RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of
October 28, 1999
between
THE CRONOS GROUP
and
BankBoston, N.A.
as Rights Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Certain Definitions..............................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent......................................4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates......................................4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate........................................5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration................................5
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Right Certificate......................................6
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights....6
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates...............8
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares....................8
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date........................................9
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind
of Shares or Number of Rights....................................9
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares......14
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power......................................14
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.........................16
Section 15. Rights of Action................................................16
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders......................................16
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...............17
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.....................................17
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......18
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent..........................................18
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent..........................................20
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates..............................20
Section 23. Redemption and Termination......................................20
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Section 24. Exchange........................................................21
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events........................................22
Section 26. Notices.........................................................22
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments......................................23
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, etc............................23
Section 29. Successors......................................................24
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement......................................24
Section 31. Severability....................................................24
Section 32. Governing Law...................................................24
Section 33. Counterparts....................................................24
Section 34. Descriptive Headings............................................24
Section 35. Public Announcements............................................24
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Defined Term Cross Reference Sheet
Acquiring Person............................................. Section 1(a)
Act.......................................................... Section 1(b)
Adjustment Shares............................................ Section 11(a)(ii)
Affiliate.................................................... Section 1(c)
Agreement.................................................... Preface
Associate.................................................... Section 1(c)
Beneficial Owner............................................. Section 1(d)
beneficially own............................................. Section 1(d)
Board of Directors........................................... Section 1(e)
Business Day................................................. Section 1(f)
Close of business............................................ Section 1(g)
Common Shares................................................ Section 1(h)
Corporation.................................................. Preface
current per share market price............................... Section 11(d)
Distribution Date............................................ Section 1(i)
Exchange Act................................................. Section 1(j)
Exchange Ratio............................................... Section 24(a)
Final Expiration Date........................................ Section 7(a)
Permitted Offer.............................................. Section 1(m)
Person....................................................... Section 1(p)
Principal Party.............................................. Section 13(b)
Proposing Person............................................. Section 1(q)
Purchase Price............................................... Section 4(a)
Record Date.................................................. Preface
Redemption Date.............................................. Section 7(a)
Redemption Price............................................. Section 23(a)
Right........................................................ Preface
Right Certificate............................................ Section 3(a)
Rights Agent................................................. Preface
Rights Agreement............................................. Section 3(c)
Section 11(a)(ii) Event...................................... Section 1(s)
Section 13 Event............................................. Section 1(t)
Security..................................................... Section 11(d)
Shares Acquisition Date...................................... Section 1(u)
Subsidiary................................................... Section 1(v)
Substitution Period.......................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Summary of Rights............................................ Section 3(b)
then outstanding............................................. Section 1(d)
Trading Day.................................................. Section 11(d)
Transfer..................................................... Section 1(w)
Triggering Event............................................. Section 1(x)
voting securities............................................ Section 13(a)
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 28, 1999 (the "Agreement"),
between The Cronos Group, a societe anonyme organized under the laws of
Luxembourg (the "Corporation") and BankBoston, N.A., a national banking
association (the "Rights Agent").
Recitals
The Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and
declared an allocation of one right (a "Right") for each Common Share (as
hereinafter defined) of the Corporation outstanding at the close of business on
October 25, 1999 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one-tenth of a Common Share, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become
outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date,
the Redemption Date or Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common
Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to
the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance
with the provisions of Section 22 of this Agreement.
Agreement
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other than as a result of
a Permitted Offer (as hereinafter defined)) or was such a Beneficial Owner at
any time after the Close of Business on the date hereof, whether or not such
Person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term
"Acquiring Person" shall not include (i) the Corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary of
the Corporation, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any
Subsidiary of the Corporation, or (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed
or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan,
and (B) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person":
(i) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Corporation which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding,
increases the proportional number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person; provided that if (1)
a Person would be or become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this
subclause (i)) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Corporation, and (2) after such share acquisition by the Corporation, such
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed an
Acquiring Person; or
(ii) if the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a
Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such
inadvertently, and such Person (A) does not attempt to exercise any control over
the business affairs or management of the Corporation, including by means of a
proxy solicitation, and (B) divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient
number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring
Person", then such Person shall not be deemed an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as
in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) (i) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(A) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(B) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates has (1) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (2) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (x) arises solely
from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public
proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (y) is
not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(C) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with
which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with
and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities) relating to the acquisition, holding, voting
(except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Corporation.
