EXHIBIT 4.1
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
AS RIGHTS AGENT
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 26, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Certain Definitions
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificate
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares
Section 10. Record Date
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
Section 15. Rights of Action
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates
Section 23. Redemption and Termination
Section 24. Exchange
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events
Section 26. Notices
Section 27 Supplements and Amendments
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
Section 29. Successors
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement
Section 31. Severability
Section 32. Governing Law
Section 33. Counterparts
Section 34. Descriptive Headings
Signatures
Exhibit A-Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit B-Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares
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Defined Term Cross Reference Sheet
Acquiring Person.......................................... Section 1(a)
Act....................................................... Section 1(b)
Adjustment Shares......................................... Section 11(a)(ii)
Adjusted Number of Shares................................. Section 11(a)(iii)
Adjusted Purchase Price................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Affiliate................................................. Section 1(c)
Agreement................................................. Preface
Appointment of Rights Agent............................... Section 2
Associate................................................. Section 1(c)
Beneficial Owner.......................................... Section 1(d)
Beneficially Own.......................................... Section 1(d)
Business Day.............................................. Section 1(e)
Capital Stock Equivalent.................................. Section 11(a)(iii)
Close of Business......................................... Section 1(f)
Common Shares............................................. Section 1(g)
Corporation............................................... Preface
Current Per Share Market Price............................ Section 11(d)
Distribution Date......................................... Section 3(a)
Exchange Act.............................................. Section 1(c)
Final Expiration Date..................................... Section 7(a)
Interested Stockholder.................................... Section 1(j)
Permitted Offer........................................... Section 1(k)
Personal.................................................. Section 1(l)
Principal Party........................................... Section 13(b)
Proration Factor.......................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Purchase Price............................................ Section 4(a)
Record Date............................................... Preface
Redemption Date........................................... Section 7(a)
Redemption Price.......................................... Section 23
Right..................................................... Preface
Right Certificate......................................... Section 3(a)
Rights Agent.............................................. Preface
Rights Agreement.......................................... Section 3
Section 11(a)(ii) Event................................... Section 11(a)(ii)
Section 13 Event.......................................... Section 13(a)
Security.................................................. Section 11(a)(i)
Shares Acquisition Date................................... Section 1(a)
Subsidiary................................................ Section 1(q)
Summary of Rights......................................... Section 3(b)
Then Outstanding.......................................... Section 1(d)(iii)
Trading Day............................................... Section 11(d)
Transaction............................................... Section 1(r)
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Transaction Person........................................ Section 1(s)
Triggering Event.......................................... Section 1(t)
Voting Securities......................................... Section 13(a)
---------------------------
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 26, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"),
and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY (the "Rights Agent").
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and
declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation outstanding at the
close of business on October 26, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right
representing the right to purchase one Common Share, upon the terms and subject
to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become
outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date,
the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common
Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to
the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance
with the provisions of Section 22 of this Agreement.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other than as a result of
a Permitted Offer (as hereinafter defined)) or was such a Beneficial Owner at
any time after the date hereof, whether or not such person continues to be the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include
(i) the Corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iii) any employee
benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iv)
any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Corporation for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (v) any Person, who or which
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares as a
result of the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the Corporation, and
(B) no Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" either (X) as a result
of the acquisition of Common Shares by the Corporation which, by reducing the
number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person together with all Affiliates and Associates of
such Person; except that if (i) a Person would become an Acquiring Person (but
for the operation of this subclause X) as a result of the acquisition of Common
Shares by the Corporation, and (ii) after such share acquisition by the
Corporation, such Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be
deemed an Acquiring Person, or (Y) if (i) within 8 days after such Person would
otherwise have become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this
subclause (Y), such Person notifies the Board of Directors that such Person did
so inadvertently
and (ii) within 2 days after such notification, such Person is the Beneficial
Owner of less than of the outstanding Common Shares.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule l2b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely
from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public
proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is
not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(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 (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities)
relating to the acquisition, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated
by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Corporation, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
U.S. federal holiday.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation shall
mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation
or, in the event of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to
such shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such
subdivision, combination or consolidation. "Common Shares" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the capital
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stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person
or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or
Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(j) "Interested Stockholder" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any
such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other
Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(k) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which is for
all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on terms determined, prior to the
purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by at least a majority
of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the Corporation
and who are not Acquiring Persons or Affiliates, Associates, nominees or
representatives of an Acquiring Person or a Transaction Person, to be adequate
(taking into account all factors that such Directors deem relevant including,
without limitation, prices that could reasonably be achieved if the Corporation
or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value)
and otherwise in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders
(other than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on whose basis the
offer is being made) taking into account all factors that such directors may
deem relevant.
