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___________________________________________________________
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
AND
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
AS RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 30, 1997
___________________________________________________________
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT"), dated as of July 30, 1997,
between XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C. ("Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common
Share (as such term is hereinafter defined) outstanding at the close of
business on August 20, 1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the
right to purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as such term is
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with
respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record
Date and the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined);
provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common Shares that
shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier
of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance with the
provisions of Section 22 hereof.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the Common Shares
then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term Acquiring Person
shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit or compensation
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit or
compensation plan, or (v) an Excluded Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) and (B) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" either (x) as the
result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the
number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, following written notice from, or public
disclosure by the Company of such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares without the prior consent of
the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 20% of the Common Shares
then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person,"
or (y) as the result of the acquisition of Common Shares or any right to
acquire Common Shares directly from
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the Company, provided however that if a Person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of share
purchases directly from the Company and shall, after that date, become
Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares without the prior written
consent of the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 20% of the
Common Shares then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" or (z) if 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 (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests, as promptly as practicable (as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors), but in any event within
five Business Days, following receipt of written notice from the Company of
such event, of 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 (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the limited
partners of a limited partnership shall not be deemed to be Associates of such
limited partnership solely by virtue of their limited partnership interests.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates is deemed to beneficially own, within the meaning of
Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act
as in effect on the date of this Rights Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities, or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than
these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is
not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report); or
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(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
1(c)(ii)(B) hereof) or disposing of any securities of the Company;
provided, however, an agreement, arrangement or understanding for
purposes of this Section 1(c)(iii) shall not be deemed to include
actions, including any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or
statements by any member of the Company's Board of Directors on the
date of this Agreement, any subsequent directors of the Company (the
"Successor Directors") who have been nominated by a majority of
directors who are directors as of the date of this Agreement or who
are Successor Directors, or by any Person of whom such a director is
an Affiliate or Associate, provided, however that this exception shall
not apply to a particular Person or Persons if and to the extent that
such Person or Persons, after the date of this Agreement, acquires
Beneficial Ownership of more than an additional 5% of the then
outstanding Common Shares of the Company unless (A) the shares are
acquired directly from the Company or as part of an employee benefit
or compensation plan of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or
(B) the Person establishes to the satisfaction of the directors of the
Company that it is acting on its own behalf and not in concert with
any other Person and will not, upon completion of any purchases, be
the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase, "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of California are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.,
Pacific Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(f) "COMMON SHARES" shall mean the shares of common stock, par
value $.001 per share, of the Company; provided, however, that, "Common
Shares," when used in this Agreement in connection with a specific reference to
any Person other than the Company, shall mean the capital stock (or equity
interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other
Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
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(g) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(i) "INTERESTED STOCKHOLDER" shall mean any Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which
any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other
Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(j) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(k) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company having
the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions set forth in the Form of
Certificate of Designation attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(l) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(b) hereof.
(m) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(n) "SHARES ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such provided, however that, if such Person is determined not to have
become an Acquiring Person pursuant to clause (z) of Subsection 1(a)(B) hereof,
then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(o) "SUBSIDIARY" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(p) "TRANSACTION" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of
assets described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares
which would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person or a Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined).
(q) "TRANSACTION PERSON" with respect to a Transaction shall mean
(i) any Person who (x) is or will become an Acquiring Person or a Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined) if the Transaction were to be
consummated and (y) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director of
the Company which director is in office at the time of consideration of the
Transaction, or (ii) an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person.
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms
and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.
The Company may from time to time appoint such co- Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
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SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii)
the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the commencement (determined in accordance with Rule
14d-2 under the Exchange Act) by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the
intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
to commence, a tender or exchange offer (which intention to commence remains in
effect for five Business Days after such announcement), the consummation of
which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including any
such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance
of the Rights, the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for
Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which
certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate
Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive Right
Certificates therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date,
the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and
the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if
requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record
holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date,
at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right
Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to
the adjustment provisions of Section 11 of this Rights Agreement. As of the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send (directly or through the Rights Agent or its transfer agent)
a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially
the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of 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 Common Shares outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the
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Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or
otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement
between XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC. (the "Company") and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C. as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent"), dated as of July 30, 1997, as amended
from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of
which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy
of which is on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by
this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without
charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As
described in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any
Person who becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and
certain related persons, whether currently held by or on
behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, shall
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of
a legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights
Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Right Certificates (and the form of election to purchase
Preferred Shares, the form of assignment and the form of certification to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7,11 and 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-hundredths
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of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"),
but the number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase
Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right 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 Right Certificate and the
Rights represented hereby are null and void.
The provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be operative whether or not
the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Financial Officer, or any of its Vice Presidents, either manually or by
facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right
Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not
be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the
Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be
such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless,
may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the
Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such
Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any
Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at
the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration
and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show
the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates,
the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates
and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
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SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Subject
to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, at
any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior
to the Close of Business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered
to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office
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 Right Certificate until the registered
holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Right 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
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with
any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation
of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of
indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's
request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and
cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will issue,
execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may amend this Rights Agreement to provide for uncertificated
Rights in addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates.
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise
the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or
in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or such other number of shares or other
securities) as to which the Rights are
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exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on July 30,
2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the
time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") for each one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall
initially be $70.00 shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of
the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,
cashier's check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company,
the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer
agent for the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares
to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole
discretion, shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder into a depository, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be
deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company
hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In the event
that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the Company other than
Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of the Company pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and
when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and, if fewer than all the Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so
exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number
of Rights represented thereby which continue to include the rights provided by
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights
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remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered
holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to
the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights in accordance with this Section 7.
(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) completed and signed the certification following 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 reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if delivered or surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall
deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights
Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or
acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES. The Company covenants
and agrees that so long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, Common Shares or any other securities) issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quotation system upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and
other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject
to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued
and fully paid and nonassessable shares or other securities.
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The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender)
or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
As soon as practicable after the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company
shall use its best efforts to:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on
an appropriate form, will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all
times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration
Date; and
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
under the blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
appropriate.
SECTION 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares or other securities is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder
of record of the Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered with the forms of election and
certification duly executed and payment of the Purchase Price (and any
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of
such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares or other
securities transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares
or other securities transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as
such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred 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 rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
11.
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SECTION 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER
OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable
in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of
the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were
open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one
Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both 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) Subject to Section 24 hereof and the provisions of
the next paragraph of this Section 11(a)(ii), in the event any Person shall
become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall, for a period of 60
days after the later of such time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or the
effective date of an appropriate registration statement under the Act pursuant
to Section 9 hereof (provided, however, that, if at any time prior to the
expiration or termination of the Rights there shall be a temporary restraining
order, a preliminary injunction, an injunction, or temporary suspension by the
Board of Directors, or similar obstacle to exercise of the Rights (the
"Injunction") which prevents exercise of the Rights, a new 60-day period shall
commence on the date the Injunction is removed), have a right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied
by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is
then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price
of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
such Person became an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if the
transaction that would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also
subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of
Section 13 hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii). In the event that any Person shall
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14
become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the
Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of such
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
became such, or (iii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person's 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 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 a plan, arrangement
or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 11(a)(ii), 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. The
Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this
Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of
its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or
its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right Certificate
shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent
for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence shall be canceled.
(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board of
Directors then in office determines that such action is necessary or
appropriate and not contrary to the interests of holders of Rights, elect to
(and, in the event that the Board of Directors has not exercised the exchange
right contained in Section 24(c) hereof and there are not sufficient treasury
shares and authorized but unissued Common Shares to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company
shall) take all such action as may be necessary to authorize, issue or pay,
upon the exercise of the Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of the
Purchase Price), property, Common Shares, other securities or any combination
thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Shares which
otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, which
aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Shares shall be
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any such election by the Board of
Directors must be made within 60 days following the date on which the event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred. Following the
occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, a majority of
the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights
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for a period of up to 60 days following the date on which the event described
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred to the extent that such
directors have not determined whether to exercise their rights of election
under this Section 11(a)(iii). In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of
the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling
them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Shares (as such term is hereinafter
defined) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus
the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record
date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital
stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as such term is hereinafter defined) on such record date,
less the fair market value (as determined
14.