(ii) 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 Corporation,
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.
(e) "Board of Directors" shall mean the Board of Directors of the
Corporation from time to time.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday,
federal holiday or day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to
close in New York City and Luxembourg.
(g) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New
York time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
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(h) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation
shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $2.00, of the Corporation or,
in the event of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to such
shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such
subdivision, combination or consolidation. "Common Shares" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the capital stock
(or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if
such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3 hereof.
(j) "Exchange Act" means the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which is
for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on terms determined, prior to
the purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by the Board of
Directors to be in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders
(other than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on whose basis the
offer is being made) taking into account all factors that such directors may
deem relevant.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, limited
liability company, corporation, trust, association, joint venture or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Proposing Person" means any Person proposing or attempting to
effect a business combination, tender offer, exchange offer or similar
transaction with the Corporation or its stockholders, including, without
limitation, a merger, tender offer or exchange offer, sale of substantially all
of the Corporation's assets, or liquidation of the Corporation's assets.
(o) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(p) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(q) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(r) "Shares 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 the Exchange Act) by the Corporation or
an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such; provided, that, if
such Person is determined not to have become an Acquiring Person pursuant to
Section 1(a)(ii) hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have
occurred.
(s) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
Person of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(t) "Transfer" shall mean any sale, assignment, transfer or other
disposition.
(u) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Corporation hereby
appoints the Rights
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Agent to act as agent for the Corporation in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co- Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business
Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Corporation's
Board of Directors) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of
the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the
terms of such plan) of a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including, in the case
of both (i) and (ii), any such date which is after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the issuance of the Rights), the earlier of such dates being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date", (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for
Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates
shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right
Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Rights Certificates will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a transfer to the Corporation); provided, however, that if a
tender offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then
no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender offer. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Corporation will prepare and
execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Corporation will send or
cause to be sent by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Corporation, a Right
Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of and
after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Corporation will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares in
the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding
as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together
with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution
Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the
surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the
Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
such Common Shares.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, and the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date
shall be deemed also 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 a Rights Agreement between The
Cronos Group and BankBoston, N.A., dated as of October 28, 1999 (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
executive offices of The Cronos Group. 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 Cronos Group will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any
Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring
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Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) and certain related persons, whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Corporation purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Corporation shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate. (a) The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the
reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation 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 Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of tenths
of a Common Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per Common Share
set forth therein (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 Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section
22 hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section
7(e) of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Right
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby are null and void.
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be
operative whether or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right
Certificate and such legend shall be deemed to be contained on any such Right
Certificate for all purposes regardless of whether it is imprinted thereon.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by those persons authorized by
applicable law, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall be attested
by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually
or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any person authorized by applicable law who shall have signed any of the
Right Certificates shall cease to be so authorized before countersignature by
the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Corporation, such Right
Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued
and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and effect as though the
person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be so authorized;
and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Corporation by any
person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall
be properly authorized by applicable law to sign such Right Certificate,
although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person
was not so authorized.
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The Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office
designated as the appropriate place for surrender of such Right Certificate or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates and the certificate number and the date of each
of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificate. Subject to
the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time
after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the
close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Common Shares (or,
following a Section 13 Event, other securities, as the case may be) as the Right
Certificate or Right 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 Right Certificate or
Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall
be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any
such surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the
reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall
reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be,
as so requested. The Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Corporation's request,
reimbursement to the Corporation and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
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 for the total
number of Common Shares (or other securities, as the case may be) as to which
such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the
close of business on October 28, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
"Redemption Date").