(l) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation,
trust, association, joint venture or other entity, and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(m) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(n) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11 (a)(ii) hereof.
(o) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(p) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to the Exchange Act) by the Corporation or
an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such; provided, that, if
such Person is determined not to have become an Acquiring Person pursuant to
Section 1(a)(B)(Y) hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to
have occurred.
(q) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
Person of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(r) "Transaction" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of
assets described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares of
the Corporation which would result in a Person becoming a Transaction Person.
(s) "Transaction Person" with respect to a Transaction shall mean (x)
any Person who (i) is or will become an Acquiring Person if the Transaction were
to be consummated, and (ii) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a
director of the Corporation which director is in office at the time of
consideration of the Transaction, or (y) an Affiliate or Associate of such a
Person.
(t) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Corporation hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with
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Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of
Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the
Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Corporation may from time to
time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth day (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Corporation's Board of
Directors) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the
Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the
Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention
of any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation,
any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the
Corporation or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence (which
intention to commence remains in effect for five Business Days after such
announcement), a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result
in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including, in the case of both (i)
and (ii), any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the issuance of the Rights), the earlier of such dates being herein referred to
as the "Distribution Date," (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y)
the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares (including a transfer to the
Corporation); provided, however, that if a tender offer is terminated prior to
the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as
a result of such tender offer. As soon as practicable after the Distribution
Date, the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Corporation will send or cause to be sent by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Corporation, a Right Certificate, substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common
Share so held. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Corporation will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders
thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or
the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for
Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with such Common Shares.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this paragraph (c)) after
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the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, dated as of October 26, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights
will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain related
persons, whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person
or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Corporation purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Corporation
shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares
which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate. (a) The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation may deem appropriate and as
are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which
the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to
the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Common Shares as shall be
set forth therein at the price per Common Share set forth therein (the "Purchase
Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of
each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e)
of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
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The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this
Right Certificate and the Rights represented hereby are null and
void.
Provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be operative whether
or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President and any of its Vice Presidents, or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the Corporation's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Right Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Corporation by any person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign
such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place
for surrender or transfer of such Right Certificate, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
certificate number and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificate. Subject to
the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time
after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the
close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of
business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the final Expiration Date, any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined
or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of Common Shares (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, as the case may be) as the Right Certificate
or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in
the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall
make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall
be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any
such surrendered Right Certificate until the
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registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall
have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Corporation shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to
the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the
case may be, as so requested. The Corporation may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right
Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Corporation's request,
reimbursement to the Corporation and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total
number of Common Shares (or other securities, as the case may be) as to which
such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the
close of business on October 25, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
"Redemption Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Common Share pursuant to the exercise of
a Right shall initially be $8.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Common Shares (or other
securities, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from the transfer agent of the
Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased and
the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) if the Corporation, in its sole discretion, shall have
elected to deposit the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder into a depositary, requisition from the depositary agent of depositary
receipts representing such number of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the Common Shares represented by such receipts shall
be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent)
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and the Corporation will direct the depositary agent to comply with such
requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of
cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt thereof,
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. In the event that the Corporation is obligated to issue other
securities of the Corporation pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation
will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities are available
for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement and if less than all the Rights represented by such Right
Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue to include
the rights provided by Section 11 (a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the
Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right Certificate with
respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes
such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has a continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Corporation has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no
holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The
Corporation shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of
this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its
failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to undertake any action
with respect to a registered holder
8
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 Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii)
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Corporation
shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Corporation shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Corporation, or shall, at the
written request of the Corporation, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates,
and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Corporation.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares. The
Corporation covenants and agrees that at all times prior to the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and un-issued Common Shares, or any authorized and issued Common
Shares held in its treasury, the number of Common Shares that will be sufficient
to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights and, after the
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, shall, to the extent reasonably
practicable, so reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Common Shares
(and/or other securities) which may be required to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights pursuant to this Agreement. So long as the Common Shares (and,
after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any other securities)
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Corporation shall use its best efforts to cause, from
and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for
such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance
upon such exercise.
