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Exhibit 4
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DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
as Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of December 14, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
1. Certain Definitions......................................................................................2
2. Appointment of Rights Agent..............................................................................5
3. Issue of Rights Certificates.............................................................................5
4. Form of Rights Certificates..............................................................................7
5. Countersignature and Registration........................................................................8
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates............................................................9
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights............................................9
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.....................................................11
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration of Securities...............................12
10. Capital Stock Record Date...............................................................................13
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.............................14
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares..............................................21
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power....................................22
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.................................................................25
15. Rights of Action........................................................................................26
16. Agreement of Rights Holders.............................................................................26
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder......................................................27
18. Concerning the Rights Agent.............................................................................27
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...............................................28
20. Duties of Rights Agent..................................................................................28
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21. Change of Rights Agent..................................................................................30
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.....................................................................31
23. Redemption and Termination..............................................................................32
24. Exchange................................................................................................33
25. Notice of Certain Events................................................................................34
26. Notices.................................................................................................35
27. Supplements and Amendments..............................................................................35
28. Successors..............................................................................................36
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc...............................................36
30. Benefits of this Agreement..............................................................................37
31. Severability............................................................................................37
32. Governing Law...........................................................................................37
33. Counterparts............................................................................................37
34. Descriptive Headings....................................................................................38
Exhibit A Resolution of the Board of Directors with respect to
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Shares................................................A-1
Exhibit B Form of Rights Certificate....................................................................B-1
Exhibit C Summary of Rights.............................................................................C-1
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 14, 1998 (the
"Agreement"), between DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, a New York
corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on December 14, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each Common Share (as
hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
December 28, 1998 (the "Record Date") (which for these purposes shall include
all Common Shares presently entitled to receive dividends) and has authorized
the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(i) hereof) for each Common Share of the Company
issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing
the right to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100) of a Preferred Share (as
hereinafter defined) of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences
set forth in the form of the Resolution of the Board of Directors attached
hereto as Exhibit A (the "Rights"); and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has considered
whether approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company and all other pertinent factors; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has concluded
that approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company because the existence of the Rights will help (i)
reduce the risk of coercive two-tiered, front-end loaded or partial offers that
may not offer fair value to all stockholders, (ii) mitigate against market
accumulators who through open market and/or private purchases may achieve a
position of substantial influence or control without paying to selling or
remaining stockholders a fair control premium, (iii) deter market accumulators
who are simply interested in putting the Company into "play," (iv) restrict
self-dealing by a substantial stockholder, and (v) preserve the Board of
Directors' bargaining power and flexibility to deal with third-party acquirors,
to pursue the business strategies of the Company and to otherwise seek to
maximize value for all of the stockholders.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby,
the parties hereby agree as follows:
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SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall
not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan, or any Person who has reported or is eligible to report as of
December 18, 1998 beneficial ownership of more than 15% on a Schedule 13G under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), but only so long as
(i) such Person is eligible to report such ownership on a Schedule 13G under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), (ii) such Person has not
reported and is not required to report such ownership on a Schedule 13D under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), and (iii) such Person
has not acquired beneficial ownership of more than 50,000 additional Common
Shares after December 18, 1998. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall
become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by
the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of Common Shares beneficially owned by such
Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; provided, however,
that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares by reason of Common Shares purchased by the Company
and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a majority of the Board of
Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no
longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this paragraph, then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" for purposes of this Agreement.
"Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right
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to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after
the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for payment, purchase or exchange, or (B)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant
to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with
respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) that such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant
to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act), including without limitation pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an oral or written agreement, arrangement or understanding
to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding:
(A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public
proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
subparagraph (ii) above) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company,
PROVIDED, however, that nothing in this definition shall cause a person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or
to "beneficially own," any securities
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acquired through such Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment
underwriting until the expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such
acquisition.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
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 time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
"Common Share" shall mean, when used with reference to the
Company, a share of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of Common Shares authorized
to permit the full exercise of the Rights, shares of any other class or series
of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially
similar to the terms of the Common Shares, except that "Common Share" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the shares of
common stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.
"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
"Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
"Preferred Share" shall mean a share of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Shares, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to
the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Shares authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, shares of any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated
for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Shares.
"Preferred Share Fraction" shall mean one one-hundredth
(1/100) of a Preferred Share.
