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EXHIBIT 4
________________________________________________________________________________
CENTEX CORPORATION
AND
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
Rights Agent
_________________________
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of October 2, 1996
________________________________________________________________________________
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
------- ----
1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3. Issue of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4. Form of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates . . . . . . 13
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock . . . . . . . . . 13
10. Preferred Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . . . 23
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
16. Agreement of Rights Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . . . . . 29
18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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23. Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc . . . 39
30. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
32. GOVERNING LAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Exhibit A -- Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 2, 1996 (the "Agreement"),
between Centex Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Company and RepublicBank Dallas, N.A. previously entered
into that certain Rights Agreement dated as of September 17, 1986 (as
heretofore amended and supplemented, the "Original Rights Agreement"), pursuant
to which the Company declared a dividend of one right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a share of the Company's Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
Series D, on (i) each share of common stock, par value $.25 per share, of the
Company outstanding at the close of business on October 2, 1986, and (ii) the
shares of common stock issued between that date and the Distribution Date (as
defined in the Original Rights Agreement); and
WHEREAS, the rights issued under the Original Rights Agreement expired
at the close of business on October 1, 1996 (the "Original Rights Expiration
Date") pursuant to Section 7 of the Original Rights Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Section 26 of the Original Rights Agreement provides that the
Original Rights Agreement cannot be amended to extend the Original Rights
Expiration Date; and
WHEREAS, in order to renew the rights, benefits and privileges
afforded the existing and future stockholders of the Company under the Original
Rights Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right (a
"Right") for each share of Common Stock (as herein defined) outstanding at the
close of business on October 15, 1996 (the "Record Date"), each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of
Preferred Stock (as herein defined), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth, and has further authorized the issuance of
one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions
of this Agreement) with respect to each share of Common Stock of the Company
issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and the earliest of Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined);
provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common
Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to
the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance
with Section 22 of this Agreement;
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NOW, THEREFORE, 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
herein defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as
such terms are herein defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
(as such term is herein defined) of 15 percent or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as
such term is herein defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the
Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15 percent
or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding;
provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15
percent or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding
by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share
purchases by the Company become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares
of Common Stock of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person".
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
FMR Corp. ("FMR") shall not become an Acquiring Person unless and until FMR,
together with any of its Affiliates or Associates, becomes the Beneficial Owner
of 20 percent or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding; provided, however, that FMR, together with its Affiliates and
Associates, shall not become an Acquiring Person as the result of an
acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the
number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by FMR, together with its Affiliates and Associates, to 20
percent or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding,
unless and until such time as (i) FMR or any Affiliate or Associate of FMR
shall purchase or otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock of the Company or (ii) any other Person who is the
Beneficial Owner of any shares of Common Stock of the Company shall become and
Affiliate or Associate of FMR.
(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 and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act"); provided, however, that any Subsidiary of
the
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Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan shall not be deemed an
Affiliate or an Associate.
(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, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether
or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion
rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and
after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior
to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in
connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of
or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
or consent given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation
made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is
not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
by any other Person (or any Affiliate or
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Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing (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 pursuant to a revocable
proxy or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of
this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of
such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the States of Texas or New
York 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.,
Dallas, Texas time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Dallas, Texas time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.25
per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such
Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board
of Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is
not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person,
or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, and was a member of the Board prior to the date of this Agreement,
or (ii) any Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board, while such
Person is a member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative of an
Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's
nomination for election or election to the Board is recommended or approved by
a majority of the Continuing Directors.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
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(j) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or
otherwise) of such entity; provided, however, that when two or more persons act
as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group for the purpose
of acquiring, holding or disposing of the shares of Common Stock of the
Company, such partnership, limited partnership syndicate or other group shall
be deemed a "Person".
(k) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Series D, par value $.25 per share, of the Company having the
rights, powers and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designation,
Preferences and Rights attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A, and to the
extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Series D, authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such
purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, Series D.
(l) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
(m) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(n) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(o) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(p) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at
least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(q) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Stock) 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 Rights Certificates.
(a) One Right shall be associated with each share of Common Stock
outstanding on the Record Date, each additional share of Common Stock that
shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, and each
additional share of Common Stock with which Rights are issued after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date as provided in Section 22 hereof; provided, however, that, if
the number of outstanding Rights are combined into a smaller number of
outstanding Rights pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the appropriate fractional
Right determined pursuant to such Section shall thereafter be associated with
each such share of Common Stock.
