LCA-VISION INC. AND COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of November 24, 2008
Exhibit
4.1
LCA-VISION
INC.
AND
COMPUTERSHARE
TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Rights
Agent
Dated
as of November 24, 2008
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Section
|
1.
Certain Definitions
|
1
|
Section
|
2.
Appointment of Rights Agent
|
5
|
Section
|
3.
Issuance of Rights Certificates
|
6
|
Section
|
4.
Form of Rights Certificates
|
7
|
Section
|
5.
Countersignature and Registration
|
8
|
Section
|
6.
Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated,
|
|
Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates
|
8
|
|
Section
|
7.
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights
|
9
|
Section
|
8.
Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates
|
10
|
Section
|
9.
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock
|
11
|
Section
|
10. Preferred
Stock Record Date
|
12
|
Section
|
11. Adjustment
of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights
|
12
|
Section
|
12. Certificate
of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
|
19
|
Section
|
13. Consolidation,
Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets Cash Flow or Earning
Power
|
19
|
Section
|
14.
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
|
21
|
Section
|
15. Rights
of Action
|
22
|
Section
|
16. Agreement
of Rights Holders
|
22
|
Section
|
17. Rights
Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
|
23
|
Section
|
18. Concerning
the Rights Agent
|
23
|
Section
|
19. Merger
or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
|
23
|
Section
|
20.
Duties of Rights Agent
|
24
|
Section
|
21. Change
of Rights Agent
|
25
|
Section
|
22. Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
|
26
|
Section
|
23. Redemption
and Termination
|
26
|
Section
|
24. Exchange
|
27
|
Section
|
25. Notice
of Certain Events
|
28
|
Section
|
26. Notices
|
29
|
Section
|
27. Supplements
and Amendments
|
29
|
Section
|
28. Successors
|
30
|
Section
|
29. Determinations
and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc
|
30
|
Section
|
30. Benefits
of this Agreement
|
30
|
Section
|
31. Severability
|
30
|
Section
|
32. Governing
Law
|
30
|
Section
|
33. Counterparts
|
30
|
Section
|
34. Descriptive
Headings
|
31
|
Section
|
35. Force
Majeure
|
31
|
Exhibit
A
|
Form
of Rights Certificate
|
Exhibit
B
|
Summary
of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Stock
|
This
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of November 24, 2008 (the “Agreement”), is entered
into between LCA-Vision Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company (the
“Rights Agent”).
WHEREAS,
on November 11, 2008 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the Board of
Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend distribution of
one
Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share of common stock, par value $.001
per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) outstanding at the Close of
Business on November 24, 2008 (the “Record Date”), and has authorized the
issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant
to
the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the
Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered
from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined)
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth
(1/100) of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the
Company (the “Preferred Stock”) having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set
forth (the “Rights”).
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein
set
forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section
1. Certain Definitions.
For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) “Acquiring
Person” shall mean (x) any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of twenty percent
(20%)
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include
(i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company, or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to
the
terms of any such plan, (iv) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of
twenty percent (20%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
as a
result of a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due
to
the repurchase of shares of Common Stock by the Company or at a time when the
rights are not redeemable, unless and until such Person, after becoming aware
that such Person has become the Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or
more
of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, acquires beneficial ownership
of
additional shares of Common Stock representing one percent (1%) or more of
the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, (v) any such Person who has reported
or
is required to report such ownership (but less than twenty percent (20%)) on
Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect
on the date of the Agreement (the “Exchange Act”) (or any comparable or
successor report) or on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable
or successor report) which Schedule 13D does not state any intention to or
reserve the right to control or influence the management or policies of the
Company or engage in any of the actions specified in Item 4 of such schedule
(other than the disposition of the Common Stock) and, within ten (10) Business
Days of being requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same,
certifies to the Company that such Person acquired shares of Common Stock in
excess of nineteen and nine-tenths percent (19.9%) inadvertently or without
knowledge of the terms of the Rights and who or which, together with all
Affiliates and Associates, thereafter does not acquire additional shares of
Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of
the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided,
however,
that if
the Person requested to so certify fails to do so within ten (10) Business
Days,
then such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten
(10)-Business-Day period, (vi) any Person who is, as of the Record Date the
Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding, so long as such Person thereafter does not, while the
Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding, acquire additional shares of Common Stock representing one
percent (1%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, unless
any
such acquisition of additional shares is pursuant to (A) a stock dividend or
distribution by the Company or (B) a Qualified Offer (as defined in Section
11(a) (ii)); provided,
however,
that
such Person shall cease to be excluded from the definition of Acquiring Person
pursuant to this clause (vi) at such time, if any, as such Person ceases to
be
the Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, or (y) any Person who or which has entered into any
agreement or arrangement with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
providing for an Acquisition Transaction (as defined in Section 1(b)
hereof).
