PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL
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SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of
May 21, 1998
between
STERLING BANCORP
and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
AS RIGHTS AGENT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
Article I
Certain Definitions
1.1 Certain Definitions......................................................................... 1
Article II
The Rights
2.1 Summary of Rights........................................................................... 6
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates......................................................... 6
2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights.................................................... 6
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights............................................. 8
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective......................................................... 9
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates....................... 9
2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange......................................... 10
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates................................... 10
2.9 Persons Deemed Owners....................................................................... 11
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates................................................... 11
2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders................................................................. 11
Article III
Adjustments to the Rights in
the Event of Certain Transactions
3.1 Flip-in..................................................................................... 12
3.2 Flip-over................................................................................... 14
Article IV
The Rights Agent
4.1 General..................................................................................... 14
4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent................................... 15
4.3 Duties of Rights Agent...................................................................... 15
4.4 Change of Rights Agent...................................................................... 17
Article V
Miscellaneous
5.1 Redemption.................................................................................. 18
5.2 Expiration.................................................................................. 18
5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates......................................................... 18
Section Page
5.4 Supplements and Amendments.................................................................. 18
5.5 Fractional Shares........................................................................... 19
5.6 Rights of Action............................................................................ 19
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder................................................... 19
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions.................................................................. 19
5.9 Notices..................................................................................... 20
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability................................................................ 20
5.11 Costs of Enforcement........................................................................ 20
5.12 Successors.................................................................................. 21
5.13 Benefits of this Agreement.................................................................. 21
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.................................... 21
5.15 Descriptive Headings........................................................................ 21
5.16 Governing Law............................................................................... 21
5.17 Counterparts................................................................................ 21
5.18 Severability................................................................................ 21
Exhibits
Exhibit A Form of Rights Certificate (Together with Form of Election to Exercise)
Exhibit B Form of Certificate of Amendment
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SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of May 21, 1998 (as
amended from time to time, this "Agreement"), between Sterling Bancorp, a New
York corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.,
a New Jersey limited liability company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent",
which term shall include any successor Rights Agent hereunder).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (a) authorized and
declared a dividend of one right ("Right") in respect of each share of Common
Stock (as hereinafter defined) held of record as of the close of business on
June 15, 1998 (the "Record Time") and (b) as provided in Section 2.4, authorized
the issuance of one Right in respect of each share of Common Stock issued after
the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and,
to the extent provided in Section 5.3, each share of Common Stock issued after
the Separation Time;
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Right
entitles the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase securities
or assets of the Company (or, in certain cases, securities of certain other
entities) pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act on
behalf of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing so to act, in connection
with the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as
hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to
herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective
agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following
terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who is a Beneficial Owner of
20% or more of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock; provided, however, that
the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person (a) who shall become
the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock
solely as a result of an acquisition by the Company of shares of Voting Stock,
until such time thereafter as any of such Persons shall become the Beneficial
Owner (other than by means of a stock dividend or stock split) of any additional
shares of Voting Stock, (b) who shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more
of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock but who acquired Beneficial Ownership
of shares of Common Stock without any plan or intention to seek or affect
control of the Company, if such Person promptly enters into an irrevocable
commitment promptly to divest, and thereafter promptly divests (without
exercising or retaining any power, including voting power, with respect to such
shares), sufficient shares of Voting Stock (or securities convertible into,
exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock) so that such Person ceases to
be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock
or (c) who Beneficially Owns shares of Voting Stock consisting solely of one or
more of (1) shares of Voting Stock Beneficially Owned pursuant to the grant or
exercise of an option granted to such Person (an "Option Holder") by the Company
in connection with an agreement to merge with, or acquire, the Company entered
into prior to a Flip-in Date, (2) shares of Voting Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Voting Stock),
Beneficially Owned by such Option Holder or its Affiliates or Associates at the
time of grant of such option, (3) shares of Voting Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Voting Stock) acquired by
Affiliates or Associates of such Option Holder after the time of such grant
that, in the aggregate, amount to less than 1% of the outstanding shares of
Voting Stock and (4) shares of Voting Stock (or securities convertible into,
exchangeable into or exercisable for Voting Stock) that are held by such Person
in trust accounts, managed accounts and the like or otherwise held in a
fiduciary capacity, that are beneficially owned by third persons who are not
Affiliates or Associates of such Person or acting together with such Person to
hold such shares, or which are held by such Person in respect of a debt
previously contracted. In addition, the Company, any wholly-owned Subsidiary of
the Company and any employee stock ownership or other employee benefit plan of
the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company shall not be an
Acquiring Person.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, as such Rule is in effect on
the date of this Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", and to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, and to Beneficially Own", any securities as to which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is or may be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of pursuant to Rule 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the
Exchange Act, as such Rules are in effect on the date of this Agreement as well
as any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has the right to become Beneficial Owner (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of
conditions) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or to have "Beneficial Ownership" of, or to
"Beneficially Own", any security (a) solely because such security has been
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered security is accepted
for payment or exchange or (b) solely because such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates has or shares the power to vote or direct the
voting of such security pursuant to a revocable proxy given in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made to more than ten holders of shares of
a class of stock of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act
and pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
under the Exchange Act, except if such power (or the arrangements relating
thereto) is then reportable under Item 6 of Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act
(or any similar provision of a comparable or successor report). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no officer or director of the Company shall be deemed to
Beneficially Own any securities of any other Person by virtue of any actions
such officer or director takes in such capacity. For purposes of this Agreement,
in determining the percentage of the outstanding shares of Common
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Stock with respect to which a Person is the Beneficial Owner, all shares as to
which such Person is deemed the Beneficial Owner shall be deemed outstanding.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in The City of New York or the community in
which the principal office of the Rights Agent is located are generally
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
"close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m. New York
City time on such date, (or if such date is not a Business Day, 5:00 p.m. New
York City time on the next succeeding Business Day).