16
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion
of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares,
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security or
securities convertible into such shares, or (C) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading
Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the
record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in
each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately
adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such
Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on
which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or as reported on the
Nasdaq National Market or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("Nasdaq")
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company or, if on any such
date no professional market maker is making a market in the Security, the price
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors. The term "Trading Day"
shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which
the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day.
15.
17
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof. If the
Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price"
of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per
share market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof) multiplied by
one hundred. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11(a) through 11(c) hereof, inclusive,
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.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share 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) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and Section 11(c) hereof,
each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest
one one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the
number of one one- hundredths of a Preferred Share 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
16.
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product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date
may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter,
but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have
been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date
Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment,
or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders
of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates
so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of
record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid
and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any,
17.
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issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior
to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such
holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's
right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect
of such action is to, materially diminish or eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights. Any such action taken by the Company during any
period after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the
Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such action could be taken
under this Section 11(m) from and after the Distribution Date.
(n) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or
warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(o) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately
prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event,
and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have
issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share
outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(o) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
only result in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof to the extent
so exercised and shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the
Rights under this Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13
hereof.
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SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment unless and until it shall have
received such certificate.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date or,
if a Transaction is proposed, the Distribution Date, directly or indirectly (x)
the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any Interested
Stockholder, or if in such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock
are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) any Interested Person, or if in
such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike,
any other Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the
Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such merger (other than, in the case of either transaction described in (x) or
(y), a merger or consolidation which would result in all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and the holders of
such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or
consolidation), or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise
transfer), in one or more 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 Interested Stockholder or Stockholders,
or if in such transaction all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike,
any other Person, (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in
one or more transactions each of which individually and the aggregate does not
violate Section 13(d) hereof) then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right, subject to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, shall have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price
equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such
term is hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens, rights of call or first
refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
(without taking into account any adjustment previously made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per
share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and
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21
shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it
being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall
apply to such Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
shares of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection
with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person
that is the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to the merger or
consolidation (or, if applicable, the Company, if it is the surviving
corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the
party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any case, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person
are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person the Common Shares
of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person; (2) if such Person is a subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or
Affiliate 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; and (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a
joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall
apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest in such joint
venture as if such party were a "subsidiary" of both or all of such joint
venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the
obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or
indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized 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 each Principal Party and
each other Person who may become a Principal Party as a result of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer shall have (i) 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 (ii)
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prepared, filed and had declared and remain effective a registration statement
under the Act on the appropriate form with respect to the Rights and the
securities exercisable upon exercise of the Rights and further providing that,
as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal
Party at its own expense will:
(i) cause the registration statement under the Act with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an appropriate form to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
under the blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
appropriate;
(iii) list the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on each national securities exchange on which
the Common Shares were listed prior to the consummation of the
Business Combination or on the Nasdaq National Market if the Common
Shares were listed on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the Common
Shares were not listed on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq
National Market prior to the consummation of the Business Combination,
on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq National Market; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all material 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.
(d) After the Distribution Date, the Company covenants and agrees
that it shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into, or (iii) sell
or transfer to, in one or more 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, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(m) hereof), if (x)
at the time of or after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
charter or bylaw provisions or any rights, warrants or other instruments or
securities outstanding, agreements in effect or any other action taken which
would 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. The Company shall not consummate any
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company
and such other
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Person shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement evidencing compliance with this Section 13(d).
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights
or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu
of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or as
reported on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange or reported on the
Nasdaq National Market, 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 (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts; provided, however, that holders of such
depositary receipts shall have all of the designations and the powers,
preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions to
which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For
the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred
Share shall be the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day
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immediately prior to the date of such exercise (or, if not publicly traded, in
accordance with Section 11(d)(ii) hereof).