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") per whole Common Share
at which a holder of Rights may purchase Common Shares or (subject to Section 14
hereof) fractions thereof upon exercise of such Rights shall initially be
$16.00, 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) Subject to appropriate action by the Board of Directors taken in
accordance with applicable law, upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
6
purchase and the certificate duly and properly executed, accompanied by payment
of the Purchase Price for the Common Shares (or other securities, as the case
may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge
required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to
the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A)
requisition from any transfer agent of the Common Shares certificates for the
number of Common Shares to be purchased and the Corporation hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Corporation, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to deposit the Common
Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder into a depositary,
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the Common Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Corporation will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such requests, (ii) when appropriate,
requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of
issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after
receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to
or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In the
event that the Corporation is obligated to issue other securities of the
Corporation pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with this
Agreement.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement and if less than all the Rights represented by such Right
Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue to include
the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the
Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right Certificate with
respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate
or Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate
or Associate thereof) 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 a continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
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 Corporation shall notify the Rights Agent upon
obtaining actual knowledge that this Section 7(e) applies and 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 Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the
7
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) properly completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of
the Right 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 Corporation shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise (other than an
exercise pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)), transfer, split up, combination or
exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or to any of its agents, be
delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if
surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Corporation shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Corporation, or shall, at the
written request of the Corporation, destroy such canceled Right Certificates,
and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Corporation.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares. The
Corporation covenants and agrees that at all times after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event it will, to the extent reasonably practicable, cause to
be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares,
or any authorized and issued Common Shares held in its treasury, the number of
Common Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
So long as the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Corporation 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.
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares 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 non-assessable shares, including,
without limitation, the payment of any stamp duties levied upon the issuance and
delivery of such shares under applicable law.
The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all U.S. federal and state taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or
of any Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation shall not,
however, be required to pay any tax or charge which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Common
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Common Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights, until any such tax or charge shall have been paid (any
such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Corporation's
reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if required by law, at
such earlier time following the Distribution Date as so required), a
registration statement under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights on an 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 and the rules and regulations
thereunder) until the date of the expiration of the Rights
8
provided by Section 11(a)(ii). The Corporation will also take such action as may
be appropriate under the blue sky laws of the various states.
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Common Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Shares
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes or charges) was made; provided,
however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Common Shares transfer books of the Corporation are closed, such Person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common
Shares transfer books of the Corporation are open.
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 Corporation shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue any shares of
its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, (x) 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 (y) the number
and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Common Shares transfer books of the Corporation were
open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to
be paid upon the exercise of any Rights be less than the aggregate par value of
the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of such
Rights. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), 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).
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, then proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below
and in Section 7(e) hereof) thereafter shall be entitled to receive, upon
exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price for a whole
Common Share, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
Common Shares as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price per whole Common Share by the number of one-tenths of a
Common Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (e.g., if a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to a Section 11(a)(ii) Event for two one-tenths of a share of
Common Stock and the Purchase Price per whole Common Share was $[X], the product
would be [2X]), and dividing that product by (y) the greater of $2.00 or (if
less) the then par value of a Common Share, and 50% of the then current per
share market price of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares being
referred to as the "Adjustment Shares"); provided, however, that if the
transaction that would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also
subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of
Section 13 hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) If the number of Common Shares which are authorized by
the Corporation's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or reserved
for issuance other than upon exercise of the Rights is
9
not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii), then the number of Adjustment Shares which each holder of a
Right shall be entitled to receive pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), upon payment
of the then current Purchase Price per whole Common Share, shall be reduced on a
pro rata basis among all holders of Rights. If a majority of the Board of
Directors shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, the Corporation may within 90 days following the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (such period being referred to
herein as the "Substitution Period")seek stockholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares. To the extent that some action is to be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the Corporation (X) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e), 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. If any such suspension
occurs, the Corporation 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.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Common
Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares) or securities
convertible into Common Shares at a price per Common Share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares) less
than the then current per share market price of the Common Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of Common Shares which the aggregate offering price
of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current per share market price, and the denominator of which
shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase
(or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of Rights be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of such
Rights. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or
all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, 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 Rights. Common Shares owned by or
held for the account of the Corporation shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options
or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Common Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Common Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the then current per share market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Common Shares on such record date, less the fair
market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Common Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Common Shares; provided, however, that in
no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of any Rights be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Corporation to be issued upon exercise of such Rights. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever
10
such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so
made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)), including, without limitation the Common Shares, on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Security for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is
hereinafter defined) immediately prior to but not including such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the
Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to but
not including the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per
share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market
price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
NASDAQ Stock Market ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any
such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors. If on any
such date no such market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair
value of the Security on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security
is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day.