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares and/or other securities, as
the case may be, delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares or other securities (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and non-assessable shares or securities. The Corporation further
covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all U.S.
federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of
the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be, upon the exercise of Rights. The
Corporation shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person
other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depository receipts
for the Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be, in a name
other than that of the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or to deliver any certificates or
depositary receipts for Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may
be, upon the exercise of any Rights, until any such tax shall have been paid
(any such tax being payable by the holder of such
9
Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Corporation's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Shares Acquisition Date, a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder)
until the date of the expiration of the rights provided by Section 11 (a)(ii).
The Corporation will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue
sky laws of the various states.
Section 10. Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for
Common Shares 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 the Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be,
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be, transfer books of
the Corporation are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the
record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Shares and/or other securities, as
the case may be, transfer books of the Corporation are open.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue any shares of
its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, each Common Share
outstanding following such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall continue to have a Right associated therewith and the
Purchase Price following any such event shall be proportionately adjusted to
equal the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price immediately prior to
such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and
the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event; provided, however, that in
no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the excise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation
issuable upon exercise of one Right. The adjustment provided for in the
preceding sentence, shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is
declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is
effected. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both
Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the
10
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates
and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, then proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall, for a period of 60 days after the later of the occurrence of
any such event or the effective date of an appropriate registration statement
under the Act pursuant to Section 9 hereof, have a right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common Shares as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the then number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and
dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Corporation's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as
the "Adjustment Shares"); provided, however, that if the transaction that would
otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii);
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury
shares or authorized but unissued (and unreserved) Common Shares to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) and the Rights become so exercisable, notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law, each
Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at
the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
(x) a number of (or fractions of) Common Shares (up to the maximum number of
Common Shares which may permissibly be issued) and (y) a number of, or fractions
of other equity securities of the Corporation (or, in the discretion of the
Board of Directors, debt) which the Board of Directors of the Corporation has
determined to have the same aggregate current market value (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) and (ii) hereof, to the extent applicable) as one Common
Share (such number of, or fractions of, debt, or other equity securities or debt
of the Corporation being referred to as a "capital stock equivalent"), equal in
the aggregate to the number of Adjustment Shares; provided, however, if
sufficient Common Shares and/or capital stock equivalents are unavailable, then
the Corporation shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares or capital
stock equivalents for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, including the
calling of a meeting of stockholders; and provided, further, that if the
Corporation is unable to cause sufficient Common Shares and/or capital stock
equivalents to be available for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
then each Right shall thereafter represent be right to receive the Adjusted
Number of Shares upon exercise at the Adjusted Purchase Price (as such terms are
hereinafter defined). As used herein, the. term "Adjusted Number of Shares"
shall be equal to that number of (or fractions of) Common Shares (and/or capital
stock equivalents) equal to the product of (x) the number of Adjustment Shares
and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
(and/or capital stock equivalents) available for issuance upon exercise of the
Rights and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Adjustment Shares
otherwise issuable upon exercise in full of all Rights (assuming there were a
sufficient number of Common Shares available) (such fraction being referred to
as the ("Proration Factor"). The "Adjusted Purchase Price" shall mean the
product of the Purchase Price and the Proration Factor. The Board of Directors
may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to
receive
11
Common Shares and capital stock equivalents upon exercise of the Rights among
holders of Rights.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Common
Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or securities
convertible into Common Shares at a price per Common Share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares) less
than the then current per share market price of the Common Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of Common Shares which the aggregate offering price
of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current per share market price, and the denominator of which
shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase
(or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of one Right.