"Qualifying Offer" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
"Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
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"Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Xxxxxxx 00 (x) xx xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxx) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Subsidiary" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
"Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
"Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in this
Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations under, the
Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and rules as amended from
time to time and any successor provisions thereto.
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the
tenth Business Day after a Stock Acquisition Date involving an Acquiring Person
that has become such in a transaction as to which the Board of Directors has not
made the determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, or (ii) the
Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) is first commenced within the meaning of Rule
14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if, upon
consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the Common Shares then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) beneficial interests in the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3)
by the certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
of the Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall be deemed also
to be certificates for beneficial interests in the Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights and beneficial interests therein will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a
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transfer to the Company). The Company must promptly notify the Rights Agent of
such Distribution Date and request that its transfer agent provide the Rights
Agent with a list of the record holders of the Company's Common Shares as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date. As soon as practicable after the
Rights Agent receives such notice and list, the Rights Agent will send to each
record holder of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B
hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share
so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an
adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made pursuant to
Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates,
the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof. As of and after the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C to each record holder of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the
beneficial interests in the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing Common Shares in respect
of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with such Common Shares.
(c) Except as provided in Section 22 hereof, Rights shall be
issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such Common Shares and all certificates issued after the Record
Date upon the transfer of Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall
also be deemed to be certificates for beneficial interests in the associated
Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
"This certificate also evidences a beneficial interest in and
entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between Dispatch Management Services Corp., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent") dated as of
December 14, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), and as the same may be
amended from time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and beneficial interests therein will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of
this
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certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of
mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or
becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held
by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become
null and void."
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, beneficial
interests in the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of beneficial
interests in the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates
shall also constitute the transfer of beneficial interests in the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates.
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (which do not affect the
duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") on which the
Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number
of Preferred Share Fractions as shall be set forth therein at the price set
forth therein (such exercise price per Preferred Share Fraction, the "Purchase
Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of
each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights that the Company knows are beneficially
owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement
or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the
Board of Directors of the Company has determined
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is part of an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding that
has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and
provided that the Company shall have notified the Rights Agent that this Section
4(b) applies, any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly,
this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section
7(e) of such Agreement."
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, General Counsel, any Vice President or similar officer of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed
such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person
who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date and upon receipt by the
Rights Agent of the notice and list of record holders of the Rights referred to
in Section 3(a), the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office
or offices designated pursuant to Section 25 hereof, books for registration and
transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates, the
Certificate number and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
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SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR
STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e)
and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of Preferred Share Fractions
(or, following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be), as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder or former holder in the case of a transfer
to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or
exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate or
Certificates until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Rights Agent shall not be obligated to process the transaction until it has
received evidence that all taxes and charges arising from the transaction have
been paid. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax
or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE
OF RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to subsection (e), the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certi-
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ficate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse
side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price (except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof) with respect to the
total number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares, other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights
are then exercisable (except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof), at or prior
to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on December 28, 2008 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), (ii) the consummation of a transaction contemplated by
Section 13(d) hereof, or (iii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or
terminated as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Share Fraction
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $93.00, subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof, and
shall be payable in accordance with subsection (c).
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction (or Common Shares, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased and an
amount equal to any applicable tax or governmental charge, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) and Section 14(b) hereof, thereupon promptly
(i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Common Shares)
certificates for the total number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all of
such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit some or all
of the total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of Preferred Share Fractions as are
to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented
by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be
paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii),
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv), after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11
hereof) may be made, at the election of the holder of the Rights Certificate,
(x) in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of
the Company or (y) by delivery of Rights if and to the extent authorized by
Section 11(q) hereof. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities of the Company (including Common Shares), pay cash and/or distribute
other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property
are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to
comply with this Agreement.
