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XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
AND
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of January 14, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions........................................................................... 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................................................... 7
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates................................................................... 7
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.................................................................... 9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration............................................................. 9
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Right Certificates............................................................................ 10
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights................................. 10
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates............................................ 12
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares.............................................................. 12
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date.................................................................. 13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights.............................................................................. 14
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.................................... 21
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power.............................................................................. 21
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares....................................................... 24
Section 15. Rights of Action.............................................................................. 25
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.................................................................... 26
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder............................................. 26
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................................................... 26
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent..................................... 27
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Page
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent........................................................................ 27
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent........................................................................ 29
Section 22. Issuance of Additional Rights and New Right Certificates...................................... 30
Section 23. Redemption.................................................................................... 30
Section 24. Exchange...................................................................................... 31
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events...................................................................... 32
Section 26. Notices....................................................................................... 33
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.................................................................... 34
Section 28. Successors.................................................................................... 34
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.................................................................... 34
Section 30. Severability.................................................................................. 35
Section 31. Governing Law................................................................................. 35
Section 32. Counterparts.................................................................................. 35
Section 33. Descriptive Headings.......................................................................... 35
Section 34. Termination................................................................................... 35
Signatures .............................................................................................. 36
Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Designations
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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Agreement, dated as of January 14, 1997, between
Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of
business on January 26, 1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing
the right to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100) of a Preferred Share (as
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with
respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record
Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 19% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding, other than pursuant to a Qualifying Offer (as
such term is hereinafter defined), but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 19% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 19% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such
share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors
of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph
(a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or
upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not
also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or (C) the right to dispose of
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not
in writing) (other than
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customary arrangements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided,
however, that in no case shall an officer or director of the Company be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of any securities beneficially owned by
another officer or director of the Company solely by reason of actions
undertaken by such persons in their capacity as officers or directors
of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Book Value", when used with reference to Common Shares
issued by any Person, shall mean the amount of equity of such Person applicable
to each Common Share, determined (i) in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in effect on the date as of which such Book Value is to be
determined, (ii) using all the consolidated assets and all the consolidated
liabilities of such Person on the date as of which such Book Value is to be
determined, except that no value shall be included in such assets for goodwill
arising from consummation of a business combination, and (iii) after giving
effect to (A) the exercise of all rights, options and warrants to purchase such
Common Shares (other than the Rights), and the conversion of all securities
convertible into such Common Shares, at an exercise or conversion price, per
Common Share, which is less than such Book Value before giving effect to such
exercise or conversion (whether or not exercisability or convertibility is
conditioned upon occurrence of a future event), (B) all dividends and other
distributions on the capital stock of such Person declared prior to the date as
of which such Book Value is to be determined and to be paid or made after such
date, and (C) any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or
oral), or transaction or other action prior to the date as of which such Book
Value is to be determined which would have the effect of thereafter reducing
such Book Value.
(e) "Business Combination" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(a).
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(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(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.
(h) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share, of the
Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of
another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such
first-mentioned Person.
(i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(j) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7 hereof.
(k) "Major Part," when used with reference to the assets of
the Company and its Subsidiaries as of any date, shall mean assets (i) having a
fair market value aggregating 50% or more of the total fair market value of all
the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as of the date
in question, (ii) accounting for 50% or more of the total value (net of
depreciation and amortization) of all the assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would be shown on a consolidated or combined
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date in question,
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles then in
effect, or (iii) accounting for 50% or more of the total amount of earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or revenues of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would be shown on, or derived from, a
consolidated or combined statement of income of the Company and its Subsidiaries
for the period of 12 months ending on the last day of the Company's monthly
accounting period next preceding the date in question, prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles then in effect.
(l) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(m) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate
of Designations attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
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(n) "Principal Party" shall mean the Surviving Person in a
Business Combination; provided, however, that, if such Surviving Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of any other Person, "Principal Party" shall mean
the Person which is the ultimate parent of such Surviving Person and which is
not itself a Subsidiary of another Person. In the event ultimate control of such
Surviving Person is shared by two or more Persons, "Principal Party" shall mean
that Person that is immediately controlled by such two or more Persons.