In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of
which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall
be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent. Common Shares owned by or held for the
account of the Corporation shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Common Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend) or
subscription Rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per
share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the
Common Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Common Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Common Shares; provided, however, that in
no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Corporation to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that
such distribution
12
is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase
Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share
market price" of a Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Share for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior
to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share
market price of the Common Share is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Share payable in Common Shares or securities
convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Shares and prior to the expiration of thirty
(30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution,
or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then,
and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately
adjusted to reflect the current market price per share of such Common Share. 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 for trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Shares are
not listed or admitted for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported
in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Common Shares are listed or admitted for trading or, if the Common Shares are
not listed or admitted for trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the Common Shares 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 Shares
selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. If on any such date no
such market maker is making a market in the Common Shares, the fair value of the
Common Shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors
of the Corporation shall be used, such determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted for
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Common Shares are not
listed or admitted for trading on any national securities exchange, a Business
Day.
(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 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest one-tenth of a share as the case may be. Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from
the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date.
13
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11 (a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation other
than Common Shares, thereafter the number of other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Common Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive,
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Common
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) The Corporation may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of
the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one-tenth) 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
Corporation shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the
number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known
at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(h), the Corporation shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a rest of such adjustment, or, at the
option of the Corporation, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of
record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such
holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required
by the Corporation, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which
such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to
be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of
record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(i) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(j) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of Common Shares
or other securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Corporation shall
take any corporate action which may, in the
14
opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Corporation may validly
and legally issue such number of fully paid and non-assessable Common Shares or
other securities at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(k) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon
such exercise over and above the Common Shares or other securities of the
Corporation, if any, issuable upon exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Corporation
shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument
evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon the
occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(l) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Corporation shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Common Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares at less than the current market price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or securities which by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Common Shares
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(m) The Corporation 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 Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section
11(n) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(n)
hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or
transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof) if (x) at
the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
there are any charter or by-law provisions or any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect or other actions
taken, which would materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Corporation
shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless
prior thereto the Corporation and such other Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance
with this Section 11(m).
(n) The Corporation covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take)
15
any action the purpose of which is to, or if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of such action is to, materially
diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(o) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result in
the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and shall
not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this Rights
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the
Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. (a) In the event that, on or following the Shares Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or
consolidation all holders of Common Shares are not treated alike, any other
Person, (y) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with, any
Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or consolidation all holders of
Common Stock are not treated alike, any other Person, and the Corporation shall
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger
(other than, in a case of any transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or
consolidation which would result in all of the securities generally entitled to
vote in the election of directors ("voting securities") of the Corporation
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into securities of the surviving
entity) all of the voting securities of the Corporation or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and the holders of
such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or consolidation),
or (z) the Corporation shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series
of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of
the assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any Interested Stockholder or Stockholders or, if in such transaction
all holders of Common Shares are not treated alike, any other Person (other than
the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation in one or more transactions
each of which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof), then, and in each such
case (except as provided in Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be
made so that (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e)
hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement such number of freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal
Party (as hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights
of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by
(A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Common Shares
for which a Right is then exercisable (without taking into account any
adjustment previously made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that
product by (B) 50% of the then current per
16
share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such Section 13
Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such
Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; and (iv)
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which Common Shares of the Corporation are converted in such
merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is
the other party to such merger or consolidation (including, if applicable, the
Corporation if it is the surviving corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any of the foregoing cases, (1) if the Common Shares
of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the
preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange
Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the
Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall
refer to such other Person; (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate
market value; and (3) in case such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a
joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall
apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest in such joint
venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint
ventures and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the obligations
set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or indirect
interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
its authorized Common Shares which have not been issued or reserved for issuance
to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13
and unless prior thereto the Corporation and such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing
for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the
Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on an appropriate form, and will use its
17
best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final
Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. The rights under this
Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and adjustments
under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
(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 Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly
owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per Common Share
offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to
all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such
Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such transaction
is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer.
Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d),
all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Corporation
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted for trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted for trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted for trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in
the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used.
18
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Corporation
shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Common Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to receive capital stock
equivalents (other than Common Shares) or other securities upon the exercise of
a Right, the Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of shares or
units of such capital stock equivalents or other securities upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractions of such capital
stock equivalents or other securities. In lieu of fractional shares or units of
such capital stock equivalents or other securities, the Corporation may pay to
the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a share or unit of such capital stock equivalents or
other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value
shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11 (d) hereof for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
19
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed
or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate form
fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone
other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its
inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of
any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree 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 Corporation must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or any
other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Corporation or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
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 other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) The Corporation agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
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
20
premises. The indemnity provided for herein shall survive the expiration of the
Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
(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 Right Certificate
or certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the Corporation,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(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 stock
transfer or all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only
those duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
21
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of an Acquiring Person and the
determination of the current market price of any Security) be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall
be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of the
certificate described in Section 12 hereof); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Common Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares or
other securities will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and non-assessable.
(f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and shall not be liable for any, action taken or suffered by it in good faith or
lack of action in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the
Rights Agent for written instructions from the Corporation
22
may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed
to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the
date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be
effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or
omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall
not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of the
Corporation actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instruction in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Corporation or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were
not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other
legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
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 not been
completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the
Corporation.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Corporation may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon sixty (60) days'
notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the
case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If
the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable
of acting, the Corporation shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Corporation shall fail to make such appointment with a period of sixty (60) days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resigning or incapacity by
23
the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right
Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Corporation), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of
any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized
to do business in the State of New York), in good standing, having an office in
the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Corporation shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares, and mail
a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Corporation may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution
Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date, the Corporation (a) shall with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold
pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes
or debentures issued by the Corporation, and (b) may, in any other case, if
deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Corporation,
issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) the
Corporation shall not be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates if, and
to the extent that, the Corporation shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Corporation or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued,
and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof; and provided, further, that the Board of Directors of the Corporation
shall in the good faith exercise of its judgment take such other actions as the
Board of Directors deems desirable, including, without limitation, the
cancellation of Rights, to ensure that Rights are outstanding on an equal basis
as to each Common Share, whether or not such Common Share was issued pursuant to
the conversion of another security, after giving effect to any Rights issued or
to be issued in respect of such convertible security.
24
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) (i) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option,
redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"), at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, or (y) the Final Expiration Date. The Corporation may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares (based on the "current
per share market price," as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Share
at the time of redemption) or cash; provided that if the Corporation elects to
pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares, the Corporation shall not be required
to issue any fractional Common Shares and the number of Common Shares issuable
to each holder of Rights shall be rounded down to the next whole share.
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at
its option, at any time following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
and the expiration of any period during which the holder of Rights may exercise
the rights under Section 11(a)(ii) but prior to any Section 13 Event redeem all
but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (x)
in connection with any merger, consolidation or sale or other transfer (in one
transaction or in a series of related transactions) of assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the earning power of the Corporation and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of Common Shares are
treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of Common Shares being
treated like all other such holders) an Interested Stockholder or (y)(aa) if and
for so long as the Acquiring Person is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner of
20% of the Common Shares, and (bb) at the time of redemption no other Persons
are Acquiring Persons.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 23(a), in the event that a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation is comprised of (i)
persons elected at a meeting of or by written consent of stockholders who were
not nominated by the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such
meeting or action by written consent, and/or (ii) successors of such persons
elected to the Board of Directors for the purpose of either facilitating a
Transaction with a Transaction Person or circumventing, directly or indirectly
the provisions of this Section 23(b), then (I) the Rights may not be redeemed
for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such election if such
redemption is reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a
Transaction with a Transaction Person and (II) the Rights may not be redeemed
following such 180-day period, if (x) such redemption is reasonably likely to
have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction
Person and (y) during such 180-day period, the Corporation enters into any
agreement, arrangement or understanding with any Transaction Person which is
reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction
with any Transaction Person.