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(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all of the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 6 and
Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently
with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan,
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of
an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise; provided, however, that the Rights held by an
Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or the
transferees of such persons referred to above shall not be voided unless the
Acquiring Person in question or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring
Person shall be involved in the transaction giving rise to the Section 11(a)(ii)
Event. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when this Section 7(e) applies
and shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this
Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but neither the Company
nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company's failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall or the Rights Agent
reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of
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this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other
Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
SECTION 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK;
REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Rights
as many of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued or treasury
Common Shares and/or other securities) or out of its authorized and issued
shares held in its treasury, which together, shall at all times after the
Distribution Date be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any stock
exchange, or quoted on Nasdaq, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares and other
securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement or statements
under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form or forms, (ii) cause such registration statement
or statements to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement or statements to remain effective (with
a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier
of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action
as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or
"blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of
the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to
exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first
sentence of this subsection (c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In
addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is
required following the Distribution Date, the Company may, by issuing a public
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announcement, temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such
time as a registration statement has been declared effective. The Company shall
notify the Rights Agent whenever it makes a public announcement pursuant to this
subsection (c) and give the Rights Agent a copy of the announcement.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification
in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained, nor shall the Rights be
exercisable if the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law
or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and,
following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and, with respect to Preferred Shares, Common
Shares or other shares of capital stock, fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all taxes and governmental charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or
other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or
Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as
the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is
due.
SECTION 00.XXXXXXX STOCK RECORD DATE. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares
or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such
Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may
be) 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 the Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes and governmental
charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the applicable transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the applicable transfer books of the
Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
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rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
SECTION 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF
SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares
and other securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights issued (or
to be issued) and outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on any security of the Company
payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock, as the case may be,
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of
any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment
of the adjusted Purchase Price, the aggregate number and kind of Preferred
Shares or capital stock, as the case may be, that, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Share
transfer books were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and
been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior
to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event that any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), alone
or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person unless the event
causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a Section 13 Event, or is
an acquisition of Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer
for all outstanding Common Shares at a price or for consideration and on terms
determined by a majority of the Board of Directors, after receiving advice from
one or more nationally recognized investment banking firms, to be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders (a "Qualifying Offer"), after
taking into consideration all factors that the Board of Directors deems
relevant, including, without limitation, the long-term prospects and value of
the Company and the prices and terms that the Board of Directors believes, in
good faith, could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold
on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value, then, promptly following
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
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exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of Preferred Share Fractions, such number
of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred
Share Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which,
following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50%
of the current market price (as defined in and determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the date of such first occurrence (such number
of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares
that are authorized by the Charter but not outstanding or reserved for issuance
for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of the
value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the
"Current Value") over the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B)
with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2)
a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares of the same or a different
class or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
preferred shares or units of preferred shares that a majority of the Board of
Directors in office at the time has deemed (based, among other things, on the
dividend and liquidation rights of such preferred shares) to have substantially
the same economic value as Common Shares (such preferred shares, hereinafter
referred to as "common share equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company,
(5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate
value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined
by a majority of the Board of Directors after considering the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and
(y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section
23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon
the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If
the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is
likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above
may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days
after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares and/or
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to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first
sentence and to determine the value thereof. The Company shall make a public
announcement when the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, and again when such suspension is no longer in effect. The Company
shall notify the Rights Agent of the suspension of the exercisability of the
Rights, and provide the Rights Agent with a copy of such public announcement.
For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be
the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
Common Share on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common
share equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on
such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to holders of any security of the
Company entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Shares
(or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or per
equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of the
total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of
the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Shares (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company),
assets (other than a regular quarterly dividend referred to above or dividend
payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or
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warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Preferred Share on such record
date, less the then fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board
of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes)
of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a Preferred
Share and the denominator of which shall be such current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Preferred Share. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per Common Share for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to and not
including such date; and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per Common Share on any date shall
be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per Common Share for the
ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following and not including such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per
Common Share is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common
Share payable in Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification
of such Common Shares, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30)
Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the
"current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each Trading Day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Common
Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Common Shares are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common
Shares selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no
market maker is making a market in the Common Shares, the fair value of such
shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used. The
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term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading is open
for the transaction of business or, if the Common Shares are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the
Common Shares are not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market
price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current market price" per Preferred Share shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Shares in clause (i) of this Section
11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price per
Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per Preferred
Share shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to one hundred (as such
number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Shares occurring
after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per
Common Share. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly
held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per Preferred Share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of a Preferred Share
Fraction shall be equal to the "current market price" of one Preferred Share
divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided,
however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share or one
millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this subsection (e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of
the transaction that mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
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(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Share
Fractions purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights,
all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in subsections (b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Preferred Share Fractions (calculated to the nearest one-one millionth of a
Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Share
Fractions covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of Preferred Share Fractions purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Preferred Share
Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-one
millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase
Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company
shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. The Company shall forward a copy of such
public announcement to the Rights Agent. The record date for the adjustment may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
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(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction and the
number of Preferred Share Fractions that were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated or par value, if any, of the
number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel,
be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue such number
of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Share Fractions at such adjusted
Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
of the number of Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities
of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect
prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to
such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's
right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities
upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment, and the Company
shall also deliver a copy of such xxxx or instrument to the Rights Agent.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for
cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, (iii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) stock dividends
or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other person or persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or
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sale there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding or agreements in effect that would substantially diminish or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Shares into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with
each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior
to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number
of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) In the event that the Rights become exercisable following
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company, by action of a majority of the Board of
Directors, may authorize that the Rights, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, either
(i) will only be, or (ii) may, at the option of the holder entitled to exercise
the Rights be, exercisable for, in either case 50% of the Common Shares (or cash
or other securities or assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares
pursuant to subsection (a)(iii)) that would otherwise be purchasable under
subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the Company of the Rights
so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights exercised
under this subsection (q) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and
shall be canceled.
SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER
OF SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts and
computations accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights
Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and the Common
Shares, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to
each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to
each holder of a certificate representing Common Shares) in accordance with
Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such
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certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall have no duty with
respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such a certificate.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF
ASSETS OR EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be
changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or
cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets, operating income, cash flow or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or
Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case and except as contemplated by subsection (d), proper provision
shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof or subsection (e), shall thereafter have the right
to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non assessable and freely
tradeable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of
first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right is exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such shares for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such first occurrence), and (2) dividing that product (which,
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred
to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per Common Share of such Principal Party on
the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
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(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all of the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that
the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal
Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number
of its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in
relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise
of the Rights; and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13
Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the
Person that is the issuer of any securities into which Common
Shares of the Company are converted in such merger or
consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (z) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person
that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets
or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions;
provided, however, that in the case of either (i) or (ii) above, (1) if the
Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously
over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another
Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal
Party" shall refer to such other Person, and (2) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares
of two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall
refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the
greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Shares that have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party
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shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any Section
13 event, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration
statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all
times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights under blue sky laws of such jurisdiction, as may be
necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements
for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable solely in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 (other than this subsection (d)) shall not be applicable
to, and the term "Section 13 Event" shall not include, a transaction described
in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person, or Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a
Qualifying Offer pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per Common Share offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to all holders of
Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of Common Shares pursuant to such transaction is the same as
the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this subsection (d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
(e) In the event that the Rights become exercisable under
subsection (a) (except as provided in subsection (d)), the Company, by action of
a majority of the Board of Directors, may authorize that the Rights either (i)
will only be or (ii) may, at the option of the Principal Party be, exercisable
for, 50% of the Common Shares of the Principal Party that would otherwise be
purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the
Principal Party, as the successor to the Company under subsection (a)(ii), of
the Rights so exercised and without other
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payment of the Purchase Price. Rights exercised under this subsection (e) shall
be deemed to have been exercised in full and shall be canceled.
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this subsection (a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Preferred Shares, except in each case for fractions which
are integral multiples of Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of Preferred Shares, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a Preferred Share. For purposes of this subsection (b),
the current market value of one Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one Common
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Share. For purposes of this subsection (c), the current market value of one
Common Share shall be the closing price of one Common Share (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(d) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional
shares is to be made by the Rights Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare
and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail
the facts related to such payment and the process and/or formulas utilized in
calculating such payments, and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights
Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on such certificate and shall have no
duty with respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment
for fractional Rights or fractional shares under this Section 4 unless and until
it shall have received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
(e) The holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right
by the acceptance thereof expressly waives his right to receive any fractional
Rights or any fractional Common Shares upon exercise of a Right, except as
permitted by this Section 14.
SECTION 15 RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights or beneficial interests
therein, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights or
beneficial interests therein would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right, by accepting the same, consents and
agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other such holder
that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in
the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms
and certificates fully executed;
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(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree,
judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
SECTION 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A
STOCKHOLDER.