(b) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth
day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day after the
date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Company 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 any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity or Person organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
any such 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 (subject to the provisions of paragraph (c) of
this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the
names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock
shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to
the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record
holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution
Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or
more right certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the
"Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so
held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an
adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made in
accordance with the proviso in Section 3(a) at the time of distribution of the
Right Certificates, the Company shall make
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the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As
of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Rights Certificates.
(c) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding
as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders
of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or
the Final Expiration Date), the transfer of any certificates representing
shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common
Stock.
(d) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Distribution Date.
Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to
be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Centex
Corporation (the "Company") and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent") dated as of October 2, 1996 (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of
the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement,
as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any
Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, may become null and void.
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With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any shares
of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any
Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled
and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
associated with the shares of Common Stock which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate 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 Section
11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall
be dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase such number of Units of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per Unit, the
"Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the
exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represent Rights beneficially owned by a person known to
be: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing 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
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has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon
transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate
referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void
in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights
Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of
the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such
Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
at any time after the close
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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 Rights
Certificate or Certificates (except as otherwise provided herein, including,
without limitation, Rights Certificates representing Rights that have become
null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split-up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of Units of Preferred Stock
(or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split-up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split-up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split-up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation
of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of
indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the
Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and
upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate
if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of
like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the
registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed
or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability
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set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii), Section 23(a) and Section 24
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then
exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on October
12, 2006 (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 for each Unit of Preferred Stock pursuant
to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $135.00, and shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and
shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of
the Purchase Price per Unit of Preferred Stock (or other shares, securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below
and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall,
subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the
Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total
number of Units of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby
irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or
(B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a
depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of Units of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such
receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent)
and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request,
(ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in
lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after
receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made (x) in cash or by certified bank check or bank
draft payable to the order of the
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Company, or (y) by delivery of a certificate or certificates (with appropriate
stock powers executed in blank attached thereto) evidencing a number of shares
of Common Stock equal to the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on
the Trading Date immediately preceding the date of such exercise. In the event
that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common
Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that
such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing 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 7(e), shall become null and void without any further
action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights 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.
(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 certificate contained in the form of
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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 Rights Certificates. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any
of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights 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 Rights Certificate purchased
or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The
Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or
shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of
its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or
out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of
shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement
including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise
in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any
national securities exchange, 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 upon official notice of
issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution
Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933 (the "Act"), with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an
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appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the
expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file
such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification
in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Units of Preferred Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees subject to the
provisions of this Agreement, 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 Rights Certificates and of any certificates for
a number of Units of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities,
as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of a number of Units of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number
of Units of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is
due.
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Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name
any certificate for a number of Units of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such
Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of
such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall
be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and
shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company,
except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares 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 Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock
in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as
otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock
or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised
after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares
of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if
such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a
time when the Preferred Stock transfer books
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of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and
been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would
require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 23 and Section 24 of this Agreement,
in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a
Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter
have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the
then current Purchase Price multiplied times the number of Units of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of a number of Units of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
(such number of shares of Common Stock being referred to herein as the
"Adjustment Shares") as shall equal the result obtained by (X)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price times the number of Units
of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing
that product by (Y) 50 percent of the then current per share market
price of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on
the date of occurrence of such event.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
which are authorized by the Company's Restated Articles of
Incorporation, as hereafter amended and supplemented (the "Articles of
Incorporation") but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for
purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall,
to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation: (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2)
the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect
to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1)
cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other
equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of
Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as shares
of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock, "common stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets,
or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by
the Board of Directors of the
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Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made
adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above
within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the
later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board
of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is
likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the
thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder
approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period,
as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be
made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value
thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue
a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of
this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date
and the value of any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have
the same value as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45)
calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock
("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock
or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per
share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if
a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to
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Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock 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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock 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 the exercise of one Right. In case
such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of
which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall
be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price 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 a distribution
to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion
of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of
such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock
and the denominator of which shall
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be such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution
is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to
be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common
Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is
hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes
of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
"current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current market price per share of the Common Stock is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock
payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into
shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock, and
prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or
ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take
into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each 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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in
use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock 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
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market in the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in
the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company
shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted
to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If
the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded,
"current market price" per share shall mean the fair value per share
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be
determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence
thereof). If the current market price per share of Preferred Stock
cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred
stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per
share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount
equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such
events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this
Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per share
of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of a Unit of
Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one
share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment
in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be
made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common
Stock or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e),
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any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the
earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates
such adjustment, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a) through (c) inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10,
13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms
to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Units of Preferred
Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all
subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Units of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of Units covered by a Right immediately prior to
this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment
in the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Units of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right
held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become
that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained
by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the
Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of
the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its
election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the
adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be
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made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted
or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall
be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If
Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date
of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall
be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and
may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall
be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on
the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue
to express the Purchase Price per Unit and the number of Units which were
expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid
and nonassessable such number of Units of Preferred Stock at such adjusted
Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of Units of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of
the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
Units of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in
effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall
deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder's right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise)
or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
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(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by
the Rights.