(o) "Purchase Price" with respect to each Right shall mean
$80, as such amount may from time to time be adjusted as provided herein,
and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America. All
references herein to the Purchase Price shall mean the Purchase Price as in
effect at the time in question.
(p) "Qualifying Offer" shall mean an all-cash tender offer for
all outstanding Common Shares which meets all of the following requirements:
(i) on or prior to the date such offer is commenced
within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, such Person has, and has provided
to the Company, firm written commitments from responsible financial
institutions, which have been accepted by such Person (or one of its
Affiliates), to provide, subject only to customary terms and
conditions, funds for such offer which, when added to the amount of
cash and cash equivalents which such Person then has available and has
irrevocably committed in writing to the Company to utilize for purposes
of such offer, will be sufficient to pay for all Common Shares
outstanding on a fully diluted basis pursuant to the offer and the
second-step transaction required by clause (v) below and all related
expenses, together with copies of all written materials prepared by
such Person for such financial institutions in connection with
obtaining such financing commitments;
(ii) after the consummation of such offer, such Person,
alone or together with any of its Affiliates and Associates, owns
Common Shares representing a majority of the then outstanding Common
Shares;
(iii) such offer remains open for at least 45 Business
Days; provided, however, that (x) if there is any increase in the price
of such offer, such offer must remain open for at least an additional
20 Business Days after the last such increase, (y) such offer must
remain open for at least 20 Business Days after the date that any bona
fide alternative offer is made which, in the opinion of one or more
investment banking firms designated by the Company, provides for
consideration per share in excess of that provided for in such offer,
and (z) such offer must remain open for at least 20 Business Days after
the date on which such Person reduces the per share price offered in
accordance with clause (v)(y) below; provided further, however, that
such offer need not remain open, as a result of this clause (iii),
beyond (1) the time which any other offer satisfying the criteria for a
Qualifying Offer is then required to be kept open
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under this clause (iii), or (2) the scheduled expiration date, as such
date may be extended by public announcement on or prior to the then
scheduled expiration date, of any other tender or exchange offer for
Common Shares with respect to which the Board of Directors has agreed
to redeem the Rights immediately prior to acceptance for payment of
Common Shares thereunder (unless such other offer is terminated prior
to its expiration without any Common Shares having been purchased
thereunder);
(iv) such offer is accompanied by a written opinion, in
customary form, of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
which is addressed to the holders of Common Shares other than such
Person and states that the price to be paid to holders pursuant to the
offer is fair from a financial point of view to such holders and
includes any written presentation of such firm showing the analysis and
range of values underlying such conclusions; and
(v) prior to or on the date that such offer is
commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, such Person makes an irrevocable
written commitment to the Company (x) to consummate a transaction or
transactions promptly upon the completion of such offer, whereby all
Common Shares not purchased in such offer will be acquired at the same
price per share paid in such offer, subject only to the condition that
the Board of Directors shall have granted any approvals required to
enable such Person to consummate such transaction or transactions
following consummation of such offer without obtaining the vote of any
other stockholder, (y) that such Person will not make any amendment to
the original offer which reduces the per share price offered (other
than a reduction to reflect any dividend declared by the Company after
the commencement of such offer or any material change in the capital
structure of the Company initiated by the Company after the
commencement of such offer, whether by way of recapitaliza- tion,
reorganization, repurchase or otherwise), changes the form of
consideration offered, or reduces the number of shares being sought or
which is in any other respect materially adverse to the Company's
stockholders, and (z) that neither such Person nor any of its
Affiliates or Associates will make any offer for any equity securities
of the Company for a period of six months after the commencement of the
original offer if such original offer does not result in the tender of
the number of Common Shares required to be purchased pursuant to clause
(ii) above, unless another tender offer by another party for all
outstanding Common Shares is commenced that (a) constitutes a
Qualifying Offer or (b) is approved by the Board of Directors of the
Company (in which event, any new offer by such Person or of any of its
Affiliates or Associates must be at a price no less than that provided
for in such approved offer).
(q) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph hereof.