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of Preferred
Share Fractions or any other securities of the Company (including the Common
Shares) that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent 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
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, execution,
delivery, amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to
indemnify the Rights Agent and its directors, officers, employees and agents,
for and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability, damage,
judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense, incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent or any such indemnified party, for any action taken, suffered or
omitted by the Rights Agent
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in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Agreement or the
exercise of its duties hereunder, including without limitation the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(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 the acceptance and administration of this Agreement or in the
exercise of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other 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.
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF
RIGHTS AGENT
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the
stockholder services or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such Person would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
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.
SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations, and only the duties and obligations,
expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations) upon
the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders
of Rights Certificates or beneficial interests in the Rights, 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 advice or written opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of, any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such advice or opinion.
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(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting 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 the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief
Financial Officer, General Counsel, any Vice President or similar officer of the
Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct; provided, however that
the Rights Agent shall not be liable for special, indirect, incidental or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever, even if the Rights Agent
has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any liability or
responsibility in respect of the validity of any provision of this Agreement or
the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of this Agreement or responsible for the manner,
method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any
such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common
Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as
to whether any Common Shares or Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, 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 one of the Chairman of the Board, Chief
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Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, any Vice President
or similar officer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and such instructions shall be full
authorization and protection for the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to
be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer. The Rights Agent may conclusively rely on the most recent instructions
provided to it by any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, affiliate, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
the Rights Agent under this Agreement and none of such actions shall constitute
a breach of trust. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person or legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights
or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by
or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys
or agents or for any loss to the Company or any other Person resulting from any
such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
SECTION 21.CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Company and
to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
Shares and Preferred Shares, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period
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of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a)
a Person organized, doing business and in good standing under the laws of the
United States or of any state, having a principal office in the State of New
York, that is authorized by law to exercise stockholder services and stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and that has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined
capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of any such
Person. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares
and Preferred Shares and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the
registered holders of the Common Shares. In case at the time such successor
Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency and trust created by this Agreement,
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in
the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
SECTION 22.ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance, sale or delivery of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued, sold or
delivered pursuant to the exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights,
grants or awards outstanding on the Distribution Date under any benefit plan or
arrangement for employees or directors, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities outstanding on the Record Date or hereinafter issued by
the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing
the
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appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided,
however, that (i) 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
the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
SECTION 23.REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
following a Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have
occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth day
following the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business on the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price") and the Company may, at its option, pay
the Redemption Price either in Common Shares (based on the "current market
price", as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Shares at the time
of redemption) or cash; provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the
Company authorizes redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set
forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this proviso, then such authorization shall
require the concurrence of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
of the Company; and provided further, however, that if, following the occurrence
of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the right of
redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (i) an Acquiring Person
shall have transferred or otherwise disposed of a number of Common Shares in one
transaction or series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a
Triggering Event or the Company shall have issued additional equity securities,
in either instance such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 15%
or less of the outstanding Common Shares, and (ii) there is no other Acquiring
Person immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause
(i), then the right of redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject
to the provisions of this Section 23. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right
of redemption hereunder has expired.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, without any notice, or
further action, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by, in the case of notice to holders, mailing such notice to all such
holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of
the Transfer
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Agent for the Common Shares. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made.
SECTION 00.XXXXXXXX.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Company's Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange
at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any
Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the
Rights Agent of any such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of
any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses
as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in
the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.
Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares authorized and not outstanding to permit any exchange of Rights as
contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance
upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional
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Common Shares, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this subsection (d), the
current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a
Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant
to this Section 24.
SECTION 25.NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Shares), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its
Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of Preferred Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Shares shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
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SECTION 26.NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Dispatch Management Services Corp.
AMS / National Processing Center
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx X000
Xxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
0000 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxx
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date to the holder of certificates representing Common
Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
SECTION 27.SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and after the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner that the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person); provided, this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such
time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless
such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or
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clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person). Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 27, and if requested by the Rights Agent, an opinion of counsel,
the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no supplement or
amendment shall be made that changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration
Date, the Purchase Price or the number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a
Right is exercisable, (ii) any supplement or amendment shall require the
concurrence of a majority of the Board of Directors if: (x) such supplement or
amendment occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or
(y) such supplement or amendment occurs on or after the date of a change
(resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the directors
in office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a
participant in such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of
such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action that would
result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or that would cause the
occurrence of a Triggering Event unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such
Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender
offer pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for all outstanding Common Shares not
beneficially owned by such Person (or by its Affiliates or Associates), and
(iii) no supplement or amendment that changes or increases the obligations and
duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be effective without the
consent of the Rights Agent. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of
the beneficial owners of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of
the holders of Common Shares.