(o) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding
shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then, in any such case (A) the
number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable after such event upon proper
exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of Units
of Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a
fraction, the numerator which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event, and (B) each
share of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event shall have
issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each share of Common
Stock 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.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of
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such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), and the Company shall
not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger,
(y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(n) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions (other than
in the ordinary course of business), assets or earning power aggregating more
than 50 percent of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully
paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall
be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such Units for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each
Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50 percent of the current
market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the
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Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such
Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, 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 only
to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps including, but not limited to,
the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in
connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to
assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as
reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any
Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no
securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such
merger or consolidation, or if there is more than one such Person, the
Person having shares of Common Stock with the greatest aggregate
market value; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (l) if the Common Stock of such
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks 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 Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with
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this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
until the Final Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers
or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13
Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter
become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights
or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu
of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this 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 of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
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exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ
or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date
no such market maker is making a market in the Rights the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of a Unit
of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of a Unit of Preferred Stock). Fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock in integral multiples of a Unit of Preferred Stock may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it;
provided, that such agreement shall provide that holders of such depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they
are entitled as beneficial owners of the shares of Preferred Stock represented
by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of a Unit of Preferred Stock, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a Unit of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this
Section 14(b), the current market value of a Unit of Preferred Stock shall be
one one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock.
For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of
Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
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Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common stock), may, in his own behalf and for his
own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner
provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting
the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to
specific performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against
actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person
subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company
and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
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jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its
best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of Units of
Preferred Stock 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 Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder
of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the 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. 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 damages.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock 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
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to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any 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 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, however, 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 Rights Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights
Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver
such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the
Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel 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
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that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any
Acquiring Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively provided and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant 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 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
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any 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 Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming null and void and nontransferable pursuant to
Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including
the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or
24 hereof, or ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it
by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock
to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to
whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
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(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant 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 to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(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, however, 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 either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise 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 thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and
to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
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Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty
(30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in
writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated
Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation or an Affiliate of such a corporation, organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or of the States of New York, Nevada or
Texas (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation
is authorized to conduct a stock transfer or corporate trust business in the
States of New York, Nevada or Texas), in good standing, having a principal
office in the States of New York, Nevada or Texas, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject
to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has, or
an Affiliate of such successor Rights Agent has, at the time of its appointment
as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as
Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent
shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the
time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the
effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof
in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the
Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to
the registered holders of the Rights 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 Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and
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prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall,
with respect to shares of Common stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement in effect
or outstanding on the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities outstanding on the Distribution Date, and (b) may, in
any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of
the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no
such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company
shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk
of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall
be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise
have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the fifteenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the fifteenth
day following Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but
not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per
Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); and
the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in shares of
Common Stock (based on the "current market price", as defined in Section
11(d)(i) hereof, of the shares of Common Stock at the time of redemption) or
cash; provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses
(i) and (ii) below, then there must be Continuing Directors then in office and
such authorization shall require the concurrence of a majority of such
Continuing Directors: (i) such authorization occurs on or after the time a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or
after the date of a change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation or
series of solicitations) in a majority of the directors in office at the
commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a participant in such
solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of such solicitation, a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has determined in good faith)
that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or Associates) intends to take, or
may consider taking, any action which would result in such Person becoming an
Acquiring Person or which would cause the occurrence of a Triggering Event.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the
Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section
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11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder
has expired.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have
been filed with the Rights Agent 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
for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such
redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights
by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it
appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common
Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice
of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption
Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, mandatorily exchange all
or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include
Rights that shall have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange
ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company
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
of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of
50 percent or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied times 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 the holders of such Rights at their
last addresses
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as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be
effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which
will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on
the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void and
nontransferable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at
its option, may substitute shares of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred
stock) for shares of Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate
of one Unit of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock) for each share
of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting
rights of the shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof, so that
the fraction of a share of Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of each share of
Common Stock shall have the same voting rights as one share of Common Stock.