"Common Stock" shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $1.00
per share, of the Company.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
Exchange Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise the
Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 3.1(c) hereof.
"Exercise Price" shall mean, as of any date, the price at which a
holder may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right.
Until adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price
shall equal $100.00.
"Expiration Time" shall mean the earliest of (a) the Exchange Time, (b)
the Redemption Time, (c) the close of business on the tenth anniversary of the
Record Time and (d) immediately prior to the effective time of a consolidation,
merger or share exchange of the Company (1) into another Person or (2) with
another Person in which the Company is the surviving corporation but Common
Stock is converted into cash and/or securities of another Person, in either case
pursuant to an agreement entered into by the Company prior to a Stock
Acquisition Date.
"Flip-in Date" shall mean the tenth business day after any Stock
Acquisition Date or such earlier or later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Flip-in
Date that would otherwise have occurred.
"Flip-over Entity", for purposes of Section 3.2, shall mean (a) in the
case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event described in clause (a) of the
definition thereof, the Person issuing any securities into which shares of
Common Stock are being converted or exchanged and, if no such securities are
being issued, the other party to such Flip-over Transaction or Event and (b) in
the case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event referred to in clause (b) of the
definition thereof, the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or
earning power being transferred in such Flip-over Transaction or Event, provided
that, in all cases if such Person is a subsidiary of a corporation, the parent
corporation shall be the Flip-Over Entity.
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"Flip-over Stock" shall mean the capital stock (or similar equity
interest) with the greatest voting power in respect of the election of directors
(or other persons similarly responsible for direction of the business and
affairs) of the Flip-Over Entity.
"Flip-over Transaction or Event" shall mean a transaction or series of
transactions after a Flip-in Date in which, directly or indirectly, (a) the
Company shall consolidate or merge or participate in a share exchange with any
other Person if, at the time of the consolidation, merger or share exchange or
at the time the Company enters into any agreement with respect to any such
consolidation, merger or share exchange, the Acquiring Person controls the Board
of Directors of the Company and either (1) any term of or arrangement concerning
the treatment of shares of capital stock in such consolidation, merger or share
exchange relating to the Acquiring Person is not identical to the terms and
arrangements relating to other holders of the Common Stock or (2) the Person
with whom the transaction or series of transactions occurs is the Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of the Acquiring Person or (b) the Company
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer) assets (1) aggregating more than 50% of the assets
(measured by either book value or fair market value) or (2) generating more than
50% of the operating income or cash flow, of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any Person (other than the Company or one or more of its
wholly owned Subsidiaries) or to two or more such Persons that are Affiliates or
Associates or otherwise acting in concert, if, at the time of the entry by the
Company (or any such Subsidiary) into an agreement with respect to such sale or
transfer of assets, the Acquiring Person controls the Board of Directors of the
Company. An Acquiring Person shall be deemed to control the Company's Board of
Directors when, following a Flip-in Date, the persons who were directors of the
Company before the Flip-in Date (or persons nominated and/or appointed as
directors by vote of a majority of such persons) shall cease to constitute a
majority of the Company's Board of Directors.
"Market Price" per share of any securities on any date shall mean the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such securities (determined as
described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and
including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date; provided, however,
that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section
2.4 hereof shall have caused the closing prices used to determine the Market
Price on any Trading Days during such period of 20 Trading Days not to be fully
comparable with the closing price on such date, each such closing price so used
shall be appropriately adjusted in order to make it fully comparable with the
closing price on such date. The closing price per share of any securities on any
date shall be the last reported sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place or is quoted on such date, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, for each share of such securities, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc., as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the securities are listed or admitted to trading
or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, as reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System or such other system then in use, or,
if on any such date the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange or quoted by any such organization, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
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by a professional market maker making a market in the securities selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that, if on any such date
the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a national securities
exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market, the closing price per share
of such securities on such date shall mean the fair value per share of
securities on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company, after consultation with a nationally recognized investment banking
firm, and set forth in a certificate delivered to the Rights Agent.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, association,
group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, as such Rule
is in effect on the date of this Agreement), corporation or other entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean the series of Preferred Stock, par value
$5.00 per share, of the Company created by a Certificate of Amendment in
substantially the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto appropriately completed.