1
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if a bona fide swaps dealer who would otherwise be an “Acquiring
Person” has become so as a result of its actions in the ordinary course of its
business that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith
were taken without the intent of evading or assisting any other Person to evade
the purposes and intent of this Agreement, or otherwise seeking to control
or
influence the management or policies of the Company, then such Person shall
not
be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this
Agreement.
(b) “Acquisition
Transaction” shall
mean (x) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries as a result of which stockholders of the Company will
no
longer own a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company
or a publicly traded entity which controls the Company or, if appropriate,
the
entity into which the Company may be merged, consolidated or otherwise combined
(based solely on the shares of Common Stock received or retained by such
stockholders, in their capacity as stockholders of the Company, pursuant to
such
transaction), (y) a purchase or other acquisition of all or a substantial
portion of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (z) a purchase
or
other acquisition of securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of
the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(c) “Adjustment
Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(d) “Adverse
Person” shall mean any Person declared to be an Adverse Person by the Board of
Directors upon a determination that the criteria set forth in Section
11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person.
(e) “Affiliate”
and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in
Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act.
(f) A
Person
shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to “beneficially
own,” any securities:
(i) which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise
of
conversion rights, exchange rights, other rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial
Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” (A) securities tendered pursuant to a
tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior
to
the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined), or (C) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined)
or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the “Original Rights”) or
pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with
respect to any Original Rights;
2
(ii) which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has “beneficial ownership” of
(as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under
the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person
shall
not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” any security
under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to
a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under
the
Exchange Act tor any comparable or successor report);
(iii) which
are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting
(except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (f)) or disposing of any voting securities
of the Company; or
(iv) which
are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty under any
Derivatives Contract (without regard to any short or similar position under
the
same or any other Derivatives Contract) to which such Person or any of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates is a Receiving Party (as such terms are
defined in the immediately following paragraph); provided however that the
number of securities that a Person is deemed to beneficially own pursuant to
this clause (iv) in connection with a particular Derivatives Contract shall
not
exceed the number of Notional Securities that are subject to such Derivatives
Contract; provided, further, that the number of securities beneficially owned
by
each Counterparty (“Counterparty A”) under a Derivatives Contract shall for
purposes of this clause (iv) be deemed to include all securities that are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty (“Counterparty B”)
under any Derivatives Contract to which such Counterparty A is a Receiving
Party, with this proviso being applied to successive Counterparties as
appropriate.
A
“Derivatives Contract” is a contract between two parties (the “Receiving Party”
and the “Counterparty”) that is designed to produce economic benefits and risks
to the Receiving Party that correspond substantially to the ownership by the
Receiving Party of a number of securities (the number corresponding to such
economic benefits and risks, the “Notional Securities”), regardless of whether
obligations under such contract are settled through the delivery of cash,
securities or other property, without regard to any short position under the
same or any other Derivative Contract.
Provided,
however,
that
nothing in this paragraph (f) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an
underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially
own,” any securities acquired through such Person's participation in good faith
in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty (40) days after
the date of such acquisition, and then only if such securities continue to
be
owned by such Person at such expiration of forty (40) days and provided further,
however,
that
any stockholder of the Company, with affiliate(s), associate(s) or other
person(s) who may be deemed representatives of it serving as director(s) of
the
Company, shall not be deemed to beneficially own securities held by other
Persons as a result of (i) persons affiliated or otherwise associated with
such
stockholder serving as directors or taking any action in connection therewith,
(ii) discussing the status of its shares with the Company or other stockholders
of the Company similarly situated or (iii) voting or acting in a manner similar
to other stockholders similarly situated, absent a specific finding by the
Board
of Directors of an express agreement among such stockholders to act in concert
with one another as stockholders so as to cause, in the good faith judgment
of
the Board of Directors, each such stockholder to be the Beneficial Owner of
the
shares held by the other stockholder(s).
3
(g) “Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the State of Massachusetts or Ohio are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
(h) “Close
of
Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on such date;
provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00
P.M., Eastern time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(i) “Common
Stock” shall have the meaning ascribed in the recitals, except that “Common
Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.
(j) “Common
Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(k) “Current
Market Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof.
(l) “Current
Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(m) “Distribution
Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(n) “Equivalent
Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(h)
hereof,
(o) “Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on
the date of the Agreement.
(p) “Exchange
Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24 hereof.
(q) “Expiration
Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(r) “Final
Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(s) “Person”
shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or other
entity.