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(r) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(s) "Registered Common Shares" shall mean Common Shares which
are, as of the date of consummation of a Business Combination, and have
continuously been for the 12 months immediately preceding such date, registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
(t) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(u) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(v) "Surviving Person" shall mean (1) the Person which is the
continuing or surviving Person in a consolidation or merger specified in Section
13(a)(i) or 13(a)(ii) or (2) the Person to which the Major Part of the assets of
the Company and its Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise
transferred or disposed of in a transaction specified in Section 13(a)(iii);
provided, however, that, if the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred or disposed of
in one or more related transactions specified in Section 13(a)(iii) to more than
one Person, the "Surviving Person" in such case shall mean the Person that
acquired assets of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries with the greatest fair
market value in such transaction or transactions.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier
of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan and other than a Qualifying Offer) of, or of the
first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan and other than a Qualifying Offer) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
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any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 19% or
more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of 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 Right
Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each
Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
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 as of the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of
Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company dated as of January 14, 1997 (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 Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc. 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
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certificate. Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc. 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, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an
Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) 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 Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are
no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but
the number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase
Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any person who, at
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the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of 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 (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for 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) Except as otherwise provided herein (including Section 11), each
Right shall entitle the registered holder thereof, upon exercise thereof as
provided herein, to purchase for the Purchase Price, at any time after the
Distribution Date and at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business
on January 14, 2007 (the "Final Expiration
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Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided herein.
(b) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may
exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in
whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the
Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side
thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights
Agent in New York, New York, together with payment of the Purchase Price for
each one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the
Redemption Date or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided
in Section 24 hereof.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid
by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by
certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred
Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its
transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall
have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares with a depositary agent under a
depositary agreement, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash
to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section
14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,
cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of
such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(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.
(e) The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time
not to exceed 90 calendar days after the Distribution Date, the exercisability
of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as
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amended (the "Securities Act"), on appropriate form, with respect to the
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights and permit such
registration statement to become effective; provided, however, that no such
suspension shall remain effective after, and the Rights shall without any
further action by the Company or any other Person become exercisable immediately
upon, the effectiveness of such registration statement. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended and shall issue a
further public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Rights shall
not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification under the
blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or
the exercise of the Rights shall not be permitted under applicable law.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if 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 Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. (a) The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any Preferred Shares held in
its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7. The
Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
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payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax is due.
(b) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Preferred
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise or exchange of Rights in accordance with this Agreement, the Company
covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon the exercise or exchange
of Rights pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that if the Company is
unable to cause the authorization of additional Preferred Shares, then the
Company shall, or in lieu of seeking any such authorization, the Company may, to
the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or
instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is a party, (A)
upon surrender of a Right, pay cash equal to the Purchase Price in lieu of
issuing Preferred Shares and requiring payment therefor, (B) upon due exercise
of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to
which such Right is exercised, issue equity securities having a value equal to
the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable
pursuant to this Agreement, which value shall be determined by a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board or (C) upon due
exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase for each Preferred Share as to
which such Right is exercised, distribute a combination of Preferred Shares,
cash and/or other equity and/or debt securities having an aggregate value equal
to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable
pursuant to this Agreement, which value shall be determined by a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board. To the extent that any
legal or contractual restrictions (pursuant to agreements or instruments in
effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is party) prevent the Company
from paying the full amount payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence,
the Company shall pay to holders of the Rights as to which such payments are
being made all amounts which are not then restricted on a pro rata basis as such
payments become permissible under such legal or contractual restrictions until
such payments have been paid in full.
(c) So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise
or exchange of Rights are to be listed on any national securities exchange or
included for quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ"), the Company covenants and agrees to use
its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable or exchangeable, all Preferred Shares reserved for such issuance to
be listed on such securities exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise or exchange or included on NASDAQ, as the case may be.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred 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
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Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to
any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have
a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a Preferred Share as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Company's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any
Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights
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shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would
eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. As
soon as practicable after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (provided the
Company shall not have elected to make the exchange permitted by Section 24 for
all outstanding Rights), the Company covenants and agrees to use its best
efforts to:
(I) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, on an appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred
Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights;
(II) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing;
(III) cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date; and
(IV) qualify or register the Preferred Shares purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or securities laws of such
jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate.
In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, from and
after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or
beneficially owned by (i) any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of
such Acquiring Person), (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee after
the Acquiring Person becomes such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
(or of any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights, or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall be void
and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such
Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be
issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence
or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at
any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and
any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be
canceled.