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 hereof giving rise to the right to receive Common
Shares, capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other
securities upon the exercise of a Right, the Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of Common Shares or units of such Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares, capital stock equivalents
or other securities. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Common Share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the
current market value shall be the current per share market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise and, if such capital stock equivalent is not traded,
each such capital stock equivalent shall have the value of one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Sections 18 and 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares) and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own
behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any
suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in
respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right
Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement. Holders of Rights shall be entitled to
recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys fees, incurred
by them in any action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
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(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates
are transferable (subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement) only on
the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office
of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat
the person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute
owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any
notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated
Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
SECTION 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a 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 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay
to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the
termination of this Agreement. In no case will the Rights Agent be liable for
special, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Agreement in
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reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment
or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice,
direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed
by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified
or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice
of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
shareholder services or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall
succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Right Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights
Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel of its choice
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as
to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
25.
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evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to
be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of
the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the
Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of
the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and
any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed
to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or
any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or
amount thereof) provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right
Certificates after receipt of a certificate pursuant to Section 12 hereof
describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when 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, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer
of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or
suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
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be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or
obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action
shall be taken or omitted and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any
action taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be
less than three business days after the date indicated in such application
unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date)
unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action, the Rights Agent has
received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act,
default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent
to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights
if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds
or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right 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 not been
executed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of 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 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent for the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a
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successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by
the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate 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 either (a) a corporation, limited liability company or business
trust organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of
any other state of the United States which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision
or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million or (b) a directly or indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of such an
entity or of a parent entity which owns all of the equity securities of such
entity. 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 for the
Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall with respect to Common Shares so issued
or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement in existence prior to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company
and in existence prior to the Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other
case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights
in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) the
Company shall not be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates if, and to
the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
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SECTION 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors
pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.
(b) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the earlier of such time as any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person or the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all
of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and the Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based on the "current per
share market price," as such term is defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the
Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of
the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement
to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof prior to the expiration or termination of the Company's right
of redemption under this Section 23(b)(i).
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Company
may, at its option, at any time after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person and the expiration of any period during which the holder of Rights may
exercise the rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof but prior to any event
described in clause (x), (y) or (z) of the first sentence of Section 13 hereof,
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price (x) in connection with any merger, consolidation or sale or
other transfer (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) of
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of
Common Shares are treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of
Common Shares being treated like all other such holders) an Interested
Stockholder or a Transaction Person or (y)(A) if and for so long as the
Acquiring Person is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
then outstanding Common Shares, and (B) at the time of redemption no other
Persons are Acquiring Persons.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof,
and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of
Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of
such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof, the
Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then
outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares,
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provided, however, that failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Any notice which is mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company
nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for
value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set
forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection
with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
(d) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its
obligations with respect to any redemption of the Rights by (i) issuing a press
release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at
their last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Shares, and upon such action, all outstanding Right Certificates
shall be null and void without any further action by the Company.
SECTION 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 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 Section 24(a) hereof
and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any
such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as
they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent; provided, however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such exchange. 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
30.
32
of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section
24(a) hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board of Directors then in
office determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary
to the interests of the holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that
there are not sufficient treasury shares and authorized but unissued Common
Shares to permit any exchange of the Rights in accordance with Section 24(a)
hereof, the Company shall) take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize, issue or pay, upon the exchange of the Rights, cash (including by
way of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property, Common Shares, other
securities, including Preferred Shares or fractions thereof, or any combination
thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Shares which
otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 24(a) hereof, which
aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Shares shall be
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any election pursuant to this
Section 24(c) by the Board of Directors must be made within 60 days following
the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have
occurred. Following the occurrence on the event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following the date
on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred to
the extent that such directors have not determined whether to exercise their
rights of election under this Section 24(c). In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
(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 Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right 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 Section 24(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)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
after the date of the first public announcement by the Company that an exchange
is to be effected pursuant to this Section 24.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exchange of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts; provided, however, that holders of such
depositary receipts shall have all of the designations and the powers,
preferences
31.
33
and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions to which they
are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall
pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this
Section 24(e), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be one
hundred (100) times the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant
to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately after the date of the first public announcement by the Company
that an exchange is to be effected pursuant to this Section 24.
SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or
to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), to any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purpose of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or the Preferred Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record
date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the
date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Common Shares and/or the Preferred Shares, whichever
shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice
of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
32.
34
SECTION 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, 00000
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate 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, the Company 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 the Rights. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, from time to time supplement
or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or (iii) change any other
provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable; provided, however, that no such supplement or amendment shall be
made which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other
than the interests of an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates or Associates).
Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period after any Person has
become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall become null
and void unless such supplement or amendment could have been adopted by the
Company from and after the Distribution Date. Any such supplement or amendment
shall be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent.
Upon delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment unless the Rights Agent shall have determined in good faith that such
supplement or amendment would adversely affect its interest under this
Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of
Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common
Shares.
33.
35
SECTION 28. DETERMINATION 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 or any
other securities 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 as in effect on the date of this
Agreement. 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 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 the Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done
or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding
on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights, and (y) not subject the
Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
SECTION 29. 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 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for
the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common 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, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.
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.
34.
36
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.
35.
37
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, parties whereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
------------------------------ ------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Secretary President, Chief
Executive Officer
ATTEST: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES, L.L.C.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Title: Assistant Vice President Title: Assistant Vice President
---------------------------- -----------------------------
36.
38
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . 8
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights . . . . . 11
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power . . . . 19
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . 24
i.
39
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 23. Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 29. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 32. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Exhibit A - Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
ii.
40
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC., a corporation organized and existing under
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the
"Company"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Company as required by Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on July 30, 1997:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in
the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the provisions of
its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of
Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per
share, of the Company and hereby states the designation and number of
shares, and fixes the relative designations and the powers, preferences
and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof
(in addition to the provisions set forth in the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, which are applicable to the
Preferred Stock of all classes and series), as follows:
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. Two Hundred Thousand
(200,000) shares of Preferred Stock, $.001 par value, are designated "Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock" with the designations and the powers,
preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions
specified herein (the "Junior Preferred Stock"). Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that
no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Junior Preferred Stock to a
number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of
shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights
or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
Company convertible into Junior Preferred Stock.
1.
41
SECTION 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares
of any series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking
prior and superior to the Junior Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock, in
preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $.001 per
share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company, and of any other
junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if
declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available
for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first
day of April, July, October and January in each year (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
Junior Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $l.00 or (b) 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 kind) of all non- cash
dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in
shares of 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 Junior Preferred Stock. In the event the Company shall
at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
amount to which holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event under 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.
(B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Junior Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution
on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during
the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the
next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
2.
42
a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Junior Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Junior Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such
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 shares of Junior Preferred
Stock 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 shares of Junior
Preferred Stock 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. The Board of Directors may fix a record
date for the determination of holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
SECTION 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter
set forth, each share of Junior Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of
the stockholders of the Company. In the event the Company shall
at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock 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.
3.
43
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or
any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any
other capital stock of the Company having general voting rights
shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Company.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided
by law, holders of Junior Preferred Stock shall have no special
voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to
the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock
as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
SECTION 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Junior Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on
shares of Junior Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid
in full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any
other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to
the Junior Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any
other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock, except dividends paid
ratably on the Junior Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on
which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the
total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire
for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Junior Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior
stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or
winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire
for consideration any shares of Junior Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Junior
Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a
4.
44
purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by
the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine
in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among
the respective series or classes.
(B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of
the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock of the Company unless the Company could, under
paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire
such shares at such time and in such manner.
SECTION 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Junior
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in
any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly
after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their
cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred
Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set
forth herein, in the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designation creating
a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise
required by law.
SECTION 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. Upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no
distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock
shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or
not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the
holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive an aggregate 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 shares
of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking
on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock, except
distributions made ratably on the Junior Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Company shall at any
time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares
of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to
which holders of shares of
5.
45
Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under the proviso in clause (1) 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 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the
Company 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 each share of
Junior Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed into 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 Company shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Junior Preferred Stock 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 8. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Junior Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable.
SECTION 9. RANK. The Junior Preferred Stock shall rank,
with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of
assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Company's
Preferred Stock.