(c) In the case of a redemption permitted under Section 23(a)(i),
immediately upon the date for redemption set forth (or determined in the manner
specified) in a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation 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. In the case of a redemption permitted only under Section 23(a)(ii),
evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and represent only the right to receive the
25
Redemption Price upon the later of ten Business Days following the giving of
such notice or the expiration of any period during which the rights under
Section 11(a)(ii) may be exercised. The Corporation shall promptly give public
notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or
any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption.
Within ten (10) days after such date for redemption set forth in a resolution of
the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Corporation
shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding
Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Corporation nor any of
its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23 and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior
to the Distribution Date.
(d) The Corporation may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations
with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner
of redemption of the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their
last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent of
the Common Shares, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights and Right
Certificates shall be null and void without any further action by the
Corporation.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may,
at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the Corporation at an exchange ratio of
one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Corporation,
any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation,
or any such Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the
terms of any such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Corporation shall promptly 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
26
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in
the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.
Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Corporation, at its
option, may substitute shares of preferred stock of the Corporation or that
principal amount of debt securities of the Corporation per Right as the Board of
Directors in good faith determines to have a market value equal at the time of
such exchange to the market value of the Common Shares issuable in exchange for
each Right.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued
but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights
as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Corporation shall take
all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Corporation shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its Common Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Common
Shares (other than a regularly quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the
holders of its Common Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase
any additional Common Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other
securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Common Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding Common Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or
with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a
transaction which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer) in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which does not violate
Section 11(n) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation, then, in each such case, the Corporation shall give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action to the extent feasible and file a certificate
with the Rights Agent to that effect, which shall specify the record date for
the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or
the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by holders of the Common Shares, if any such date is to be
fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Common Shares or purposes of such action, and in the
case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then (i) the Corporation shall
as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event,
which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
27
references in the preceding paragraph (a) to Common Shares shall be deemed
thereafter to refer also to, if appropriate, other securities of the
Corporation.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Corporation shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, President and
Chief Executive Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
Common Shares, shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Corporation.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date,
the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the Corporation so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and after the
Distribution Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Corporation so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval
of any holders of Right 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 Corporation may deem necessary or desirable and which
shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates
(other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person); provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights
are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is
for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon he delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Corporation which states that the proposed supplement
or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
28
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment, provided that
such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the rights or obligations
of the Rights Agent under Section 18 or Section 20 of this Agreement. Prior to
the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, in the event that a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation is comprised of (i)
persons elected at a meeting of or by written consent of stockholders and who
were not nominated by the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such
meeting or action by written consent and/or (ii) successors of such persons
elected to the Board of Directors for the purpose of either facilitating a
Transaction with a Transaction Person or circumventing directly or indirectly
the provisions of this Section 27, then for a period of 180 days following the
effectiveness of such action, this Rights Agreement shall not be amended or
supplemented in any manner reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect of
facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction Person.
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or the Corporation, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and
whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of
Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares or other securities outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares or any other securities of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement. All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Corporation,
the Rights Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all other parties,
and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Right
Certificates.
Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Corporation,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or
29
unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall
in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
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.
30
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
31
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE NO. R- ______ RIGHTS
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 25, 2008, OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
CORPORATION. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
This certifies that __________, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of October 26, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Vion
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the
Corporation at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York time, on October 28,
2008, unless the Rights evidenced hereby shall have been previously redeemed by
the Corporation, at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent,
one fully paid non-assessable share of Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the
"Common Shares") (or other shares, securities or property, as the case may be,
of equivalent value determined in accordance with the Rights Agreement), of the
Corporation, at a purchase price of $8.00 per Common Share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate (and the number of Common Shares which may be purchased upon
exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are
the number and Purchase Price as of October 26, 1998, based on the Common Shares
as constituted at such date.