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(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
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numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of
the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to
be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of
the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares,
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and
prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, 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 NASDAQ or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. 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.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i),
multiplied by one hundred (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof). If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth
of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), 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
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
-18-
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the
product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject
to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall
cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates
issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
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(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine
to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the
current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities
which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares,
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by
the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments
provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.
(o) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no
adjustment to the number of Preferred Shares (or fractions of a share) or other
securities for which a Right is exercisable or the number of Rights outstanding
or associated with each Common Share or any similar or other adjustment shall be
made or be effective if such adjustment would have the effect of reducing or
limiting the
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benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such adjustment,
including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 13, unless the
terms of this Agreement are amended so as to preserve such benefits.
(p) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, except as permitted by Section 27, it will not take (or
permit any Subsidiary of the Company to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is intended or reasonably foreseeable that such action will
reduce or otherwise limit the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had
absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections
11 and 13. Any action taken by the Company during any period after any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and
void unless such action could be taken under this Section 11(p) from and after
the Distribution Date. The Company shall not consummate any Business Combination
if any issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised after such
Business Combination in accordance with Section 13 shall have taken any action
that reduces or otherwise limits the benefits the holders of the Rights would
have had absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under
Sections 11 and 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 Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section
25 hereof.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. (a) In the event that, following a Distribution Date,
directly or indirectly, any transactions specified in the following clauses (i),
(ii) or (iii) of this Section 13(a) (each such transaction being a "Business
Combination") shall be consummated:
(i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and
into, any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person;
(ii) any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person shall merge with and into the Company and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be
changed into or exchanged for capital stock or other securities of the
Company or of any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or cash or any other property; or
(iii) the Company shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise
transfer or dispose of (or one or more of the Company's Subsidiaries
shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose of), in
one or more transactions, the Major Part of the assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person,
-21-
then, in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a
Right, except as provided in Section 11(a)(ii), shall thereafter have the right
to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with
the terms of this Rights Agreement, the securities specified below (or, at such
holder's option, the securities specified in Section 11(a)(ii)):
(A) If the Principal Party in such Business Combination has
Registered Common Shares outstanding, each Right shall thereafter
represent the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the
Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement,
such number of Registered Common Shares of such Principal Party, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall
have an aggregate current per share market price equal to the result
obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two;
(B) If the Principal Party involved in such Business
Combination does not have Registered Common Shares outstanding, each
Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of
this Rights Agreement, at the election of the holder of such Right at
the time of the exercise thereof, any of:
(1) such number of Common Shares of the Surviving
Person in such Business Combination as shall have an aggregate
Book Value immediately after giving effect to such Business
Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the
Purchase Price by two;
(2) such number of Common Shares of the Principal
Party in such Business Combination (if the Principal Party is
not also the Surviving Person in such Business Combination) as
shall have an aggregate Book Value immediately after giving
effect to such Business Combination equal to the result
obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two; or
(3) if the Principal Party in such Business
Combination is an Affiliate of one or more Persons which has
Registered Common Shares outstanding, such number of
Registered Common Shares of whichever of such Affiliates of
the Principal Party has Registered Common Shares with the
greatest aggregate current per share market price on the date
of consummation of such Business Combination as shall have an
aggregate current per share market price on the date of such
Business Combination equal to the result obtained by
multiplying the Purchase Price by two.
(b) The Company shall not consummate any Business Combination
unless each issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised, as set
forth in this Section 13, shall have sufficient authorized Common Shares that
have not been issued or reserved for issuance (and which shall, when issued upon
exercise thereof in accordance with this Rights Agreement, be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable
-22-
and free of preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or any other restrictions
or limitations on the transfer or ownership thereof) to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto:
(i) a registration statement under the Securities Act on an
appropriate form, with respect to the Rights and the Common Shares of
such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, shall be effective
under the Securities Act; and
(ii) the Company and each such issuer shall have:
(A) executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the assumption by such
issuer of the obligations set forth in this Section 13
(including the obligation of such issuer to issue Common
Shares upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the
terms set forth in Sections 13(a) and 13(c)) and further
providing that such issuer, at its own expense, will use its
best efforts to:
(1) cause a registration statement under the
Securities Act on an appropriate form, with respect
to the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, to remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act) until the Final
Expiration Date;
(2) qualify or register the Rights and the
Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or
securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be
necessary or appropriate; and
(3) list the Rights and the Common Shares of
such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on each national securities exchange on which the
Common Shares were listed prior to the consummation
of the Business Combination or, if the Common Shares
were not listed on a national securities exchange
prior to the consummation of the Business
Combination, on a national securities exchange;
(B) furnished to the Rights Agent a written opinion
of independent counsel stating that such supplemental
agreement is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of
such issuer; and
(C) filed with the Rights Agent a certificate of a
nationally recognized firm of independent accountants setting
forth the number of Common Shares of such issuer which may be
purchased upon the exercise of each Right after the
consummation of such Business Combination.