"Redemption Price" shall mean an amount equal to $0.01.
"Redemption Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise
the Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof.
"Separation Time" shall mean the close of business on the earlier of
(a) the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation
Time that would otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person
commences a tender or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in such
Person's becoming an Acquiring Person and (b) the Flip-in Date; provided that,
if the foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time,
the Separation Time shall be the Record Time; and provided further that, if any
tender or exchange offer referred to in clause (a) of this definition is
canceled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time without
the purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such offer shall be
deemed, for purposes of this definition, never to have been made.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company (by any means) that an Acquiring Person has become
such.
"Subsidiary" of any specified Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the equity securities or
a majority of the equity interest is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly,
by such Person.
"Trading Day", when used with respect to any securities, shall mean a
day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for the transaction of
business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc., a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
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"Voting Stock" shall mean the shares of capital stock of the Company
entitled to vote generally in the election of the directors of the Company
(including the Common Stock).
ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
2.1 Summary of Rights. As soon as practicable after the Record Time,
the Company will mail a letter summarizing the terms of the Rights to each
holder of record of Common Stock as of the Record Time, at such holder's address
as shown by the records of the Company.
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates. Certificates for the Common
Stock issued after the Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall
evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to
below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of May 21,
1998 (as such may be amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"),
between Sterling Bancorp (the "Company") and ChaseMellon Shareholder
Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent, the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances,
as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be redeemed, may
become exercisable for securities or assets of the Company or of another
entity, may be exchanged for shares of Common Stock or other securities or
assets of the Company, may expire, may become void (if they are
"Beneficially Owned" by an "Acquiring Person" or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof, as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement, or by any
transferee of any of the foregoing) or may be evidenced by separate
certificates and may no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The
Company will mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Rights
Agreement to the holder of this certificate without charge after the
receipt of a written request therefor.
Certificates representing shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding
at the Record Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock
evidenced thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend.
2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights. (a) Subject to Sections
3.1, 5.1 and 5.10 and subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will
entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time and prior to the
Expiration Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock.
(b) Until the Separation Time, (1) no Right may be exercised and (2)
each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated share of
Common Stock (together, in the case of certificates issued prior to the Record
Time, with the letter mailed to the record
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holder thereof pursuant to Section 2.1) and will be transferable only together
with, and will be transferred by a transfer (whether with or without such
letter) of, such associated share.
(c) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, after the Separation
Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights (1) may be exercised and (2)
may be transferred independent of shares of Common Stock. Promptly following the
Separation Time, the Rights Agent will mail to each holder of record of Common
Stock as of the Separation Time (other than any Person whose Rights have become
void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)), at such holder's address as shown by the
records of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such
records to the Rights Agent for this purpose), (A) a certificate (a "Rights
Certificate") in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto appropriately
completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder at the
Separation Time and having such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any national securities
exchange or quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed
or traded, or to conform to usage, and (B) a disclosure statement describing the
Rights.
(d) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Rights may be exercised
on any Business Day after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time
by submitting to the Rights Agent the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights
with an Election to Exercise (an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the
form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed, accompanied by payment
in cash, or by certified or official bank check or money order payable to the
order of the Company, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax
or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for shares or depositary receipts (or both) in a name other than
that of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
(e) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, with an Election to Exercise
accompanied by payment as set forth in Section 2.3(d), and subject to the terms
and conditions hereof, the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly (1)(A)
requisition from a transfer agent stock certificates evidencing such number of
shares or other securities to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizing its transfer agents to comply with all such requisitions) and (B) if
the Company elects pursuant to Section 5.5 not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares, requisition from the depositary selected by the
Company depositary receipts representing the fractional shares to be purchased
or requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 5.5 and (2) after receipt of such
certificates, depositary receipts and/or cash, deliver the same to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered (in the
case of certificates or depositary receipts) in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder.
(f) In case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent
to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
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(g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized,
executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable; (ii) take all
such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with
the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; and (iii) pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates or of any shares issued upon the exercise of Rights, provided that
the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares in a
name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised.
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights. (a) (1) In the
event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the
Separation Time (A) declare or pay a dividend on Common Stock payable in Common
Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (C) combine the outstanding
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, (x) the Exercise
Price in effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of shares of
Common Stock (the "Expansion Factor") that a holder of one share of Common Stock
immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision or combination would hold
thereafter as a result thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such adjustment
will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and the
adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be distributed among the shares of
Common Stock with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they
remain outstanding) and the shares issued in respect of such dividend, subdivi-
sion or combination, so that each such share of Common Stock will have exactly
one Right associated with it. Each adjustment made pursuant to this Section
2.4(a)(1) shall be made as of the payment or effective date for the applicable
dividend, subdivision or combination.