SECTION 10. AMENDMENT. The Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company shall not be amended
in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Junior Preferred Stock so as
to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the
holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Junior
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
6.
46
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this certificate as of
July 30, 1997.
______________________________
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx President and Chief
Executive Officer
______________________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Secretary
7.
47
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE NO. R- _____ RIGHTS
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 30, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT AND TO
EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
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 July 30, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time,
on July 30, 2007 at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully
paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase
price of $70.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the
Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July
30, 1997 based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person,
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 any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void without any further
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action and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights
from and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, as amended from time to time, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made
a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of
the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.001 per share or
upon circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, cash, property, or other
securities of the Company.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or
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49
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of __________.
ATTEST: XXXXXXX
PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
______________________________ ______________________________
[Name] [Name]
Secretary President and Chief Executive
Officer
COUNTERSIGNED:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
as Rights Agent
By:______________________________
Authorized Signature
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________ this Right
Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________________
______________________________
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
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51
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf
of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement); and (2) after due inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested
Stockholder, or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
______________________________
Signature
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52
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
TO ChaseMellon Shareholder Services
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
___________________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to
purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________
_______________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________
_______________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________
Dated: _________________
_____________________________
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
B-6
53
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by nor are they being exercised on
behalf of an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and (2)
after due inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder, or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof.
________________________________
Signature
---------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-7
54
EXHIBIT C
XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On July 30, 1997, the Board of Directors of XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL,
INC. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.001 per
share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is effective as of
August 20, 1997 (the "Record Date") with respect to the stockholders of record
on that date. The Rights will also attach to new Common Shares issued after
the Record Date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from
the Company one one- hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the
Company at a price of $70.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. Each Preferred Share is designed to
be the economic equivalent of 100 Common Shares. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of July 30, 1997 (the
"Rights Agreement"), between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent").
DETACHMENT AND TRANSFER OF RIGHTS
Initially, the Rights will be evidenced by the stock certificates
representing Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates
will be distributed. Until the earlier to occur of (i) a public announcement
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, has become an
"Acquiring Person" (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as the Board may determine) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer which would result in the beneficial ownership by an Acquiring
Person of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such
dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with
respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record
Date, by such Common Share certificate. In general, an "Acquiring Person" is a
person, the affiliates or associates of such person, or a group, which has
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferable with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights) the surrender or transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of
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this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares, represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
EXERCISABILITY OF RIGHTS
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on July 30, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below. 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.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution. The number of outstanding
Rights and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon
exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock
split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in
Common Shares, or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common
Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date. With
certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until
cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase
Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and
in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price
of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
TERMS OF PREFERRED SHARES
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $l per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum
preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each
Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common Shares.
Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in
which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. Because of the nature of the
Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one
one-hundredth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each
Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. The Preferred Shares
would rank junior to any other series of the Company's preferred stock.
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56
TRIGGER OF FLIP-IN AND FLIP-OVER RIGHTS
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that
each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring
Person or any affiliate or associate thereof (which will thereafter be void),
will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common
Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
This Right will commence on the date of public announcement that a person has
become an Acquiring Person (or the effective date of a registration statement
relating to distribution of the rights, if later) and terminate 60 days later
(subject to adjustment in the event exercise of the rights is enjoined).
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold to an Acquiring Person, its affiliates or associates or
certain other persons in which such persons have an interest, proper provision
will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at
the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise
price of the Right.
REDEMPTION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS
At any time prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on the
day of the first public announcement that a person has become an Acquiring
Person, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per Right (the "Redemption Price"). In general, the redemption of the Rights
may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the
Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption
Price.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void),
in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or under
circumstances set forth in Rights Agreement, cash property, or other securities
of the Company, including fractions of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a
class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent designations
and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions), per Right, with value equal to such Common Shares.
AMENDMENT OF RIGHTS
The terms of the Rights generally may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
except that from and after such time
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as the Rights are distributed no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights (excluding the interest of any Acquiring
Person).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K dated
August 1, 1997. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available from the Company
by writing to: Investor Relations, XXXXXXX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC., 000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxx Xxxx, XX 00000. This summary description
of the Rights is not intended to be complete and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference.
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