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 Right
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a
transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such,
such Rights shall become null and void 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
of Common Shares or other securities which may be purchased upon the exercise of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including Triggering Events (as
such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
32
Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Right Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances in the Rights Agreement. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Corporation and the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase such number of Common Shares
or other securities as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of
$.01 per Right (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or of any
other securities of the Corporation 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 Corporation or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise
any preemptive or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Corporation and its corporate seal. Dated as of ________, _______________.
[SEAL] VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
ATTEST:
___________________ By____________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By_______________________
Authorized Signatory
Name:
Title:
33
----------------
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto __________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named
Corporation, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________, ____
-------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a
bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership
in an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15
of the Securities Exchange Act or 1934.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf of
a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Right Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and
to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed by the registered holder
if such holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Right Certificate.)
To the Rights Agent:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Common Shares or other
securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Common Shares or other securities be issued in the name
of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________, ____
-------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a
bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership
in an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15
of the Securities Exchange Act or 1934.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or
was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and to the best
knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
35
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature on the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election and
certificates must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment
or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
---------------
36
EXHIBIT B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON SHARES
On October 15, 1998, the Board of Directors of Vion Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (the "Corporation") declared a dividend distribution of one common share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Corporation. The dividend is
payable to the stockholders of record on October 26, 1998 (the "Record Date"),
and with respect to Common Shares issued thereafter until the Distribution Date
(as defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect to Common Shares
issued after the Distribution Date. Except as set forth below, each Right, when
it becomes exercisable, entities the registered holder to purchase from the
Corporation one Common Share of the Corporation at a price of $8.00 per Common
Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms
of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of October 26, 1998.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Shares upon the earliest
to occur of (i) a person or group of affiliated or associated persons having
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(except pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 days
(or such later date as the Board may determine) following the commencement of,
or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring
Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"). A person or group whose acquisition of Common Shares
causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring
Person." The date that a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person is the
"Shares Acquisition Date."
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) new Common
Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (and
to each initial record holder of certain Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date), and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on October 25, 2008, unless earlier redeemed by
the Corporation as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (except
pursuant to a tender or exchange offer which is for all outstanding Common
Shares at a price and on terms which a
37
majority of certain members of the Board of Directors determines to be adequate
and in the best interests of the Corporation, its stockholders and other
relevant constituencies, other than such Acquiring Person, its affiliates and
associates (a "Permitted Offer")), each holder of a Right will thereafter have
the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive upon exercise the number of Common
Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other securities of the Corporation)
having a value (immediately prior to such triggering event) equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the
occurrence of the event described above, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate thereof will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the holders of
all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the
Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, in either case
with or to an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate or any other person
in which such Acquiring Person, affiliate or associate has an interest or any
person acting on behalf of or in concert with such Acquiring Person, affiliate
or associate, or, if in such transaction all holders of Common Shares are not
treated alike, then each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have
been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over
Right") to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the acquiring company having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The holder of a
Right will continue to have the Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder
exercises or surrenders the Flip-In Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common Shares or other
securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Shares, (ii) upon
the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities convertible
into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market
price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares will be issued and in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, and under certain other
circumstances, the Corporation may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price") which redemption shall be
effective upon the action of the Board of Directors. Additionally, following the
Shares Acquisition Date, the Corporation may redeem the then outstanding Rights
in whole, but not in part, at the Redemption Price, provided that such
redemption is in connection with a merger or other business combination
transaction or series of transactions involving the Corporation in which all
holders of Common Shares are treated alike but not involving an Acquiring Person
or its affiliates or associates.
All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of
38
the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity,
defect or inconsistency, to make changes which do not adversely affect the
interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring
Person), or, subject to certain limitations, to shorten or lengthen any time
period under the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will
not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights become
exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
October 26, 1998. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Corporation. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
39