(d) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock which are issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued
are not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in
accordance with this Section 24, the Company may, at its option, take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock.
(e) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions
of shares of Common Stock upon exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 24
or distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock.
In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange
pursuant to this Section 24. For purposes of this paragraph (e), the current
market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a
share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof).
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings
or retained earnings of the Company), (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any
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class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (iv)
to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than
a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n)
hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of
its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, of more than 50 percent of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(n) hereof),
(v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or
(vi) to declare or pay any dividend on Shares of Common Stock payable in shares
of Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
dividends in shares of Common Stock, then, in each such case, the Company shall
give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which
shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend,
distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the
shares of Preferred Stock and/or Common Stock, if any such date is to be fixed,
and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause
(i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Common Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) in case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as
practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail; postage prepaid, addressed (unto another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
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Centex Corporation
0000 Xxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) 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. At any time prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the last sentence of this Section 27, the
Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement
or amend any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the
date on which the Distribution Date shall occur or the time during which the
Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 23) without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after
the Distribution Date and subject to applicable law, the Company may, and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or
(iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this
Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause
(iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be
redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other
time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing
or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights
(other than an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person). Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to
the Distribution
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Date amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in the definition
of Acquiring Person in Section 1 hereof to not less than the greater of (i) the
sum of .001 percent and the largest percentage of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person
(other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company, an employee benefit plan
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity or Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan) and (ii) 10 percent. Upon the delivery of a certificate from
an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement
or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights
Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall
be made (1) following the first occurrence of an event set forth in clauses (i)
and (ii) of the first proviso to Section 23(a) hereof unless (A) there are
Continuing Directors then in office and (B) the Board of Directors of the
Company, with the concurrence of a majority of Continuing Directors then in
office, determines that such supplement or amendment is in their judgment in
the best interest of the Company and its stockholders, or (2) which reduces the
Redemption Price (except as required hereunder by appropriate adjustment to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date of this Agreement) or provides for an earlier Final Expiration Date.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors,
etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
(with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors) shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board (with, where specifically provided for herein, the
concurrence of the Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or
not redeem the Rights or to amend 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
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(with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding
on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other
parties, and (y) not subject the Board (or the Continuing Directors) to any
liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
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,
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing
the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23
hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on
the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT, EACH RIGHT AND EACH
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ISSUED HEREUNDER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER
THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS
MADE AND TO BE 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.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed
and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: CENTEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXX By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXX
------------------------------- -----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President, Chief
Legal Officer
Attest: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES, L.L.C.
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXX By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
------------------------------- -----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Relationship Manager Title: Vice President
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND
RIGHTS OF JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES D
of
CENTEX CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 78.1955 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Nevada
We, Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer, and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and
Secretary, of Centex Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under
the General Corporation Law of the State of Nevada (the "Corporation"), in
accordance with the provisions of Section 78.1955 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on October 2, 1996, adopted the following resolution
creating a series of 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, Series D:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Articles of Incorporation (as hereafter amended or supplemented, the "Articles
of Incorporation"), a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be and it
hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the voting
powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special
rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1.
Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Junior Participating Preferred Stock, Series D", par value $.25
per share (the "Series D Preferred Stock"), and the number of shares
constituting such series shall be 1,000,000.
Section 2.
Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series D Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of
shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and
if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the 1st day of January, April, July and
September 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 Series D
Preferred Stock, in an
46
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a)
$1.00 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, par value $.25 per share, of the
Corporation (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 Series D
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series D 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 Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series D Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) above 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, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series D
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 Series D Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series D
Preferred Stock, 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 Series D
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 Series D 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
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47
determination of holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock entitled to
receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series D Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series D Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100
votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series D 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.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate
of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or
by law, the holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having
general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series D Preferred Stock
shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends
thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the beginning
of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous
quarterly dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend
period on all shares of Series D Preferred Stock then outstanding
shall have been declared and paid or set apart for payment. During
each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock (including holders
of the Series D Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an
amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a
class, irrespective of series, shall have the right to elect two (2)
Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series D Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a
special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section
3(c) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at
annual meetings of stockholders, provided that neither such voting
right nor the right of the holders of any other series of Preferred
Stock,
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48
if any, to increase, in certain cases, the authorized number of
Directors shall be exercised unless the holders of ten percent (10%)
in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in
person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common
Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock
of such voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of
Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting right initially during an
existing default period, they shall have the right, voting as a class,
to elect Directors to fill such vacancies, if any, in the Board of
Directors as may then exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such right
is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the
number which may be so elected at any special meeting does not amount
to the required number, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have
the right to make such increase in the number of Directors as shall be
necessary to permit the election by them of the required number.