(t) “Preferred
Stock” shall have the meaning ascribed in the recitals, and, to the extent that
there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other
series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose the terms
of which are substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(u) “Principal
Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(v) “Purchase
Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
(w) “Qualified
Offer” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(x) “Record
Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
4
(y) “Rights”
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
(z) “Rights
Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(aa) “Rights
Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
(bb) “Rights
Dividend Declaration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of
this Agreement.
(cc) “Section
11(a)(ii) Event” shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(dd) “Section
13 Event” shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section
13(a) hereof.
(ee) “Securities
Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(ff) “Spread”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(gg) “Stock
Acquisition Date” shall mean the earlier of (i) the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person
has
become such pursuant to clause (x) of the definition of Acquiring Person other
than pursuant to a Qualified Offer, and (ii) the date that an Acquiring Person
has become such pursuant to clause (y) of the definition of Acquiring
Person.
(hh) “Subsidiary”
shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation of which an amount
of
voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors
of
such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person,
or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(ii) “Substitution
Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(jj) “Summary
of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(kk) “Trading
Day” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof,
(ll) “Triggering
Event” shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13
Event.
Section
2. Appointment of Rights Agent.
The
Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company 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, upon ten (10) days'
prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty
to
supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent.
5
Section
3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until
the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the Stock
Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day after the Stock Acquisition
Date
occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date), (ii)
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as the
Board
of Directors shall determine) after the date of the commencement of a tender
or
exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) within the meaning of
Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act,
or
any successor provision thereto, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would
become an Acquiring Person, or (iii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business
Day after the Board of Directors of the Company determines, pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse
Person, in any instance other than pursuant to a Qualified Offer (the earliest
of (i), (ii) or (iii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraphs (b) and
(c) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered
in
the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common
Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer
to
the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record
holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date,
at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more
rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Rights
Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in
the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) Commencing
as promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will make
available a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit B (the “Summary of Rights”) to any holder of Rights who may so
request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With respect to
certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, or issued
subsequent to the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date
or the Expiration Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for
the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also
be
the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any certificates
representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares
of
Common Stock.
(c) Rights
shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued
(whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after the Record
Date
but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date.
Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed
to be
certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
THIS
CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS
AS
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN LCA-VISION INC. (THE “COMPANY”) AND
THE RIGHTS AGENT THEREUNDER (THE “RIGHTS AGREEMENT”), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE
HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE
PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE COMPANY. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH
IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES
AND
WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE, THE COMPANY WILL MAIL. TO
THE
HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, AS IN EFFECT ON
THE
DATE OF MAILING, WITHOUT CHARGE, PROMPTLY AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST
THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS
ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON
OR
ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
6
With
respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier
of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be
the
registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section
4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The
Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment
to
be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form
set
forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or
designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the
Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of
this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with
any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of
any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or
to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof,
the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number
of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
one-hundredth (1/100) of a share, the “Purchase Price”), but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a), Section 11(i), Section
11(p)
or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of
an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person
or
Adverse Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A)
a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan, arrangement
or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section
7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section
11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY
A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON, ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED
IN
SECTION 7(E) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
7
Section
5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The
Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman
or Vice-Chairman of its Board of Directors, its Chief Executive Officer, its
President or any Vice President, its Chief Financial Officer or any Assistant
Treasurer, or its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, either manually or
by
facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or
by
facsimile signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any
of
the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights
Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement
any
such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following
the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep, or cause to be kept, at
its
principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender
of
Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and
transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show
the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and
the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section
6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(c) and Section 14 hereof, at any
time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior
to
the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for any other Rights Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
(1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common
Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as any Rights
Certificates surrendered then entitles such holder (or former holder in the
case
of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split
up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificates shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender any Rights
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither
the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until
the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and
shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to
Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and
deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may
be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange
of
Rights Certificates.
8
(b) Upon
receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory
to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate,
and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent
of
all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights
Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate, if mutilated, the Company
will
execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject
to Section 7(e) hereof, at any time after the Distribution Date the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the
restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii)
and
Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part upon surrender of the Rights
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the
reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office
or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with
payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of
one
one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash
or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are
then exercisable, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business
on
November 23, 2018 or such later date as may be established by the Board of
Directors prior to the expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be
extended by the Board of Directors, the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time
at which the Rights are redeemed or exchanged as provided in Section 23 and
Section 24 hereof, or (iii) the Close of Business on the first anniversary
of
the date hereof, unless prior to such time adoption of this Agreement has been
ratified by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the approval
requirements for stockholder action as set forth in the Company’s By-laws (the
earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration
Date”).