SECTION 28.SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
SECTION 29.DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, ETC. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common
Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act. 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 (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend or supplement the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) that 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
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Rights and all other Persons, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any
liability to the holders of the Rights. For purposes of this Agreement, the
Rights Agent shall be allowed to assume that all such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations have been done or made by the Board in good
faith.
SECTION 30.BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Shares).
SECTION 31.SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable for any purpose or under
any set of circumstances or as applied to any Person, such invalid, void or
unenforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction shall continue in effect
to the maximum extent possible for all other purposes, under all other
circumstances and as applied to all other Persons; and the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provisions requiring that a determination
be made by less than the entire Board (or at a time or with the concurrence of a
group of directors consisting of less than the entire Board) is held by a court
of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws.
SECTION 32.GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such jurisdiction; except
that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights
Agent shall by governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within such jurisdiction.
SECTION 33.COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
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41
SECTION 34.DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
By:
--------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By:
--------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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EXHIBIT A
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
ESTABLISHING AND DESIGNATING
SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED SHARES
AS A SERIES OF THE PREFERRED STOCK
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of
Directors of Dispatch Management Services Corp. (the "Corporation") by Article
Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, the
Board of Directors hereby fixes and determines the voting rights, designations,
preferences, qualifications, privileges, limitations, restrictions, options,
conversion rights and other special or relative rights of a series of the
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, which shall consist of 500,000 shares
and shall be designated as Series C Junior Participating Preferred Shares (the
"Series C Preferred Shares").
SPECIAL TERMS OF THE SERIES C PREFERRED SHARES
SECTION 1. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(a) The rate of dividends payable per share of Series C Preferred
Shares on the first day of January, April, July and October in each year or such
other quarterly payment date as shall be specified by the Board of Directors
(each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series C Preferred Shares,
shall be (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $10.00 or
(ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in cash, based upon the fair market value at
the time the non-cash dividend or other distribution is declared or paid as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) of all non-cash dividends or
other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of common stock of
the Corporation, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), or a subdivision
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of the Series C
Preferred Shares. Dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares shall be paid out
of funds legally available for such purpose. In the event the Corporation shall
at any time after December 14, 1998 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares
of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the
amounts to which holders of Series C Preferred Shares were entitled immediately
prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a
44
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(b) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
Series C Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such Series C Preferred Shares, unless the date
of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to
accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of Series C Preferred Shares entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the Series C Preferred Shares in an amount less than
the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such
shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding.
SECTION 2. VOTING RIGHTS. In addition to any other voting rights
required by law, the holders of Series C Preferred Shares shall have the
following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series C Preferred Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes
on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series C Preferred
Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) In the event that dividends upon the Series C Preferred Shares
shall be in arrears to an amount equal to six full quarterly dividends thereon,
the holders of such Series C Preferred Shares shall become entitled to the
extent hereinafter provided to vote noncumulatively at all elections of
directors of the Corporation, and to receive notice of all stockholders'
meetings to be held for such purpose. At such meetings, to the extent that
directors are being elected, the holders of such Series C Preferred Shares
voting as a class shall be entitled solely to elect two members of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation; and all other directors of the Corporation shall
be elected by the other stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote in the
election of directors. Such voting rights of the holders of such Series C
Preferred Shares shall continue until all accumulated and unpaid dividends
thereon shall have been paid or funds sufficient therefor set aside, whereupon
all such voting rights of the holders of shares of such series shall cease,
subject to being again revived from time to time upon the reoccurrence of the
conditions described above as giving rise thereto.
X-0
00
Xx any time when such right to elect directors separately as a class
shall have so vested, the Corporation may, and upon the written request of the
holders of record of not less than 15% of the then outstanding total number of
shares of all the Series C Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors
in such circumstances shall, call a special meeting of holders of such Series C
Preferred Shares for the election of directors. In the case of such a written
request, such special meeting shall be held within ninety (90) days after the
delivery of such request, and, in either case, at the place and upon the notice
provided by law and in the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, that the
Corporation shall not be required to call such a special meeting if such request
is received less than one hundred twenty (120) days before the date fixed for
the next ensuing annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation.