(2) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time
and prior to the Separation Time issue any shares of Common Stock otherwise than
in a transaction referred to in Section 2.4(a)(1), each such share of Common
Stock so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which
Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such share. To the
extent provided in Section 5.3, Rights shall be issued by the Company in respect
of shares of Common Stock that are issued or sold by the Company after the
Separation Time.
(b) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time
and prior to the Separation Time issue or distribute any securities or assets in
respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock (other than pursuant to a
regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid solely in Common Stock)
whether by dividend, in a reclassification or recapitalization (including any
such transaction involving a merger, consolidation or share exchange), or
otherwise, the Company shall make such adjustments, if any, in the Exercise
Price, number of Rights and/or securities or other property purchasable upon
exercise of Rights as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole
discretion, may deem to be appropriate under the
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circumstances in order to adequately protect the interests of the holders of
Rights generally, and the Company and the Rights Agent shall amend this
Agreement as necessary to provide for such adjustments.
(c) Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section
2.4 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the
Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.4, the Company shall (1)
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment and (2) promptly file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy of
such certificate.
(d) Rights certificates shall represent the securities purchasable
under the terms of this Agreement, including any adjustment or change in the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, even though such
certificates may continue to express the securities purchasable at the time of
issuance of the initial Rights Certificates.
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective. Each person in whose name any
certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all
purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares represented
thereby on the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was
duly surrendered and payment of the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any
applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder
hereunder) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed,
such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which
the stock transfer books of the Company are open.
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights
Certificates. (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chief Executive Officer or one of its Vice Presidents, under its
corporate seal reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or one of its
Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights
Certificates may be manual or facsimile.
(b) Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights
Certificates.
(c) Promptly after the Separation Time, the Company will notify the
Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates
executed by the Company to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and, subject
to Section 3.1(b), the Rights Agent shall manually countersign and deliver such
Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.3(c)
hereof. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent.
(d) Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature
thereof.
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2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. (a) (1) After
the Separation Time, the Company will cause to be kept a register (the "Rights
Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the Company will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights
Agent is hereby appointed "Rights Registrar" for the purpose of maintaining the
Rights Register for the Company and registering Rights and transfers of Rights
after the Separation Time as herein provided. In the event that the Rights Agent
shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to
examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times after the Separation Time.
(2) After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon
surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate,
and subject to the provisions of Section 2.7(c) and (d), the Company will
execute, and the Rights Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the
holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the
holder's instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same
aggregate number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.1(b), all Rights issued
upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be
the valid obligations of the Company, and such Rights shall be entitled to the
same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such
registration of transfer or exchange.
(c) Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer
or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Rights Agent, as the case
may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder's attorney duly
authorized in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights
Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Company may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto.
(d) The Company shall not be required to register the transfer or
exchange of any Rights after such Rights have become void under Section 3.1(b),
been exchanged under Section 3.1(c) or been redeemed under Section 5.1.
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates. (a) If
any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the
Expiration Time, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1, the Company
shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange
therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did
the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Rights Agent
prior to the Expiration Time (1) evidence to their satisfaction of the
destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (2) such security or
indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any of their
agents harmless, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1 and in the
absence of notice to the Company or the Rights Agent that such Rights
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall
execute and upon its request the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in
lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights
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Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as
did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under
this Section 2.8, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation
thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights
Agent) connected therewith.
(d) Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.8 in
lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an
original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the
destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by
anyone, and, subject to Section 3.1(b) shall be entitled to all the benefits of
this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly
issued hereunder.
2.9 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock
certificate) for registration of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any
agent of the Company or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name such Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, such Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, including the payment of the
Redemption Price, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected
by any notice to the contrary. As used in this Agreement, unless the context
otherwise requires, the term "holder" of any Rights shall mean the registered
holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated shares
of Common Stock).
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates. All Rights Certificates
surrendered upon exercise or for registration of transfer or exchange shall, if
surrendered to any person other than the Rights Agent, be delivered to the
Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly canceled by the Rights Agent.
The Company may at any time deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation any
Rights Certificates previously countersigned and delivered hereunder which the
Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates
so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Rights Agent. No Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights
Certificates canceled as provided in this Section 2.10, except as expressly
permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall destroy all canceled Rights
Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the Company.
2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of Rights by accepting
the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with
every other holder of Rights that:
(a) Prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only
together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated
share of Common Stock;
(b) After the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be
transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein;
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(c) Prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) for registration
of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Company or
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor
the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary;
(d) Rights beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under the
circumstances set forth in Section 3.1(b), become void; and
(e) This Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time
pursuant to Section 2.4(b) or 5.4 hereof.
ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN
THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in. (a) In the event that prior to the Expiration Time a
Flip-in Date shall occur, except as provided in this Section 3.1, each Right
shall constitute the right to purchase from the Company, upon exercise thereof
in accordance with the terms hereof (but subject to Section 5.10), that number
of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Market Price on the Stock
Acquisition Date equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal
to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to
protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally in the event that on or
after such Stock Acquisition Date an event of a type analogous to any of the
events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to
the Common Stock).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Rights that are or were
Beneficially Owned on or after the Stock Acquisition Date by an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any transferee, direct or indirect,
of any of the foregoing shall become void and any holder of such Rights
(including transferees) shall thereafter have no right to exercise or transfer
such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. If any Rights Certificate is
presented for assignment or exercise and the Person presenting the same will not
complete the certification set forth at the end of the form of assignment or
notice of election to exercise and provide such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner and its Affiliates and Associates (or former
Beneficial Owners and their Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall
reasonably request, then the Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the
Beneficial Owner thereof to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the
Rights evidenced thereby to be void and not transferable or exercisable.
(c) (1) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, to
the extent permitted by applicable law, at any time after a Flip-in Date, elect
to exchange all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
3.1(b)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of
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holders of Rights generally in the event that after the Separation Time an event
of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b)
shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such exchange ratio, as
adjusted from time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
(2) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company electing to exchange the Rights, without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right
(other than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) will
thereafter represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors electing to exchange the Rights, the Company shall give notice thereof
(specifying the steps to be taken to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange
for Rights) to the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights (other than Rights
that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) outstanding immediately prior
thereto by mailing such notice in accordance with Section 5.9.
(3) Each Person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon
the exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1(c) or Section 3.1(d) shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment
of any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the holder was
made; provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the stock
transfer books of the Company are open.
(d) Whenever the Company shall become obligated under Section 3.1(a) or
(c) to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in exchange for Rights,
the Company, at its option, may substitute therefor shares of Preferred Stock,
at a ratio of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock for each share of
Common Stock so issuable.
(e) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company
to permit the exercise or exchange in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(a) or (c), and the Company elects not to, or is otherwise unable to,
make the exchange referred to in Section 3.1(c), the Company shall either (1)
call a meeting of shareholders seeking approval to cause sufficient additional
shares to be authorized (provided that, if such approval is not obtained, the
Company will take the action specified in clause (2) of this sentence) or (2)
take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide, to the extent
permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on the
Stock Acquisition Date to which it is a party, that each Right shall thereafter
constitute the right to receive, (A) at the Company's option, either (x) in
return for the Exercise Price, debt or equity securities or other assets (or a
combination thereof) having a fair value equal to twice the Exercise Price, or
(y) without payment of consideration (except as otherwise required by applicable
law), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination thereof)
having a fair value equal to the Exercise Price, or (B) if the Board of
Directors of the Company elects to exchange the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(c), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination
thereof) having a fair value equal to the product of
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the Market Price of a share of Common Stock on the Flip-in Date times the
Exchange Ratio in effect on the Flip-in Date, where in any case set forth in (A)
or (B) above the fair value of such debt or equity securities or other assets
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
after consultation with a nationally recognized investment banking firm.
3.2 Flip-over. (a) Prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall not
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event unless and until it shall have entered into a
supplemental agreement with the Flip-over Entity, for the benefit of the holders
of the Rights, providing that, upon consummation or occurrence of the Flip-over
Transaction or Event (1) each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to
purchase from the Flip-over Entity, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the
terms hereof, that number of shares of Flip-over Stock of the Flip-over Entity
having an aggregate Market Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of
such Flip-over Transaction or Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an
amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately
adjusted in order to protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally in
the event that after such date of consummation or occurrence an event of a type
analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have
occurred with respect to the Flip-over Stock) and (2) the Flip-over Entity shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-over
Transaction or Event and such supplemental agreement, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement. The provisions of this Section
3.2 shall apply to successive Flip-over Transactions or Events.
(b) Prior to the Expiration Time, unless the Rights will be redeemed
pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof in connection therewith, the Company shall not
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event if at the time thereof there are any rights,
warrants or securities outstanding or any other arrangements, agreements or
instruments that would eliminate or otherwise diminish in any material respect
the benefits intended to be afforded by this Rights Agreement to the holders of
Rights upon consummation of such transaction.
ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General. (a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as
agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and
the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company shall indemnify Rights Agent for, and hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability, claim or expense ("Loss") arising out of or in
connection with its duties under this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending itself against any Loss, unless such Loss shall have been
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a result of Rights Agent's
gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
The obligations of the Company under this section shall survive the
termination of this Agreement
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(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 certificate for
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights, Rights Certificate, certificate
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power
of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons.
4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. (a) Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder services
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time
such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any
of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates will have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at
such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
4.3 Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and
obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions,
by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel will be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved
or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be the
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Chief Executive Officer or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company
and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith
by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. In no case will Rights Agent be
liable for special, indirect, incidental or consquential loss or damages of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if Rights
Agent has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Any liability of
Rights Agent will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company
hereunder.