After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have exercised their
right to elect Directors in any default period and during the
continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not be
increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred
Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity
securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series D Preferred
Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to
elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder
or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent
(10%) of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding,
irrespective of series, may request, the calling of a special meeting
of the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon be
called by the President, a Vice-President or the Secretary of the
Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual meeting at
which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant to this
subparagraph (c)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of
Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last
address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not
later than 60 days after such order or request or in default of the
calling of such meeting within 60 days after such order or request,
such meeting may be called on similar notice by any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%)
of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subparagraph (c)(iii), no such
special meeting shall be called during the period within 60 days
immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of
the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and
other classes of stock of the Corporation if
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applicable, shall continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of
Directors until the holders of Preferred Stock shall have exercised
their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a class, after the
exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall
have been elected by such holders or until the expiration of the
default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors may
(except as provided in subparagraph (c)(ii) of this Section 3) be
filled by vote of a majority of the remaining Directors theretofore
elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected the
Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in this
subparagraph (c) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular
class of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to
fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x)
the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the
holders of Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the
number of Directors shall be such number as may be provided for in the
Articles of Incorporation or bylaws irrespective of any increase made
pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (c)(ii) of this Section 3
(such number being subject, however, to change thereafter in any
manner provided by law or in the Articles of Incorporation or bylaws).
Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of
clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a
majority of the remaining Directors.
(d) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series D 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 Series D 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 Series D Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series D Preferred
Stock;
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(ii) declare or pay dividends on 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
Series D Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series
D 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
Series D Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior
stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or
winding up) to the Series D Preferred Stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series D Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on
a parity with the Series D Preferred Stock, except in accordance with
a 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 Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subparagraph (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 Series D Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation 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 to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors,
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution
shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as
to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series D
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall
have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not
A-6
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declared to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of
Series D 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 (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with
the Series D Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series D
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 Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of
Series D Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under
the proviso in clause (i) 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 Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series D Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding
sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series D 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; No Sinking Fund.
(a) The shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be
redeemable.
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(b) The shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be subject to
or entitled to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series D Preferred Stock shall rank junior
to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series
shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation shall not be
further amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the
powers, preferences or special rights of the Series D Preferred Stock so as to
affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds
or more of the outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series D Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holders fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series D Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be
duly executed in its corporate name on this ___ day of _______________, 1996.
CENTEX CORPORATION
By: ____________________________
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Chairman
of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer
Before me on this _____ day of _______________, 1996, personally
appeared Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
of Centex Corporation, and acknowledged to me that he executed the foregoing
certificate for the purposes therein expressed.
[Notarial Seal] _______________________________
Notary Public, State of Texas
_______________________________
Typed or Printed Name of Notary
Attest:
___________________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Vice President,
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
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Before me on this _____ day of _______________, 1996, personally
appeared Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of
Centex Corporation, and acknowledged to me that he executed the foregoing
certificate for the purposes therein expressed.
[Notarial Seal] _______________________________
Notary Public, State of Texas
_______________________________
Typed or Printed Name of Notary
A-9
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EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 12, 2006 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY
THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]
Rights Certificate
CENTEX CORPORATION
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 October 2, 1996
(the "Rights Agreement"), between Centex Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the
"Company"), and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"),
to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. Dallas, Texas time)
on October 12, 2006 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully
paid, non-assessable share (a "Unit") of Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
Series D (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of
$________ per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of
this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related
Certificate duly executed. The Purchase Price shall be paid, at the election
of the holder, in cash or shares of Common Stock of the Company having an
equivalent value. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
(and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set
forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of _________, 19__, based on the Preferred Stock as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase
Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased upon the exercise
of each Right evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification
and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
55
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or 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, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right
with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section
11(a)(ii) Event.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Units of Preferred Stock as the
Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered
shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall
be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender
hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of
whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Board of Directors of
the Company at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time
prior to the earlier of the close of business on (A) the fifteenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended
pursuant to the Rights Agreement) and (B) the Final Expiration Date or (ii) may
be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of Preferred Stock or shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $.25 per share. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors.