Upon the mailing of the notice of such special meeting to the holders of such
Series C Preferred Shares, or, if no such meeting be held, then upon the mailing
of the notice of the next annual or special meeting of stockholders for the
election of directors, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be
increased to the extent, but only to the extent, necessary to provide sufficient
vacancies to enable the holders of such Series C Preferred Shares to elect the
two directors hereinabove provided for, and all such vacancies shall be filled
only by vote of the holders of such Series C Preferred Shares as hereinabove
provided. Whenever the number of directors of the Corporation shall have been
increased, the number as so increased may thereafter be further increased or
decreased in such manner as may be permitted by the Bylaws and without the vote
of the holders of Series C Preferred Shares, provided that no such action shall
impair the right of the holders of Series C Preferred Shares to elect and to be
represented by two directors as herein provided.
So long as the holders of Series C Preferred Shares are entitled
hereunder to voting rights, any vacancy in the Board of Directors caused by the
death or resignation of any director elected by the holders of Series C
Preferred Shares, shall, until the next meeting of stockholders for the election
of directors, in each case be filled by the remaining director elected by the
holders of Series C Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors in such
circumstances.
Upon termination of the voting rights of the holders of Series C
Preferred Shares, the terms of office of all persons who shall have been elected
directors of the Corporation by vote of the holders of Series C Preferred Shares
or by a director elected by such holders shall forthwith terminate.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, or by law, the holders of Series C
Preferred Shares and the holders of Common Stock (and the holders of shares of
any other series or class entitled to vote thereon) shall vote together as one
class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
SECTION 3. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any Series C Preferred Shares purchased
or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be
retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued Preferred Stock and
may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by
resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors.
A-3
46
SECTION 4. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. In the event of any
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, the holders of Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled to
receive the greater of (a) $30 per share, plus accrued dividends to the date of
distribution, whether or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common
Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount to which holders of Series C Preferred Shares
were entitled immediately prior to such event pursuant to clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
SECTION 5. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series C A
Preferred Shares shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an
amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth)
equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which
each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of
Series C A Preferred Shares shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
SECTION 6. NO REDEMPTION. The Series C Preferred Shares shall not be
redeemable.
SECTION 7. RANKING. The Series C Preferred Shares shall rank junior to
all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series
shall provide otherwise.
SECTION 8. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series C Preferred Shares may be issued
in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and have the benefit of all other rights of holders
of Series C Preferred Shares.
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47
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this certificate to be
signed by Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, its Chief Executive Officer, and attested by
Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, its Secretary, this 18th day of December, 1998.
DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
By:
-----------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST:
By:
-------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Secretary
A-5
48
EXHIBIT B
[FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]
Certificate No. R- ___________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 24, 2008 (UNLESS EXTENDED PURSUANT TO THE
TERMS OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR AFTER EARLIER REDEMPTION BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
---------------
* The bracketed portion of the legend shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
49
DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
This certifies that ___________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of December 14, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Dispatch Management Services Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights
Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. New York
time on December 28, 2008 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth (1/100) of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Share") of the Company, at a
purchase price (the "Purchase Price") of $93.00 per one one-hundredth (1/100) of
a Preferred Share (such fraction, a "Preferred Share Fraction"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. Except as provided in
Sections 11(q) and 13(e) of the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price shall be
paid, at the option of the Company, in cash or Common Stock, of the Company (the
"Common Shares") having an equivalent value. The number of Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate (and the number of Preferred Share Fractions that may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per
Preferred Share Fraction set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as
of December 28, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon the
occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or Associate or Affiliate or Associate of any
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any Acquiring Person (of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii), under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of any such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of Preferred Shares or other securities that may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events and a Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, covenants and
restrictions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, covenants and restrictions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description
B-2
50
of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights
Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of
the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in
the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Company.
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 and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of Preferred Share Fractions as the Rights evidenced by the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
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, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the Close of
Business (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) on (i) the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended
pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of a Preferred Share, which may, as the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares or
of any other securities of the Company (including Common Shares) that may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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51
WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its
corporate seal.
Dated as of ____________, ____
ATTEST DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.