(d) The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
certificates for securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or the Rights
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any certificate for securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights or Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the
exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to
Section 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 2.4, 3.1 or 3.2 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after
receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.4 describing any such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or any Rights or as to whether
any securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights will, when issued, be duly
and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chief Executive Officer or any
Executive Vice President or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such
persons for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such person.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Stock, Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as
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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 will not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
4.4 Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may resign and be
discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 90 days' notice (or such
lesser notice as is acceptable to the Company) in writing mailed to the Company
and to each transfer agent of Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified
mail, and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. If the
Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of
acting, the Company will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company
fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights (which
holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Rights may apply to any court
of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or of the State of New York or any other state of the United States, in
good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise the powers of the
Rights Agent contemplated by this Agreement and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent shareholder's equity of at least $50,000,000, or an
affiliate of such a corporation. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent
will be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if
it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but
the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company will file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders of the
Rights. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4, however, or
any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation
or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent,
as the case may be.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, elect to
redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price, and the Company, at its
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option, may pay the Redemption Price either in cash or shares of Common Stock or
other securities of the Company deemed by the Board of Directors, in the
exercise of its sole discretion, to be at least equivalent in value to the
Redemption Price.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company electing to redeem the Rights (or, if the resolution of the Board of
Directors electing to redeem the Rights states that the redemption will not be
effective until the occurrence of a specified future time or event, upon the
occurrence of such future time or event), without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right will
thereafter represent only the right to receive the Redemption Price in cash or
securities, as determined by the Board of Directors. Promptly after the Rights
are redeemed, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights
Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice in
accordance with Section 5.9.
5.2 Expiration. The Rights and this Agreement shall expire at the
Expiration Time and no Person shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement
or any Right after the Expiration Time, except, if the Rights are exchanged or
redeemed, as provided in Section 3.1 or 5.1, respectively.
5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the number or kind or class of shares of stock purchasable upon exercise of
Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock by the Company
following the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time pursuant to the
terms of securities convertible or redeemable into shares of Common Stock or to
options, in each case issued or granted prior to, and outstanding at, the
Separation Time, the Company shall issue to the holders of such shares of Common
Stock, Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with the issuance or sale of such shares of Common Stock; provided,
however, in each case, (a) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued, if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or to the Person to whom such Rights Certificates would be issued, (b)
no such Rights Certificates shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall have otherwise been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof, and (c) the Company shall have no obligation to distribute Rights
Certificates to any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or any transferee of any of the foregoing.
5.4 Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Rights Agent may
from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights (a) prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, in any
respect and (b) after the close of business on the Flip-in Date, to make any
changes that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally or
in order to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein that may be inconsistent with any other provisions herein or
otherwise defective. The Rights Agent shall duly execute and deliver any
supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company which satisfies the
terms of the preceding sentence.
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5.5 Fractional Shares. If the Company elects not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares upon exercise or redemption of Rights, the
Company shall, in lieu thereof, in the sole discretion of the Board of
Directors, either (a) evidence such fractional shares by depositary receipts
issued pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it, providing that each holder of a depositary receipt shall have
all of the rights, privileges and preferences to which such holder would be
entitled as a beneficial owner of such fractional share, or (b) pay to the
registered holder of such Rights the appropriate fraction of the Market Price
per share in cash.
5.6 Rights of Action. Subject to the terms of this Agreement (including
Section 3.1(b) and 5.14), rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other
than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested in the
respective holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights, without the
consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on such
holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit and the benefit of other
holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such
holder's right to exercise such holder's Rights in the manner provided in such
holder's Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of
any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any
purpose the holder of shares or any other securities which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or
in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights,
as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote
for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 5.8 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until such Rights shall have been exercised or exchanged in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions. In case the Company shall propose after
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time (a) to effect or permit a
Flip-over Transaction or Event or (b) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to
each holder of a Right, in accordance with Section 5.9 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the date on which such Flip-over
Transaction or Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place,
and such notice shall be so given at least 20 Business Days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action.
5.9 Notices. (a) Notices or demands authorized or required by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
-19-
Sterling Bancorp
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent
shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the
Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Vice President, Relationship
Management
Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice.
(b) Failure to give a notice pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement shall not affect the validity of any action taken hereunder.
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability. To the extent that the Company
determines in good faith that some action will or need be taken pursuant to
Section 3.1 or to comply with federal or state securities laws, the Company may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a reasonable period in order to
take such action or comply with such laws. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue as promptly as practicable a public announcement stating
that the exercisability or exchangeability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. Notice thereof pursuant to Section 5.9 shall not be required.
5.11 Costs of Enforcement. The Company agrees that if the Company or
any other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon exercise of Rights
fails to fulfill any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the
Company or such Person will reimburse the holder of any Rights for the costs and
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions to enforce
such holder's rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
5.12 Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by
or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
-20-
5.13 Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement, and this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement. All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of
the Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
5.15 Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings appear herein for con-
venience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any
of the provisions hereof.