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No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of a Unit of Preferred Stock, 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 Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock 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 otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ___________, 19__
ATTEST: CENTEX CORPORATION
________________________________ By: ________________________________
Secretary Name:___________________________
Title:__________________________
Countersigned:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
By: __________________________________
Name: ____________________________
Title:____________________________
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ________________, 19__
___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association recognized signature guarantee program.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
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(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ______________, 19__ ______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association recognized signature guarantee program.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth in the Form of Assignment is
not completed, the Company will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in case of an
Assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates
issued in exchange for this Rights Certificate.
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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: CENTEX CORPORATION:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be
issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certification for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ______________, 19__
_____________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer
Association recognized signature guarantee program.
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: __________, 19 __ _____________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association recognized signature guarantee program.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond 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 Election
to Purchase if not completed, the Company will deem the beneficial owner of the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or an Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in
case of an Assignment will affix a legend to the effect on any Right
Certificates issued in exchange for this Right Certificate.
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EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On October 2, 1996, the Board of Directors of Centex Corporation, a
Nevada corporation (the "Company"), adopted a new stockholder rights plan to
replace its Rights Agreement dated as September 17, 1986 (as heretofore amended
and supplemented, the "Original Rights Agreement"). The Original Rights
Agreement expired on October 1, 1996.
In connection with the new rights plan, the Board of Directors
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $.25 per share (the "Common Stock") to
stockholders of record at the close of business on October 15, 1996. Each
Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit
consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Series D, par value $.25 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at
a Purchase Price of $135.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The Purchase
Price may be paid, at the option of the holder, in cash or shares of Common
Stock having a value at the time of exercise equal to the Purchase Price. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common
Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right
to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15 percent or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days
following the commencement of, or first public announcement of an intention to
commence, a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or
group beneficially owning 15 percent or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after
October 15, 1996 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificate. FMR Corp. will not be
deemed an Acquiring Person unless and until it, together with any affiliated or
associated persons as a group, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20 percent or
more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on October 12, 2006, unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.
62
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined
by the Board of Directors, and except in connection with the exercise of
employee stock options and in connection with the conversion of convertible
securities, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date
will be issued with Rights.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the company) having a
value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any
of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in
the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be
null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of
the event set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $140 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following the
event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase
$280 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration as noted above) for $140.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $28 at such time, the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase ten shares of Common
Stock for $140.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, or (ii) 50
percent or more of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or
transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph
and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering
Events."
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such person, together with its affiliates and associates, of
beneficial ownership of 50 percent or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock, the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such
person which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of
one share of Common Stock, or a Unit of Preferred Stock (or a share of a class
or series of the Company's Preferred Stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges) per Right (subject to adjustment).
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The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights
or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Units of Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise of a Right are also subject to adjustment in the
event of a stock split of the shares of Common Stock or a stock dividend on the
shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the shares of Common Stock occurring, in any
such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be subject to redemption by the Company. Each share of Preferred Stock
will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1.00,
but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 multiplied times the
payment made per share of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, the
holder of shares of Preferred Stock will be entitled to a minimum preferential
liquidation payment of $100.00 plus accrued and unpaid dividends, but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 multiplied times the payment made per
share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will have 100 votes,
voting together with the shares of Common Stock. Finally, in the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are
exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 100
multiplied times the amount received per share of the Common Stock. These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights
with respect to the shares of Preferred Stock, the value of a Unit of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon exercise of each right should approximate the value of
one share of Common Stock.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1 percent of the
Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until fifteen days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01
per Right (payable in cash or
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stock). Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the
decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights with, where required, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Directors" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or
associate of an Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing
entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights, as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company in any manner prior to the Distribution Date, except for a
supplement or amendment that reduces the redemption price or provides for an
earlier expiration date for the Rights. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure
any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of
holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the Rights Agreement may be
supplemented or amended only if (A) there are Continuing Directors then in
office and (B) the Board of Directors of the Company with the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors, determines that such supplement or
amendment is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
The shares of Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment
of dividends and as to distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, junior to all other series of Preferred Stock of the
Company, unless the Board of Directors of the Company shall specifically
determine otherwise in fixing the powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of any such
other series in the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.
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65
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
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