-23-
(c) After consummation of any Business Combination and subject
to the provisions of Section 13(b), (i) each issuer of Common Shares for which
Rights may be exercised as set forth in this Section 13 shall be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such Business Combination, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Rights Agreement, (ii) the term "Company"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer, (iii) each such issuer shall
take such steps in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to
assure that the provisions hereof (including the provisions of Sections 11(a)
and 13(a)) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in
relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the
Rights, and (iv) the number of Common Shares of each such issuer thereafter
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 of Sections 11 and 13 and the provisions of Section 7, 9 and 10 with
respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on
like terms to any such Common Shares.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise
issuable; provided, however, that if the Rights are not then publicly traded,
the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share).
Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share
shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i)
-24-
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise;
provided, however, that if the Rights are not then publicly traded, the fair
value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. (a) 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 to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own
behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any
suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in
respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate
in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without
limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this
Agreement.
(b) Any holder of Rights who prevails in an action to enforce
the provisions of this Agreement shall be entitled to recover the reasonable
costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred in such action.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(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 of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on
-25-
the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by
anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever,
and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to
the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
-26-
Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper
or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct.
-27-
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount
thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except,
with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after
actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any
act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares
will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
-28-
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the
Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be 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 million. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
-29-
Section 22. Issuance of Additional Rights and New Right
Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the
Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right
Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of
Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the
number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable
under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date
and the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so
issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities,
notes or debentures issued by the Company, and (b) may, in an other case, if
deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue
Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection
with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Right
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be
advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the close of business on the
earlier of (i) the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the
Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, 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"); provided, however, that, in addition to any other
limitations contained herein on the right to redeem outstanding Rights
(including the occurrence of any event or the expiration of any period after
which the Rights may no longer be redeemed), for the 120-day period after any
date of a change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority
of the Board of Directors of the Company in office at the commencement of such
solicitation, the Rights may only be redeemed if (A) there are directors then in
office who were in office at the commencement of such solicitation and (B) the
Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of a majority of such
directors then in office, determines that such redemption is, in their judgment,
in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. 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. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any
-30-
such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days
after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the
then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor
any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value
any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in
this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the
purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for consideration per Right consisting of one-half
of the securities that would be issuable at such time upon the exercise of one
Right in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) or, if applicable, Section 9(b) (the
consideration issuable per Right pursuant to this Section 24(a) being the
"Exchange Consideration"). The Board of Directors may, at its option, issue, in
substitution for Preferred Shares, Common Shares in an amount equal to the
number of Preferred Shares multiplied by one hundred (appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall
not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other
than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration in exchange
for each such Right held by such holder. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any
defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The
Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders
of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent. 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 Rights for the
Exchange Consideration 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
-31-
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (c), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders
of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to
offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for
or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class
or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification
of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation
or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit
one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or
more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the 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 and/or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such
-32-
event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event
to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc.