(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary (except the last
sentence of this Section 11(e)), no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be
required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at
least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations
under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-
thousandth of a Common Share or any other share or security as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(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)(i) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation
other than Common Shares, thereafter the number of other shares so receivable
upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Common Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive,
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Common
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
11
(h) Unless the Corporation 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
Common Shares (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Common Shares 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 Corporation 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 Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of
the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of Common Shares 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 ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to the adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Corporation shall make a public announcement (with notice thereof to the Rights
Agent) of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record
date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment
to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is
adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued,
shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement.
If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Corporation shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates
on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof,
the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of
such adjustment, or, at the option of the Corporation, 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 Corporation, new Right Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) [Intentionally omitted]
(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 Corporation may elect (with notice thereof to the Rights
Agent) to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of
any Right exercised after such record date the Common Shares or other securities
of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the
Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx
or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11 to the contrary, the
Corporation shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustment expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Common Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares at less than the current market price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or securities which by their
terms are
12
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, (iv) stock dividends, or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Common Shares shall not be
taxable to such shareholders; provided, however, that in no event shall the
Purchase Price for a whole Common Share be less than $2.00.
(n) [Intentionally omitted]
(o) The Corporation covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which
is to, or if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that
the effect of such action is to materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result
in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and
shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this
Rights Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Right Certificate 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 and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. (a) In the event that, on or following the Shares Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any Person, (y) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with, any Person, and the Corporation shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger (other than, in a case of any
transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would
result in all of the securities generally entitled to vote in the election of
directors ("voting securities") of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting securities
of the Corporation or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such
merger or consolidation and the holders of such securities not having changed as
a result of such merger or consolidation), or (z) the Corporation shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person (other than
the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation in one or more transactions
each of which does not violate Section 11(o) 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 a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
for a whole Common Share, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in
lieu of Common Shares, such number of freely tradeable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal
the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price for a
whole Common Share by the number of one-tenths of a Common Share for which a
Right is then exercisable (without taking into account any adjustment previously
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such 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 Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term
"Corporation" 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; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to,
13
the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares) in connection with
the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which Common Shares of the Corporation 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 (including, if applicable, the
Corporation if it is the surviving corporation); 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 of the foregoing
cases, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have not
been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) in case such
Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the
Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) in case such
Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the
rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a
"Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in
each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the
total of such interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of its authorized Common Shares which have not been issued or reserved
for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Corporation 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, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(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 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;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. The rights
under this Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and
adjustments under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
14
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraph
(x) or (y) of Section 13(a) if: (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons which acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or
a wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per
Common Share offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common
Share paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant
to such Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this
Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors.
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 shall be used.
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the
Corporation shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the
time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of one Common Share. For the purposes
of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
15
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate form fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation
and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone
other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Corporation 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 Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any
holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree,
judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, that the Corporation must use
its best efforts to have any such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or
otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or any
other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Corporation or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Corporation agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The
Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it
harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises. In no event shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect 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 likelihood of such loss or damage and
regardless of the form of action. The indemnity provided for herein shall
survive the expiration of the Rights, the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent and the termination of this Agreement.
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 acceptance and administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent pursuant to Sections 6 and 7
hereof for Common Shares
16
or for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may
be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any
merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock transfer or all or
substantially all of 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 that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only
those duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders
of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of an Acquiring Person and the
determination of the current market price of any Security) be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or omitting to take any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by an appropriate person authorized by
applicable law to act on behalf of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for
any action taken or omitted in good faith by it under the provisions of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall
be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
17
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation 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 pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or
any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof
or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates
after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12 hereof); nor shall it
by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares will, when
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from an
appropriate person authorized by applicable law to act on behalf of the
Corporation, and to apply to such persons for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and shall not be liable for any action taken or
omitted by it in good faith or lack of action in accordance with instructions of
any such person or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the
Corporation may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any
action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights
Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such
omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date
an appropriate person authorized by applicable law to act on behalf of the
Corporation actually receives such application, unless any such person shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instruction in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
it believes in good faith that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
18
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the
Corporation.