(b) The
Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock
pursuant to the exercise of a Right initially shall be $100.00, subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section 13(a) hereof
and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form
of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by
payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per
one
one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights
Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available,
if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock to
be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent
to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of
the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths (1/100)
of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates
for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be
deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company
will
direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from
the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares
in accordance with Section 14 hereof (iii) after receipt of such certificates
or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or, upon the order of
the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event
that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock)
of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section
11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
9
(d) If
the
registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the Rights
remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to,
or
upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person, or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person
or
Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
(or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes
a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or
to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or
(B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further
action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with,
but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or any other Person
as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any of its Affiliates, Associates or
transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered
holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this
Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed
the
certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii)
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.
Section
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel
and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
10
Section
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept
available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, out of its authorized
and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred
Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.
(b) So
long
as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such
time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance
to
be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.
(c) The
Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following
the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on
which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the
Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a
registration statement under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause
such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with
a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until
the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable
for
such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance
with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with
the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for
a
period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause
(i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights
in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension
has
been rescinded. In addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration
statement is required following the Distribution Date, the Company may
temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a
registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall
not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under
applicable law, or a registration statement shall not have been declared
effective.
(d) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock
and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time
of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The
Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable
any
and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in
respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any
certificates for a number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
a
number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other
than that of the registered holder of the flights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number
of
one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have
been
paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificates
at
the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
11
Section
10. Preferred Stock Record Date.
Each
person in whose name any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths (1/100)
of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as
the
case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional shares of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which
the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment
of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have
become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled
to
any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which
the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote,
to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings
of
the Company, except as provided herein.
Section
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights.
The
Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right and the
number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a)
(i)
If the
Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a
dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital
stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price
in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective
date
of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind
of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on
such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right
had
been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred
Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned
upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would
require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in
addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) If:
(A) any
Person shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become
an
Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring
Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition
of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by
at
least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers
of the Company and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or
Associates of an Acquiring Person, after receiving advice from one or more
investment banking firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders
and
not inadequate (taking into account all factors which such members of the Board
of Directors deem relevant, including, without limitation, prices which could
reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly
basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests
of the Company and its stockholders (a “Qualified Offer”), or
12
(B) the
Board
of Directors of the Company shall declare any Person to be an Adverse Person,
upon a determination that such Person, alone or together with its Affiliates
and
Associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of an amount of Common Stock that
the Board of Directors determines to be substantial (which amount shall in
no
event be less than 10% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding) and
a
determination by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
who are not officers of the Company and who are not affiliated with an Adverse
Person, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including, consultation
with
such persons as the directors shall deem appropriate, that (a) such Beneficial
Ownership by such Person is intended to cause the Company to repurchase the
Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the
Company to take action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions
intended to provide such Person with short-term financial gain under
circumstances where the Board of Directors determines that the best long-term
interests of the Company and its stockholders would not be served by taking
such
action or entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that
time
or (b) such Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a
material adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of
relationships with customers or impairment of the Company's ability to maintain
its competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company,
then,
promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper provision shall be
made
so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at
the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
in
Lieu of a number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock,
such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number
of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence,
shall thereafter be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for
all purposes of this Agreement) by fifty percent (50%) of the Current Market
Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock
on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the “Adjustment
Shares”).
13
(iii) If
the
number of shares of Common Stock which is authorized by the Company's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance
for
purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit
the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A) determine the value of the
Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”),
and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make
adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise
of
a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction
in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred
stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board of Directors has deemed
to
have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common Stock
(such shares of preferred stock being referred to as “Common Stock
Equivalents”)), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any
combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current
Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price), where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board
of Directors; provided,
however,
that if
the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant
to
clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's
right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and
(y)
being referred to herein as the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the
Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a
Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common
Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term “Spread” shall mean the excess of (i) the Current
Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors determines in
good
faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could
be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty
(30)
day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not
more
than ninety (90) days alter the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is herein
called the “Substitution Period”). To the extent that the Company determines
that action should be taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of
this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and
(2) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek such stockholder approval for such
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the
value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue
a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the
value of each Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any Common Stock
Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per share of the
Common Stock on such date.
(b) If
the
Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants
to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase
(for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record
date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock (“Equivalent Preferred Stock”)) or
securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at
a
price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the Current Market
Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock
so
to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription
or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible), in case such subscription price may be paid by delivery
of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board
of
Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the
Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the
Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.
Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed,
and if such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
14
(c) If
the
Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all holders of Preferred
Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation), cash (other
than
a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings
of
the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or evidences
of indebtedness, or of subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent)
of
the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share
of
Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market
Price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i)
For the
purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations made pursuant
to
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock
on
any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share
of such Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately
prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof; the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share
of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend
or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock
or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights),
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall not have occurred
prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10)
Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current
Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market or, if the shares
of
Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market,
as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on
which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average
of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported
by
NASDAQ (“OTC Market”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date
the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors. If
on
any such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
of
Directors shall be used. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock
are
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if
the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held
or
not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent
and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
15
(ii) For
the
purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for
the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last
sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock
cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock
is
not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of
this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall
be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to one hundred (100) (as such
number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring
after
the date of this. Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share
of
the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement
flied with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(e) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease
of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that
any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or
to
the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or
one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from
the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the
Expiration Date.
(f) If
as a
result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to
receive ally shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock, thereafter
the
number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in
a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e),
(g),
(h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and
14
hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any
such
other shares.
(g) All
Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to
the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted
Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights,
all
subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
16
(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 (1/100) of a share
of
Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share covered
by a
Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing
the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The
Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price
to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the number of
one
one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths
(1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price.
The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number
of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the
date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the
Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than
the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i),
the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders
of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option
of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by
the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective
of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one
one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share
and the number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share which were expressed
in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before
taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price
below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one one-hundredths (1/100)
of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid
and
nonassessable such number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred
Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In
any
case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase
Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company
may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder
of any Right exercised after such record date the number of one one-hundredths
(1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities
of
the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number
of
one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
17
(m) Anything
in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be
entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those
adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that
in
their good faith judgment the Board of Directors shall determine to be advisable
in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock,
(ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the
Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred
Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable
for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning
power aggregating more than fifty percent (50%) of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person
or
Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements
in
effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with
or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the “Principal Party” for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The
Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it will not,
except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any
Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is
reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if the Company shall at
any
time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the earlier of
the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated
with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be
the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
18
(q) The
failure by the Board of Directors of the Company to declare a Person to be
an
Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of the outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such Person is not
an
Adverse Person or limit the Board of Directors' right at any time in the future
to declare such Person to be an Adverse Person.
Section
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c) if
a
Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder
of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of
a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section
25
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets Cash Flow or Earning
Power.
(a) If,
following a Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company
shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than
a
Subsidiary of, the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation
of
such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall
consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall
be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and,
in
connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall
sell
or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than fifty percent (50%)
of
the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may be
contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so that:
(1) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely
tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by
(1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one-hundredths
(1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event), and (2) dividing that
product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall
be
referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by fifty percent (50%) of the Current Market Price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii)
such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue
of
such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant
to
this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following, the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation or a sufficient number
of
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its
shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights;
and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
19
(b) “Principal
Party” shall mean:
(i) in
the
case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence
of
Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares
of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation,
and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such
merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in
the
case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section
13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the
assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or
transactions; provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock
of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the
preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange
Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the
Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, “Principal Party” shall
refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary,
directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stock of two or
more
or which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest
aggregate market value.
(c) The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares
of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for issuance to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13
and
unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the
terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation,
merger or sale or assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the
Principal Party will
(i) prepare
and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, with respect to
the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration
statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing
and
(B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements
of
the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) take
all
such other action as may be necessary to enable the Principal Party to issue
the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, including but not limited
to
the registration or qualification of such securities under all requisite
securities laws of jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such
securities on such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or
appropriate; and
(iii) deliver
to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal
Party
and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements
for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
20
The
provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13
Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable
to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if
(i)
such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares
of
Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock which is a Qualified Offer as such term is defined in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or
Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction
is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of
shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender
offer
or exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is
the
same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange
offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section
13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to
the
Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(i) or Section 11(p) hereof, or
to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights, in lieu of
such
fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall
be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market
or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Stock
Market, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are
not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high hid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Market or such
other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted
by
any such organization, the average of the closing hid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights, selected
by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no such market maker is making
a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined
in
good faith by the Board of Directors shall be used.
(b) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth (1/100)
or a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share
of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are
not integral multiples of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to
the same fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth (1/100)
of a
share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market
value of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one
one-hundredth (1/100) or the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) (ii) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
21
(c) Following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to
issue
fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of
fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders
of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided
an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of
one
(1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current
market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price per share
of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The
holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right
to
receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right,
except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section
15. Rights of Action.
All
rights of action in respect of this Agreement are vested in the respective
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder
of
any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute
and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by
such
Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in
this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section
16. Agreement of Rights Holders.
Every
holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company
and
the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior
to
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after
the
Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry
books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office or offices
of
the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied
by a
proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates
fully executed;
(c) subject
to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may
deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the
Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as
the
absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding
any
notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated
Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required
to
be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as
a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree
or
ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental,
regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule,
regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation:
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
possible.