--------------------------------- By:
Secretary -------------------------------
Title:
Countersigned
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
By:
------------------------------------
Authorized Signature
B-4
52
[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the 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
Signature Guaranteed:
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53
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ________________, ____ __________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
54
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SERVICES CORP.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights (or Common Shares or such other securities of
the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: _____________, ____
-------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-7
55
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, ____ _________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-8
56
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
On December 14, 1998, the Board of Directors of Dispatch Management
Services Corp. (the "Company") approved the Rights Agreement and the declaration
of a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of common
stock, $.01 par value (each, a "Common Share") of the Company to stockholders of
record at the close of business on December 28, 1998 (the "Record Date"). Each
Right will entitle the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth (1/100) of a share (a "Preferred Share Fraction") of the Series C
Junior Participating Preferred Shares, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred
Shares"), of the Company, or a combination of securities and assets of
equivalent value (a "Unit"), at a per Unit, adjustable Purchase Price of $93.00.
The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Share certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common
Shares on the "Distribution Date," the earlier of (i) ten (10) business days
following a determination by the Board of Directors that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person"1/) has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten (10)
business days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer
that will result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by the Common Share certificates, (ii) new Common Share certificates
issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates
for Common Shares outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on the date that is ten years after the Record
Date unless earlier redeemed by the Company as described below or unless a
transaction under Section 13(d) of the Rights Agreement has occurred.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise
--------
1/ Under the Rights Agreement, the term Acquiring Person does not include any
Person who has reported or is eligible to report as of the date thereof
beneficial ownership of more than 15% on a Schedule 13G under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report), but only so long as (i) such
Person is eligible to report such ownership on a Schedule 13G under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), (ii) such Person has
not reported and is not required to report such ownership on a Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), and (iii)
such Person has not acquired beneficial ownership of more than 50,000
additional Common Shares.
57
determined by the Board of Directors, only Common Shares issued after the Record
Date and prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
Except in the circumstances described below, after the Distribution
Date each Right will be exercisable for a Preferred Share Fraction. Each
Preferred Share Fraction will carry voting and dividend rights that are intended
to produce the equivalent of one Common Share. The voting and dividend rights of
the Preferred Shares will be subject to adjustment in the event of dividends,
subdivisions and combinations with respect to the Common Shares of the Company.
In lieu of issuing certificates for Preferred Share Fractions that are less than
an integral multiple of one Preferred Share (i.e., 100 Preferred Share
Fractions), the Company will pay cash representing the current market value of
the Preferred Share Fractions.
In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person other than pursuant to a tender offer or
exchange offer that provides fair value to all stockholders and therefore has
been deemed to be a "Qualifying Offer," each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. In lieu of requiring payment
of the Purchase Price upon exercise of the Rights following any such event, the
Company may permit the holders simply to surrender the Rights, in which event
they will be entitled to receive Common Shares (and other property, as the case
may be) with a value of 50% of what could be purchased by payment of the full
Purchase Price. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence
of an event described in the first sentence of this paragraph, all Rights that
are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) have
been, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in the
transaction giving rise to any such event, will be null and void. However,
Rights will not be exercisable following the occurrence of any of the events set
forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the
Company as set forth below.
For example, if the Rights are exercisable at an exercise price of $35
per Right, each Right not otherwise voided following an event set forth in the
preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $70 worth of Common
Shares (or other consideration, as noted above) for $35. Assuming that the
Common Shares had a per share value of $10 at such time, the holder of each
valid Right would be entitled to purchase seven Common Shares for $35.
Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder to surrender each Right in
exchange for three and a half Common Shares (with a value of $35) without the
payment of any consideration other than the surrender of the Right.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a
merger that is described in or that follows a Qualifying Offer), or (ii) 50% or
more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold or transferred, each
holder of a Right (except Rights that previously have been voided as set forth
above) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares
of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of
the Right. Again, provision may be made to permit surrender of
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58
the Rights in exchange for one-half of the value otherwise purchasable. The
events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are
referred to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Share Fractions
or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Shares are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Shares or convertible securities at less
than the current market price of the Preferred Shares, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No Preferred Share Fractions will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of the exercise.
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company can redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per Right. That ten (10) day redemption period can be extended by the Board of
Directors so long as the Rights are still redeemable. Immediately upon the
action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the $.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares or other consideration) of
the Company or for Common Shares of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement can be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement can be amended by the
Board of Directors in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes that do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the
Rights Agreement; PROVIDED, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing redemption can be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
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