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 Corporation and
to the transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and,
subsequent to the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent upon sixty (60) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to the transfer agent of
the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and, subsequent to the
Distribution Date, to holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If
the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable
of acting, the Corporation shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Corporation 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 Right Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Corporation), then
the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court, shall be
a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States
or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long
as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the
State of New York), in good standing, having an office in the State of New York,
which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. 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
Corporation shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights
Agent and the transfer agent of the Common Shares, and, subsequent to the
Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of
the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section
21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the successor Rights Agent or the appointment of
the Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Corporation may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by the 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 upon exercise of the Rights
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common
Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Corporation (a) shall with
respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the
Corporation, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board of Directors, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance of sale, provided, however,
that (i) the Corporation shall not be obligated to issue any such Right
Certificates if, and to the extent that, the Corporation shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Corporation or the Person to whom such Right Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the
extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of
the issuance thereof.
19
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of Directors
may, at its option, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $0.01 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"), at any time prior to the earlier of (x)
the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (y) the Final
Expiration Date. The Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price
either in Common Shares (based on the "current per share market price," as
defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Shares at the time of redemption)
or cash; provided that if the Corporation elects to pay the Redemption Price in
Common Shares, the Corporation shall not be required to issue any fractional
Common Shares and the number of Common Shares issuable to each holder of Rights
shall be rounded down to the next whole share. The redemption of the Rights by
the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23, 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. The
Corporation shall promptly give notice of any such redemption to the Rights
Agent and the holders of Rights in the manner set forth in Section 26; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not
affect the validity of such redemption. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Corporation nor any of
its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23 and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior
to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors may, at its option,
at any time after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange
all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not
include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the Corporation at an
exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be
empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the
Corporation or any such Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan or any trustee, administrator or
fiduciary of such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Corporation 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 Corporation promptly shall mail a
notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights.
20
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued (and not reserved for
issuance other than upon exercise of the Rights) to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the (i) Corporation
shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common
Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights, or (ii) the Board of Directors
may determine to exchange Common Shares for then outstanding and exercisable
Rights at such exchange ratio of less than one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted as set forth in Section 24(a) above, so that all (and not
less than all) Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued (and not reserved for issuance other than upon exercise of the Rights)
are issued in the exchange contemplated by this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Corporation
shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Common Shares or to make any
other distribution to the holders of its Common Shares (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Common Shares
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Common Shares
or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options,
(iii) to effect any reclassification of its Common Shares (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Common Shares),
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate
Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one
or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer) in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Corporation
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other
than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions
each of which does not violate Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, then, in each such
case, the Corporation shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of the
Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action to the extent feasible and file a certificate with the Rights
Agent to that effect, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of
such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Common Shares, 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 Common Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such
other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such
proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
prior to the Distribution Date a filing by the Corporation with the Securities
and Exchange Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the holders of the
securities of the Corporation, including the Rights, for purposes of this
Agreement and no other notice need be given to such holders.
(c) If a Triggering Event shall occur, then the Corporation shall as
soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event,
which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 hereof, as the case may
be.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Corporation shall be sufficiently given or made if sent
by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed
in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
The Cronos Group
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
21
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
BankBoston, N.A.
c/o Equiserve Limited Partnership
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Client Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
Common Shares, shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Corporation.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, subject to the requirements of
applicable law, if the Board of Directors so directs and determines to be in the
best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders (taking into account all
factors that such directors may deem relevant), supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement. From and after the Distribution Date, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, subject to the requirements of
applicable law, if the Board of Directors so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement 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
Board of Directors determines to be in the best interests of the Corporation and
its stockholders (taking into account all factors that such directors may deem
relevant); provided, however, that 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. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate person authorized by applicable law to act on behalf of the
Corporation 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, provided that such supplement or amendment does
not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or obligations of the
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests
of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Shares.
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation, etc. The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors, or the Corporation, 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, without limitation, a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and
whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of
Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares or other securities outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares or any other securities of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement. 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
of Directors in good faith, shall not subject the Board to any liability to the
holders of the Right Certificates.
