to the
Distribution Date, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at any time prior to such time as any Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (the redemption price being hereinafter referred to as 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. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the current market price of
the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 (or
at such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the
effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice (with simultaneous
written notice to the Rights Agent) of any such redemption; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall
not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights (or
such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the effectiveness
of such redemption), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the
holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemp-
tion shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will
be made.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors
of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person first becomes
an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and
exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
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pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof and subject to adjustment as set
forth in clause (c) below (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
(1) any Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of shares of
Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding or (2) the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a)
hereof.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by
the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice (with
simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent) 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 shall promptly
mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of the Rights so
exchanged 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
shares of Common Stock 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 the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24,
the Company may, in its discretion, take such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights. In the event that the Company shall determine not to take such
action or shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take such action as
may be necessary to authorize such additional shares of Common Stock, the
Company shall substitute, to the extent of such insufficiency, for each share
of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a
number of shares of Preferred Stock or fractions thereof (or equivalent
preferred shares as such term is defined in Section 11(b)) having an
aggregate current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) equal to the current per share market price of one share of
Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) as of the date of
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issuance of such shares of Preferred Stock or fractions thereof (or
equivalent preferred shares).
(d) The Company shall not, in connection with any exchange
pursuant to this Section 24, be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with
regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be
issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph
(d), the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of a share of Common Stock (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 at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock
Acquisition Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any
class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution
to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or
warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred
Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Company, or (v) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, 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 liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of
any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of
such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior
to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred
Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13
shall occur then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent (or if occurring
prior to the Distribution Date, the holders of the Common Stock) in
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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) and Section 13 hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
The Bank of New York
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Equity Tender and Exchange 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. Except as otherwise
provided in this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable,
the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent
shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights.
At any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 27, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if
the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order to (i) cure any
ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii)
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) change or supplement
the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary
or desirable; provided, that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and no
such amendment may cause the rights again to become redeemable or cause the
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Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this
sentence. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the
Redemption Price. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any
time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this
Agreement to lower the 15% thresholds set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to
not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage
of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially
owned by any Person (other than any Exempt Person) and (ii) 10%. Upon the
delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this Section, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Rights Agent's
consent must be obtained regarding any amendment or supplement pursuant to
this Section 27 which alters the Rights Agent's rights or duties.
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 other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders
of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common
Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement or applicable to 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 and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of New Jersey and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts
to be made and performed entirely within such State (without regard to any
principles of conflicts of law of such State), provided, however, that the
rights and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (without regard to any
principles of conflicts of law of such State).
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
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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.
[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
XXXXXXXXX-XXXX COMPANY
By /S/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President and General Counsel
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Rights Agent
By /S/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
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