00000 X.X. 0xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Compliance Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. At any time prior to
the Distribution Date, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Rights Agreement
(including, without limitation, the date on which the Distribution Date shall
occur, the time during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 23
or any provision of the Certificate of Designation) without the approval of any
holder of the Rights. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to
applicable law, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so
directs, amend this Rights Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provision of this Rights Agreement or (ii) to make any other provisions in
regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an
-33-
Acquiring Person). Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period after
any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date
shall be null and void unless such supplement or amendment could have been
adopted under the prior sentence from and after the Distribution Date. Any
supplement or amendment to this Rights Agreement duly approved by the Company
that does not amend Sections 18, 19, 20 or 21 in a manner adverse to the Rights
Agent shall become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether
or not also executed by the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, during the 120-day period after any date of a
change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the
Board of Directors of the Company in office at the commencement of such
solicitation, this Agreement may be supplemented or amended only if (A) there
are directors then in office who were in office at the commencement of such
solicitation and (B) the Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence
of a majority of such directors then in office, determines that such supplement
or amendment is, in their judgment, in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders and, after the Distribution Date, the holders of the Right
Certificates.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. (a) Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
(b) Except as explicitly otherwise provided in this Agreement,
the Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company,
or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary
or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this
Agreement and a determination of whether an offer constitutes a Qualifying Offer
and whether there is an Acquiring Person).
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be
in derogation of the obligation of the Board of Directors of the Company to
exercise its fiduciary duty. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained
herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors shall
not be entitled to reject any Qualifying Offer or any other tender offer, or to
recommend that holders of
-34-
Common Shares reject any Qualifying Offer or any other tender offer, or to take
any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution,
defense or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or
alternative offers or other proposals) with respect to any Qualifying Offer or
any other tender offer that the Board of Directors believes is necessary or
appropriate in the exercise of such fiduciary duty.
Section 30. 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 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. 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 33. 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 34. Termination. Notwithstanding anything in this
Rights Agreement to the contrary, prior to such time as there is an Acquiring
Person the Board of Directors of the Company may approve entering into an
agreement providing for a merger of the Company with another Person, which
agreement may provide that upon the consummation of such merger the Rights shall
be canceled and shall terminate; should the Board of Directors give such
approval and should the Company enter into such an agreement, the Rights shall
be canceled and terminated upon consummation of such merger without any further
action and without any notice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first
above written.
XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
ATTEST:
-35-
By:___________________________ By:_________________________
Title: Title:
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER &
TRUST COMPANY
ATTEST:
By:___________________________ By:_________________________
Title: Title:
-36-
Exhibit A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK
of
XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
------------
Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc., a corporation organized and
existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter
called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151
of the General Corporation Law at a meeting of the Board of Directors duly held
on January 14, 1997:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested
in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Corporation and
hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative
rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred
Stock" (the "Series A Preferred Stock"). The number of shares initially
constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 200,000; provided,
however, that if more than a total of 200,000 shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of
A-1
Rights (the "Right") issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated as of
January 14, 1997, between the Corporation and Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement"), the Board of Directors
of the Corporation, pursuant to Section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a
certificate be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in
accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, providing for the total
number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be
increased (to the extent that the Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to
the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number)
issuable upon exercise of such Rights. Such number of shares may be decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and
superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the
holders of Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December
in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share
of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate
per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per
share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect
to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock)
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of
the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
A-2
by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series A Preferred
Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares
of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the
date fixed for the payment thereof, and shall be the same as the record
date for any corresponding dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock.
(D) So long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are
outstanding, no dividends or other distributions shall be declared,
paid or distributed, or set aside for payment or distribution, on the
Common Stock unless, in each case, the dividend required by this
Section 2 to be declared on the Series A Preferred Stock shall have
been declared.
(E) The holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall not be entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions
except as provided herein.
A-3
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock), then in each such case the number of votes per share to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital
stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for
the election of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends
(whether or not consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A
Preferred Stock are in default, the number of directors constituting
the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two. In
addition to voting together with the holders of Common Stock for the
election of other directors of the Corporation, the holders of record
of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class to the
exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled at said
meeting of stockholders (and at each subsequent annual meeting of
stockholders), unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or
declared and set apart for payment prior thereto, to vote for the
election of two directors of the Corporation, the holders of any Series
A Preferred Stock being entitled to cast that number of votes per share
of Series A Preferred Stock as specified in clause (A) of this Section
3. Until the default in payments of all dividends which permitted the
election of said directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall
have been so elected pursuant to the next preceding sentence may be
removed at any time, either with or without cause, only by the
affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred
Stock at the time entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to
be cast for the election of any such director at a special meeting of
such holders called for that purpose, and any vacancy thereby created
may be filled by the vote of such holders. If and when
A-4
such default shall cease to exist, the holders of the Series A
Preferred Stock shall be divested of the foregoing special voting
rights, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent
like default in payments of dividends. Upon the termination of the
foregoing special voting rights, the terms of office of all persons who
may have been elected directors pursuant to said special voting rights
shall forthwith terminate, and the number of directors constituting the
Board of Directors shall be reduced by two. The voting rights granted
by this Section 3(C) shall be in addition to any other voting rights
granted to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock in this Section
3.