22
Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agents shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of Luxembourg and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of Luxembourg applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely therein.
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.
Section 35. Public Announcements. All public announcements made by
the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall be confirmed
in a written notice to the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with
applicable law.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
23
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
THE CRONOS GROUP
By:------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
BANKBOSTON, N.A.
By:------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
24
Exhibit A
[Form of Right Certificate]
No. R- ------------ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EARLIER OF OCTOBER --, 2009 AND THE DATE ON
WHICH THE RIGHTS EVIDENCED HEREBY ARE REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY THE COMPANY
AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES
AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN 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 BE NULL AND VOID.
[THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
AN ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED
HEREBY MAY BE OR MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED
IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]*
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
THE CRONOS GROUP
This Right Certificate certifies that -----------------, or
registered assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth
above, each of which entitles the holder (upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in the Rights Agreement dated as of October 28, 1999 (the
"Rights Agreement") between The Cronos Group, a societe anonyme organized under
the laws of Luxembourg (the "Company"), and BankBoston, N.A. (the "Rights
Agent")) to purchase from the Company, at any time after the Distribution Date
and prior to the Expiration Date, one-tenth of a fully paid, nonassessable share
of the Common Stock, par value $2.00 (the "Common Shares"), of the Company at a
purchase price per whole Common Share equal to $16.00 (the "Purchase Price"),
payable in lawful money of the United States of America, upon surrender of this
Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and related certificate
duly executed, and payment of the Purchase Price at an office of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose.
Terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings
assigned to them in the Rights Agreement.
The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the
number and kind of shares issuable upon exercise of each Right) and the Purchase
Price set forth above are as of October 25, 1999, and may have been or in the
future be adjusted as a result of the occurrence of certain events, as more
fully provided in the Rights Agreement.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (a) an Acquiring
Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (b) a transferee of
a Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate thereof) who becomes a
transferee after
A-1
the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (c) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or any such
Associate or Affiliate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such, such Rights shall become
null and void without any further action, and no holder hereof shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
the Rights Agreement or otherwise.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, covenants and
restrictions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, covenants and restrictions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right 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.
Upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose and subject to the terms and conditions set
forth in the Rights Agreement, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be
transferred or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates
evidencing a like number of Rights as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Board of
Directors of the Company may, at its option,
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time that
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person 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 (subject to adjustment); or
(b) at any time after the time that any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person (but before such Person, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding),
exchange all or part of the then outstanding Rights (other than
Rights held by the Acquiring Person and certain related Persons) for
Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right
(subject to adjustment).
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. If this Right Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof
another Right Certificate or Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised, or the Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on this Right
Certificate with respect to those Rights exercised.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares of
capital stock which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor
shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to
confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided
in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be
duly executed by persons duly authorized under applicable law.
Dated as of ------------, 19--
THE CRONOS GROUP
By:------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Attest:
--------------------------
Secretary
Countersigned:
BankBoston, N.A.
as Rights Agent
By:-----------------------
Authorized Signature
A-3
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed if the registered holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ------------------------------------------------------------
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto --------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ----------- Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: -----------------, 19--
--------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
A-4
Certificate
-----------
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate --- are ---- are
not being assigned 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 in 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 Right Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person;
(3) the action requested by the undersigned is not prohibited by
the provisions of the Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the
provisions relating to the (i) transfer, split-up, combination and exchange of
rights which are null and void or (ii) exercise by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person of any Right which by its terms is
null and void.
Dated: -------------, 19--
---------------------------------
Signature
--------------
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment 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.
--------------
A-5
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if the registered holder desires to exercise Rights represented
by the Right Certificate.)
To: THE CRONOS GROUP
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase shares of Common 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 securities 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 specified above shall not be all the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate, the Rights Agent shall place an appropriate
notation on this Right Certificate with respect to those Rights exercised or a
new Right Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the
name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: ------------------, 19--
--------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
A-6
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right 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
in 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 Right Certificate from any
Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person;
(3) the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
is not prohibited by the terms of the Rights Agreement, including, without
limitation, the provisions relating to the exercise by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person of any Right which by its terms is
null and void.