22
Section
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities
of
the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate,
as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote
for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section
18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The
Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all
services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the
Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith
or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of
this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim
of
liability in the premises.
(b) The
Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust,
stock transfer or other stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or
any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the
part any of the parties hereto; but only if such corporation would be eligible
for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section
21
hereof. If at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency
created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt
the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent
may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates
and
in this Agreement.
23
(b) If
at any
time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of
the
Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights
Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and if at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and
in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided
in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section
20. Duties of Rights Agent.
The
Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement
upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the
holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be
bound:
(a) The
Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the
Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or
omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall
deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without
limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person and the
determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company
and
delivered to the Rights Agent, and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The
Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements
of
fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates
or be
required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights
Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed
to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The
Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity
of
this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution
hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any
Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained
in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible
for
any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11, Section 13 or
Section 24 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require
any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall
it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock
to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The
Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause
to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and
other
acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions
of this Agreement.
24
(g) The
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with
respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer
or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable
for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The
Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights
Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the
Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company
may be interested, or Contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise
act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement.
Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity
for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested
in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys
or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for
any
act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for
any
loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct;
provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No
provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk
its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of
any
of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be
reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
it.
(k) If,
with
respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise
or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of
election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or
indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights
Agent
shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section
21. Change of Rights Agent.
The
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from
its
duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed
to
the Company, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock,
by registered or certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the
Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. If the transfer agency relationship in effect between the
Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to
have
resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
as
of the effective date of such termination, and the Company shall be responsible
for sending any required notice. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or
any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (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 Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and, if such removal occurs after the Distribution Date, to the holders of
the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or
be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder
of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business entity organized
and
doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of Ohio
or of
any other state of the United States, in good standing, having an office in
the
State of Ohio, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust,
stock transfer or stockholder services powers and which has at the time of
its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000.000 or (b) an affiliate of a legal business entity described in clause
(a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver
any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent
of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if such appointment occurs after
the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for
in
this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
25
Section
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to
the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors
to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind
or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of
the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued
or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan
or
arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by
the Board of Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided,
however,
that
(i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the
Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section
23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The
Board
of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the earliest of (i) the
Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following a Stock Acquisition Date
(or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record
Date,
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the Record Date),
(ii)
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the Board of Directors
of
the Company determines, pursuant to the criteria set forth in Section
11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person, or (iii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the “Redemption Price”). Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's
right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option,
pay
the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current
Market Price, as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at
the
time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by
the
Board of Directors.
26
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights,
evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any
further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action
of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company
shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of
the
then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each
holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each
such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made.
(c) 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 and other than in connection with
the
purchase or repurchase by any of them of Common Stock prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section
24. Exchange.
(a) The
Board
of Directors 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 7(e) hereof) for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of
one
share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors 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 Stock for or pursuant to the terms
of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Stock
then outstanding.
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights
pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action
and
without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the
only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number
of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice
of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company
promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of
such
Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice
of
exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for
Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number
of
Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro
rata
based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of
Rights.
(c) In
any
exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute
Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as such term is defined in
paragraph (b) of Section 11 hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for Rights,
at
the initial rate of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock
(or
Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately
adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and other similar transactions
after the date hereof
27
(d) In
the
event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but
not
outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as
contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all
such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock
or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in
cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (c), the current market value
of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common
Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 24.
Section
25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) If
the
Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay
any
dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or
to
make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants
to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares
of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to
effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer
(or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than fifty
percent (50%) of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and
its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and
in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which
shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution
of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take
place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20)
days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action,
at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) If
a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof,
a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall
be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
28
Section
26. Notices.
Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent
or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing
by
the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
LCA-Vision
Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Corporate Secretary
Subject
to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Rights Agent with
the Company) as follows:
Computershare
Trust Company, N.A.
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Client Services
Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company
or
the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common
Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on
the
registry books of the Company.
Section
27. Supplements and Amendments.
(a) Prior
to
the Distribution Date, and subject to the provisions of Section 27(h) hereof,
the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement
or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the
Distribution Date, and subject to the provisions of Section 27(b) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates
in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
or
(iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect
the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer
of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment, provided that such supplement or amendment does
not adversely affect the rights, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent
under
this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders
of
Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common
Stock.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made to
this Agreement at a time when the Rights are not redeemable, except as
contemplated by clause (i) or (ii) of Section 27(a) hereof.
29
Section
28. Successors.
All the
covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company
or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective
successors and assigns hereunder.