(D) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting
rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent
they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends
or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of
Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except
dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears
in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to
the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation
may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares
of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a
A-5
parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance
with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective series
and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair
and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary
of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could,
under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire
such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of
Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as
otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock
A-6
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into
which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event both this Section 7
and Section 2 appear to apply to a transaction, this Section 7 shall control.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable; provided, however, that the Corporation may
purchase or otherwise acquire outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
the open market or by offer to any holder or holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to
all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock, unless the
Board of Directors shall specifically determine otherwise in fixing the powers,
preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of
the shares of such series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions
thereof.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. The Series A Preferred Stock
shall be issuable upon exercise of the Rights issued pursuant to the Rights
Agreement in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one
one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction
which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional
shares, to receive dividends, exercise voting rights, participate in
distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A
Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares, the Corporation, prior to the
first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock,
may elect (l) to make a cash payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for
fractions of a share other than one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a share or any
integral multiple thereof or (2) to issue
A-7
depository receipts evidencing such authorized fraction of a share of Series A
Preferred Stock pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Corporation and
a depository selected by the Corporation; provided that such agreement shall
provide that the holders of such depository receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as holders of the Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is
executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chief Executive Officer and
attested by its Secretary this 26th day of January, 1997.
XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
By:________________________
Attest:
_____________________________
A-8
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- ______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER ________ __, 2007 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
This certifies that ______________________________, or
registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth
above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14,
1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Xxxxxxxxx Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution
Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on January 26, 2007 at the principal office of the
Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $80 per one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the
number and kind of shares which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth
above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and kind of shares
and Purchase Price as of January 14, 1997, based on the Preferred Shares as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase
Price and the number and kind of shares which may be purchased upon the exercise
of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification
and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
If the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are at any
time beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or
transferees of the foregoing, such Rights shall be null and void and
nontransferable and the holder of any such Right (including any purported
transferee or subsequent holder) shall not have any right to exercise or
transfer any such Right.
B-1
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.001 per
share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or 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.
B-2
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________, ______.
ATTEST:
XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
_____________________________ By_________________________
Countersigned:
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By________________________________________
Authorized Officer
B-3
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association ("STA") recognized signature program.
________________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
________________________________
Signature
B-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate)
To: XXXXXXXXX INDUSTRIES, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated:
____________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association ("STA") recognized signature program.
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
B-5
________________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
_______________________________
Signature
________________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On January 14, 1997, the Board of Directors of Xxxxxxxxx
Industries, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value
$.001 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable
on January 26, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record at
the close of business on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $80 per one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share (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 Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 19% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 19% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), 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 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
C-1
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and
such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on January 14, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Right are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares with a conversion
price less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii)
upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of
earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one Common Share.
C-2
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or
group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and transferees of the Acquiring
Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to
receive upon exercise such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right
is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per
share market price of the Company's Common Shares.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will
have become void), in whole or in part, for consideration consisting of one-half
the securities of the Company that would be issuable at such time upon exercise
of one Right.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the tenth day following the acquisition
by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership
of 19% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per
Right (the "Redemption Price"); provided, however, that, for the 120-day period
after any date of a change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Company in office at the commencement
of such solicitation, the Rights may only be redeemed if (A) there are directors
then in office who were in office at the commencement of such solicitation and
(B) the Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of a majority of
such directors then in office, determines that such redemption is, in their
judgment, in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The
Redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the
C-3
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.
The Rights will not become exercisable in connection with a
"Qualifying Offer," which is an all-cash tender offer for all outstanding Common
Shares that is fully financed, remains open for a period of at least 45 business
days, assures a prompt second-step acquisition of shares not purchased in the
initial offer at the same price as the initial offer and meets certain other
requirements.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
except that from and after a Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely
affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A dated January 16, 1997. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available
free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does
not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