5.16 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT ISSUED HEREUNDER
SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
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.
5.17 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
5.18 Severability. If any term or provision hereof or the application
thereof to any circumstance shall, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be
invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be ineffective as to such
jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without
invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining terms and
-21-
provisions hereof or the application of such term or provision to circumstances
other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.
STERLING BANCORP
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President
-22-
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. W- _______ Rights
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION OR MANDATORY EXCHANGE,
AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT. RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ACQUIRING
PERSONS OR AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR TRANSFEREES OF ANY
OF THE FOREGOING WILL BE VOID.
------------------
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
------------------
STERLING BANCORP
This certifies that ____________________________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated
as of May 21, 1998 (as amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"),
between Sterling Bancorp, a New York corporation (the "Company"), and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability
company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent", which term shall include any
successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Company
at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to the close of business on June 14, 2008, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid share of Series E Preferred Stock, par value $5.00
per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company (subject to adjustment as
provided in the Rights Agreement) at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Exercise duly executed at the principal office of the Rights Agent in New
York, New York. The Exercise Price shall initially be $[PRICE] per Right and
shall be subject to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase
securities of an entity other than the Company or securities or assets of the
Company other than Preferred Stock, all as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
A-1
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the
Company and are available without cost upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like
tenor evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of
Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder
shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, each Right evidenced
by this Certificate may be (a) redeemed by the Company under certain
circumstances, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (b)
exchanged by the Company under certain circumstances, at its option, for one
share of Common Stock or one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock per
Right (or, in certain cases, other securities or assets of the Company), subject
in each case to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of any
securities which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall
anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon
the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
A-2
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Date:
-----------------
ATTEST: STERLING BANCORP
By:
------------------------------- ----------------------------
Secretary
Countersigned:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
By:
----------------------------
Authorized Signature
A-3
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer this Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-
named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _______________
Signature Guaranteed:
-------------------------------------------------
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as written
upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or
any change whatsoever)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee Medallion program), pursuant
to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(To be completed, if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------------
Signature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in
connection with a purported assignment, the Company will deem the Beneficial
Owner of the Rights evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
[To be attached to each Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Rights Certificate.)
TO: STERLING BANCORP
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________________
whole Rights represented by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the
shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests
that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
Dated:
------------------------
Signature Guaranteed:
------------------------------------------------
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as written
upon the face of the attached Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to
SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(To be completed, if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of
Rights and shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by the attached
Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never
been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
--------------------------------
Signature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in
connection with a purported exercise, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner
of the Rights evidenced by the attached Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or exercis-
able.
EXHIBIT B
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF THE
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
STERLING BANCORP
Under Section 805 of the Business Corporation Law
--------------
The undersigned, being the _________________________, and __________
_______________ of Sterling Bancorp, a New York corporation (the "Corporation"),
do hereby certify as follows:
1. The name of the Corporation is Sterling Bancorp.
2. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed by the
Department of State of the State of New York on the 6th day of May, 1966.
3. The Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended pursuant to Sections
805 and 502 of the Business Corporation Law by the addition of a new section
four of Article Fifth stating the number, designation, relative rights,
preferences and limitations of a new series of preferred shares as fixed by the
board of directors, which section shall read in its entirety as follows:
Section Four: Preferred Shares Series E
The designations, preferences, privileges and voting power of the
Series E Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share (the "Series E
Preferred Stock") and the restrictions and qualifications thereof as fixed
by the Board of Directors of the Corporation before issuance of such Series
E Preferred Stock, are as follows:
A. Number; Shares Identical.
(1) The number of shares of Series E Preferred Stock authorized shall
initially be _____________, which number may from time to time be increased
or decreased (but not below the number then outstanding) by the Board of
Directors. Shares of Series E Preferred Stock purchased by the Corporation
shall be canceled and shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock undesignated as to series. Shares of Series E Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractional shares, which fractional shares shall
entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional share, to all
rights of a holder of a whole share of Series E Preferred Stock.
(2) Each share of Series E Preferred Stock shall be identical in all
respects with the other shares of Series E Preferred Stock, except as to
the dates from and after which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.