Section
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock or any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner,
shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(l)(i) of
the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and
to
exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors
or
to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of
this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement
(including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights, to declare than
a
Person is an Adverse Person or to amend the Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done
or
made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive
and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors, or any of the
directors on the Board of Directors, to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
Section
30. Benefits of this Agreement.
Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock)
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to
the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section
31. Severability.
If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court
of
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or
restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable and the Board of Directors determines in its good faith judgment
that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect
the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth
in
Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close
of
Business on the tenth Business Day following the date of such determination
by
the Board of Directors. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision
requiring a specific group of directors to act is held to by any court of
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
and
Bylaws.
Section
32. Governing Law.
This
Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be
deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for
all
purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
such
State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
State.
Section
33. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such
counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
30
Section
34. Descriptive Headings.
Descriptive headings of the several sections of this Agreement are inserted
for
convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction
of
any of the provisions hereof.
Section
35. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance
resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation,
acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions,
interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to
power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval
systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
31
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed all as of the
day
and year first above written.
LCA-VISION INC. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Title: Relationship Manager |
[Rights
Agreement Signature page]
32
Exhibit
A
Form
of
Rights Certificate
Certificate No. R- |
Rights
|
NOT
EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 23, 2018 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY OR
IF
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT IS NOT RATIFIED BY THE COMPANY’S STOCKHOLDERS AS SET FORTH
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION
OF
THE COMPANY, AT $.001 PER R1GHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON
OR
ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]1
1
The
portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and
if so
inserted shall replace the preceding sentence.
A-1
Rights
Certificate
LCA-VISION
INC.
This
certifies that ____________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner
of
the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entities the owner thereof,
subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated
as of ________, 2008 (the “Rights Agreement”), between LCA-Vision Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and _________________, a _____________
(the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00
P.M. (Eastern time) on the earlier of (i) November 23, 2018 (unless such date
is
extended prior thereto by the Board of Directors) and (ii) November 23, 2009
(unless prior to such time adoption of the Rights Agreement has been ratified
by
the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the approval requirements for
stockholder action as set forth in the Company’s By-laws), at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors
as
Rights Agent, one one-hundredth (1/100) of a fully paid, non-assessable share
of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the
Company, at a purchase price of $100.00 per one one-hundredth (1/100) of a
share
(the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the
number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase
Price as of __________________ based on the Preferred Stock as constituted
at
such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of
a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
will
be issued.
Upon
the
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are defined in
the
Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer,
became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate
of
an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, such Rights shall become null and void
and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from
and
after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind
of
shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased upon
the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This
Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions
of
the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability
of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of
the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights
Agent.
A-2
This
Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender
at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like
tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of one one-hundredths (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock
as
the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for
the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject
to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate may (unless the board of Directors shall have made a determination
that a Person is all Adverse Person) be redeemed by the Company at its option
at
a redemption price of $.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the
Close of Business on (i) the tenth Business Day following the Stock Acquisition
Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement),
and
(ii) the Final Expiration Date. In addition, under certain circumstances
following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole
or
in part, for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the
Company having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors authorizing any such
exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than
Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights
will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such
exchange.
No
fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may,
at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in
lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No
holder
of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or
be
deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise
hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be
construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
consent to or withhold consent from any corporate action, or, to receive notice
of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in
the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it
shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
A-3
WITNESS
the facsimile signatures of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate
seal.
Dated
as
of ____________________.
ATTEST: | LCA-VISION INC. | |||
By: | ||||
Secretary | Name Title |
|||
Countersigned:
[RIGHTS
AGENT]
|
||||
By: | ||||
Authorized Signature |
Form
of
Reverse Side of Rights Certificate
FORM
OF ASSIGNMENT
(To
be
executed by the registered holder if such
holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR
VALUE
RECEIVED _______________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto
____________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address of transferee)
this
Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated:
_______________
Signature |
Signature
Guaranteed:
Certificate
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1)
this
Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by
or
on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person,
or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2)
after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did
not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who
is,
was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or Adverse or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person.
Dated:______________
Signature |
Signature
Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The
signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the
name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM
OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To
be
executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To:
LCA-Vision Inc.:
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights represented
by
this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable
upon
the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any
other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests
that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered
to:
Please
insert social security
or
other
identifying number
(Please
print name and address)
If
such
number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall
be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please
insert social security
or
other
identifying number
(Please
print name and address)
Dated:____________
Signature |
Signature
Guaranteed:
Certificate
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1)
the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised
by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
and
(2)
after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did
not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who
is,
was or became an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person.
Dated:_____________
Signature |
Signature
Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The
signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
Exhibit
B
SUMMARY
OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED
STOCK
On
November 11, 2008, the Board of Directors of LCA-Vision Inc. (the “Company”)
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of
Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the Close of Business on
November 24, 2008 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth (1/100)
of a
share (a “Unit”) of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$.001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) at a Purchase Price of $100.00
per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are
set
forth in a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent.