Dated: ------------------, 19--
--------------------------------
Signature
--------------
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.
--------------
A-7
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE SHARES
The Board of Directors of The Cronos Group (the "Corporation" or the
"Company") has declared an allocation of one right (a "Right") to purchase
one-tenth of a share of the Common Stock, $2.00 par value, of the Corporation
(the "Common Shares") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, payable to the
stockholders of record on October 25, 1999 (the "Record Date"). The Board of
Directors also authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to
each Common Share issued thereafter until the Distribution Date (as defined
below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect to Common Shares issued after
the Distribution Date. Except as set forth below, each Right, when it becomes
exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Corporation
one-tenth of a Common Share at a price per whole Common Share equal to $16.00
(the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Corporation and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as
of October 28, 1999. The current authorized and unissued capital stock of the
Corporation will expire on December 7, 2002 unless extended by the stockholders
of the Corporation.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates
representing Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Shares upon the
earliest to occur of (i) a person or entity (a "Person") or group of affiliated
or associated Persons (a "Group") having acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares (except pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as
hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board
of Directors may determine) following the commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in a Person or Group becoming an Acquiring Person (as hereinafter
defined) (the earliest of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"). A
Person or Group whose acquisition of Common Shares causes a Distribution Date
pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring Person." The date that a Person or
Group becomes an Acquiring Person is the "Shares Acquisition Date."
A Person who acquires Common Shares pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer which is for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on terms which
the Board of Directors determines (prior to acquisition) to be adequate for
being in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders (other than
such Person, its affiliates and associates) (a "Permitted Offer") will not be
deemed to be an Acquiring Person and such Person's ownership will not constitute
a Distribution Date.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon the transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date (and to each initial record holder of certain Common Shares
issued after the Distribution Date), and such separate Right Certificates alone
will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, and will
expire at the close of business on October 28, 2009, unless earlier redeemed by
the Corporation as described below.
B-1
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each
holder of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void as described
below) will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, upon
exercise of such Rights, the number of whole Common Shares (or, in certain
circumstances, other securities of the Corporation) having a value (immediately
prior to such triggering event) equal to two times the aggregate exercise price
of such Rights. For example, if a Person became an Acquiring Person at a time
when the current per share market price of the Corporation's Common Shares is $5
(and prior to any antidilution adjustment as described below), each holder of a
Right (other than a Right which has become null and void as described herein)
would have the right to receive upon the exercise of the Right six Common Shares
upon the payment of an exercise price of $16.00. In no event will shares be
issued upon exercise of the Flip-In Rights for consideration less than the par
value ($2.00) per Common Share.
The Board, at its option, may exchange each Right (other than those
that have become null and void as described below) for one Common Share in lieu
of the Flip-In Right, provided no Person is the beneficial owner of 50% or more
of the Common Shares at the time of such exchange. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, following the occurrence of the event described above, all Rights
that are or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate thereof
or certain transferees thereof will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition
Date, (i) the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the holders of
all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the
Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, then each holder
of Rights (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon
exercise of such Rights, common shares of the acquiring company (or in certain
circumstances, its parent) having a value equal to two times the aggregate
exercise price of the Rights; provided, however, that the Flip Over Right shall
not apply to any transaction described in clause (i) if (x) such transaction is
with a Person or Persons (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or
Persons) that acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer and (y) the
price and form of consideration offered in such transaction is the same as that
paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to the
Permitted Offer. The holder of a Right will continue to have the Flip-Over Right
whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common Shares or other
securities 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 Common Shares, (ii) upon
the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities convertible
into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market
price of the Common Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming
an Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Corporation may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"), which redemption shall be effective at such time, on such
basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors may establish in its
sole discretion. The Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in
Common Shares.
B-2
All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors prior to the Distribution Date if the Board of Directors
determines that such amendment is in the best interests of the Corporation and
its stockholders, subject to the requirements of applicable law. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board subject to the requirements of applicable law in order to cure any
ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes which the Board of Directors
determines to be in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders
or, subject to certain limitations, to shorten or lengthen any time period under
the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have
no rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights
become exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
B-3