B. Dividends and Distributions.
(1) The holders of full or fractional shares of Series E Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of
Directors, but only out of funds legally available therefor, dividends, (a)
on each date that dividends or other distributions (other than dividends or
distributions payable in Common Stock of the Corporation) are payable on or
in respect of Common Stock comprising part of the Reference Package (as
defined below), in an amount per whole share of Series E Preferred Stock
equal to the aggregate amount of dividends or other distributions (other
than dividends or distributions payable in Common Stock of the Corporation)
that would be payable on such date to a holder of the Reference Package and
(b) on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year, in
an amount per whole share of Series E Preferred Stock equal to the excess
(if any) of $_________* over the aggregate dividends paid per whole share
of Series E Preferred Stock during the three month period ending on such
last day. Each such dividend shall be paid to the holders of record of
shares of Series E Preferred Stock on the date, not exceeding sixty days
preceding such dividend or distribution payment date, fixed for the purpose
by the Board of Directors in advance of payment of each particular dividend
or distribution. Dividends on each full and each fractional share of Series
E Preferred Stock shall be cumulative from the date such full or fractional
share is originally issued; provided that any such full or fractional share
originally issued after a dividend record date and on or prior to the
dividend payment date to which such record date relates shall not be
entitled to receive the dividend payable on such dividend payment date or
any amount in respect of the period from such original issuance to such
dividend payment date.
(2) The term "Reference Package" shall initially mean 100 shares of
Common Stock, par value $1.00 ("Common Stock"), of the Corporation. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after the close of business on
___________, _______** (a) declare or pay a dividend on any Common Stock
payable in Common Stock, (b) subdivide any Common Stock or (c) combine any
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then and in each such case
the Reference Package after such event shall be the Common Stock that a
holder of the Reference Package immediately prior to such event would hold
thereafter as a result thereof.
--------------------
* Insert an amount equal to 1/4 of 1% of the Exercise Price divided by the
number of shares of Series E Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of
one Right.
** For a certificate of amendment relating to shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 2.3 of the Rights Agreement, insert the Separation Time. For a
certificate of designation relating to shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 3.1(d) of the Rights Agreement, insert the Flip-in Date.
B-2
(3) Holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall not be
entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, property or stock, in
excess of full cumulative dividends as herein provided.
(4) So long as any shares of Series E Preferred Stock are outstanding,
no dividend (other than a dividend in Common Stock or in any other stock
ranking junior to Series E Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon
liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or other
distribution declared or made upon the Common Stock or upon any other stock
ranking junior to Series E Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon
liquidation, nor shall any Common Stock nor any other stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with Series E Preferred Stock
as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise
acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available
for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of any such stock) by
the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange for stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to Series E Preferred Stock as to dividends and
upon liquidation), unless, in each case, the full cumulative dividends
(including the dividend to be due upon payment of such dividend,
distribution, redemption, purchase or other acquisition) on all outstanding
shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall have been, or shall
contemporaneously be, paid.
C. Voting Rights.
In addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or
by the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation, each
whole share of Series E Preferred Stock shall, on any matter, vote as a
class with any other capital stock comprising part of the Reference Package
and voting on such matter and shall have the number of votes thereon that a
holder of the Reference Package would have.
D. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(1) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders
of full and fractional shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be
entitled, before any distribution or payment is made on any date to the
holders of the Common Stock or any other stock of the Corporation ranking
junior to Series E Preferred Stock upon liquidation, to be paid in full an
amount per whole share of Series E Preferred Stock equal to the greater of
(a) $_________* or (b) the aggregate amount distributed or to be
distributed prior to such date in connection with such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up to a holder of the Reference Package (such
greater amount being hereinafter referred to as the "Liquidation
Preference"), together with accrued dividends to such distribution or
payment date, whether or not earned or declared. If such payment shall have
been made in full to all holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock, the
holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock as such shall have no right
or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
--------------------
* Insert an amount equal to 100 times the Exercise Price in effect as of the
Separation Time.
B-3
(2) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for
distribution to the holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether
voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all amounts
to which such holders are entitled pursuant to Section D(1), no such
distribution shall be made on account of any shares of any other class or
series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity with the shares of Series E
Preferred Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up unless
proportionate distributive amounts shall be paid on account of the shares
of Series E Preferred Stock, ratably in proportion to the full
distributable amounts for which holders of all such parity shares are
respectively entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
(3) Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, the holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock then
outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of assets of the Corporation
available for distribution to its stockholders all amounts to which such
holders are entitled pursuant to Section D(1) before any payment shall be
made to the holders of Common Stock or any other stock of the Corporation
ranking junior upon liquidation to Series E Preferred Stock.
(4) For the purposes of this Section D, the consolidation or merger
of, or binding share exchange by, the Corporation with any other
corporation shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation.
E. Consolidation, Merger, etc.
In the event of any merger, consolidation, reclassification or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or
changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property,
then in any such case the shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall at the
same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per whole share
equal to the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other
property (payable in kind), as the case may be, that a holder of the
Reference Package would be entitled to receive as a result of such
transaction.
F. No Redemption.
The shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable at the
option of the Corporation or any holder thereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence of this Section, the Corporation may acquire shares of
Series E Preferred Stock in any other manner permitted by law, the
provisions of this Certificate of Amendment and the Certificate of
Incorporation.
4. The foregoing amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation was
authorized by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at a meeting duly held.
B-4
The undersigned hereby affirm under the penalties of perjury that the
statements made herein are true.
Dated: _____________, ______.
-------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
-------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
B-5