Initially,
the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates representing shares
then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will be distributed.
Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement, the Rights
will
separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the
earlier of (i) ten (10) business days following a public announcement that
a
person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has
acquired beneficial ownership of twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the
Company, certain inadvertent actions by institutional or certain other
stockholders or the beneficial ownership by a person of twenty percent (20%)
or
more of the outstanding Common Stock as of November 24, 2008, or the date a
Person has entered into an agreement or arrangement with the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company providing for an Acquisition Transaction (the “Stock
Acquisition Date”), (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later date as the Board
of Directors shall determine) following the commencement of a tender offer
or
exchange offer that would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring
Person, or (iii) ten (10) business days alter the Board of Directors of the
Company determines any person, alone or together with its affiliates and
associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of an amount of Common Stock which
the Board of Directors determines to be substantial (which amount shall in
no
event be less than 10% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding) and at least
a
majority of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the Company, after
reasonable inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such persons
as such directors shall deem appropriate, shall determine that (a) such
beneficial ownership by such person is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such person or to cause
pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a transaction or series
of
transactions intended to provide such person with short-term financial gain
under circumstances where the Board of Directors determines that the best
long-term interests of the Company and its stockholders would not be served
by
taking such action or entering into such transactions or series of transactions
at that time or (b) such beneficial ownership is causing or reasonably likely
to
cause a material adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment
of
relationships with customers or impairment of the Company's ability to maintain
its competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company (any
such
person being referred to herein and in the Rights Agreement as an “Adverse
Person”). An Acquisition Transaction is defined in the Rights Agreement as (x) a
merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries as a result of which stockholders of the Company will no longer
own
a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company or a
publicly traded entity which controls the Company or, if appropriate, the entity
into which the Company may be merged, consolidated or otherwise combined (based
solely on the shares of Common Stock received or retained by such stockholders,
in their capacity as stockholders of the Company, pursuant to such transaction),
(y) a purchase or other acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (z) a purchase or other
acquisition of securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the
Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be
transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common
Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such
certificate. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company reserves the right
to
require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined below) that,
upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole
shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
B-1
The
Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at 5:00
P.M. (Eastern time) on the earlier of (i) November 23, 2018 (subject to
extension by the Board of Directors) and (ii) November 23, 2009 if prior to
such
time adoption of the Rights Agreement has not been ratified by the Company’s
stockholders. The Rights are subject to earlier redemption or exchange by the
Company as described below.
As
soon
as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed
to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will
represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors,
only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued
with Rights.
If
(i) a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except pursuant to an offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock which the independent directors determine
to
be fair and not inadequate and to otherwise be in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms (a “Qualified Offer”), or (ii) the Board of Directors determines
that a person is an Adverse Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter
have
the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances,
cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to
two
times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing,
following the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph, all Rights
that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement)
were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or by
certain related parties) will be null and void. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of the event set forth above until such
time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
For
example, at an exercise price of $100.00 per Right, each Right not owned by
an
Acquiring Person or by an Adverse Person (or by certain related parties)
following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder
to purchase $200.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted
above) for $100.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of
$40.00 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to
purchase 5 shares of Common Stock for $100.00.
If
at any
time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company engages in a merger
or other business combination transaction in which the Company is not the
surviving corporation (other than with an entity which acquired the shares
pursuant to a Qualified Offer), (ii) the Company engages in a merger or other
business combination transaction in which the Company is the surviving
corporation and the Common Stock of the Company is changed or exchanged, or
(iii) fifty percent (50%) or more of the Company's assets, cash flow or earning
power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have
previously been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right
to
receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in
this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
“Triggering Events.”
B-2
At
any
time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition
by
such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding Common
Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned
by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-hundredth (1/100) of
a
share of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's
preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per
Right
(subject to adjustment).
At
any
time until ten (10) business days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per
Right (payable in cash. Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and
the
only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $.001 redemption
price.
Until
a
Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a
stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote
or
to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable
to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the
circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company or in the event of the redemption of
the
Rights as set forth above.
Any
of
the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors
prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions
of
the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in order to cure
any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests
of
holders of Rights (excluding the interests of an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or certain related parties), or to shorten or lengthen any time period
under the Rights Agreement. The foregoing notwithstanding, no amendment may
be
made to the Rights Agreement at a time when the Rights are not redeemable,
except to cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any provision contained
in
the Rights Agreement which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provision therein.
A
copy of
the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A/Current Report on Form
8-K. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Rights
Agent. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which
is
incorporated herein by reference.
B-3