EXHIBIT NO. 1
AMTECH SYSTEMS, INC.
AND
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC.
RIGHTS AGENT
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 17, 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
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1. Certain Definitions 1
2. Appointment of Rights Agent 4
3. Issue of Rights Certificates 4
4. Form of Rights Certificates 5
5. Countersignature and Registration 6
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; 7
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights 7
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates 9
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock 10
10. Preferred Stock Record Date 11
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and 11
Kind of Shares or Number of Rights
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares 19
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power 19
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 21
15. Rights of Action 22
16. Agreement of Rights Holders 22
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Xxxxxxxxxxx 00
00. Concerning the Rights Agent 23
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent 24
20. Duties of Rights Agent 25
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SECTION PAGE
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21. Change of Rights Agent 27
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates 27
23. Redemption and Xxxxxxxxxxx 00
00. Notice of Certain Events 29
25. Notices 29
26. Supplements and Amendments 30
27. Successors 31
28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc 31
29. Benefits of this Agreement 31
30. Severability 32
31. Governing Law 32
32. Counterparts 32
33. Descriptive Headings 32
Exhibit A -- Certificate of Amendment A-1
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate B-1
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights C-1
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of May 17, 1999 (the "Agreement"), between
Amtech Systems, Inc., an Arizona corporation (the "COMPANY"), and American
Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., as Rights Agent (the "RIGHTS AGENT").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, on May 17, 1999 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"), the
Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to Section 10-624 of the Arizona
Revised Statutes authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one Right
for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company
outstanding at the close of business on June 9, 1999 (the "RECORD DATE"), and
authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common
Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued
or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as
hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, without
par value, of the Company, having the rights, powers and preferences set forth
in the form of Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Company attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "RIGHTS");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
(as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any Person who becomes
an Acquiring Person solely as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of shares of Common Stock by the
Company, unless and until such Person shall purchase or otherwise become the
Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Common Stock constituting 1% or more of
the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(b) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "EXCHANGE ACT").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
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(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates,
directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange,
or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "ORIGINAL RIGHTS") or pursuant
to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with
respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of
or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3
of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not
in writing; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under
this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in
response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then
reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such
Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing),
for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of
this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall
cause a Person engaged in the business as an underwriter of securities
to be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
securities acquired through such Person's participation in good faith
in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty (40)
days after the date of such acquisition.
(d) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
a day on which banking institutions in the State of Arizona or in the city in
which the principal office of the Rights Agent is located are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(e) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Arizona
time, on such date; provided, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Arizona time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the common stock, $.01 par value, of the
Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other
than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the greatest
voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to
control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "DIRECTOR" shall mean (i) any member of the Board of Directors of
the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative
of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, and was a member
of the Board prior to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) any Person who
subsequently becomes a member of the Board, while such Person is a member of the
Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or election to
the Board is recommended or approved by a majority of the Directors.
(h) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership
or other entity.
(i) "PREFERRED STOCK" shall mean shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company having the rights and preferences
set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation attached to this Agreement
as Exhibit "A" and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms
of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
(j) "SECTION 11(A)(II) EVENT" shall mean the event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(k) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in clauses (x),
(y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(l) "STOCK ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(m) "SUBSIDIARY" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(n) "TRADING DAY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof.
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(o) "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean the events described in Section
11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable and as may be agreed upon by the Rights Agent.
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day
after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of
Business on the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as the Board of Directors shall determine)
after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein
referred to as the "DISTRIBUTION DATE"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (c) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send, at the
expense of the Company, by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, one or more right certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B
hereto (the "RIGHTS CERTIFICATES"), evidencing one Right for each share of
Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event
that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been
made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights
Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding
adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase
Preferred Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "SUMMARY OF
RIGHTS"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares
of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address
of such holder shown on the records of the Company.
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(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
which are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares
of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights and shall
bear the following legend:
"This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement, dated as of May
17, 1999 (the "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), between Amtech Systems, Inc. and
American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., as Rights Agent, the terms
of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
which is on file at the principal offices of Amtech Systems, 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. Amtech Systems, Inc. will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect
on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void."
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend,
until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall
be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates."
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially
in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-hundredth of a share, the "PURCHASE PRICE"), but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section
22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person
or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
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Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect of avoiding Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement."
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be operative
whether or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate.
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either
manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.
The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either
manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose
unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
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SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section
14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and
at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights
Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder
to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any
action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the
close of business on May 16, 2009 (the "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE"), or (ii) the
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time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "EXPIRATION DATE").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $8.50,
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the
Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and
the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to, or upon the order of,
the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof,
deliver such cash, if any, to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may
be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made (x) in cash or by
certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company, or (y)
by delivery of a certificate or certificates (with appropriate stock powers
executed in blank attached thereto) evidencing a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the
Trading Day immediately preceding the date of such exercise. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
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(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the occurrence of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action, and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
SECTION 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved
and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock
9
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts (i) to file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the occurrence of the Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the
case may be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "ACT"), with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) to cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) to cause
such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the
Expiration Date of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
10
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
SECTION 10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
SECTION 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES AND
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare and pay a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock, or (D) issue any shares of
its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind
of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be,
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the
aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock
transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such
11
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, unless the
event causing the 15% threshold to be crossed is a transaction set
forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of Common
Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined
by the unanimous approval of the Company's Board of Directors, to be in
the best interests of the Company and its shareholders (a "QUALIFYING
OFFER"), then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as
provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number
of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the occurrence of the
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which,
following such occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement)
by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such occurrence
(such number of shares, the "ADJUSTMENT SHARES").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation, as amended, but
not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii)
of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of
(1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a
Right (the "CURRENT VALUE") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess,
the "SPREAD"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section
7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon the exercise of such Right and payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including,
without limitation, shares or units of shares, of preferred stock which
the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value
as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock, "common
stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate
value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty
(30) days following the later of (x) the occurrence of the Section
12
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of
redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y)
being referred to herein as the "SECTION 11(A)(II) TRIGGER Date"), then
the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal
to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine
in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of
Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of
the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended
to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such period, as it may be extended, the "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD"). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken
pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding
Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate
form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
Adjustment Share shall be the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of
any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to be equal to the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
of the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("EQUIVALENT
PREFERRED STOCK")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be
13
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to
all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so
to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a
share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "CURRENT
MARKET PRICE" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to
be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common
Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is
hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes
of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
"current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the
current market price per share of the Common Stock is determined during
a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock
of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of
such Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Common Stock, and the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution or the record date
14
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall not have
occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading
Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in
each such case, the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted
to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use,
or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by
any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on
any such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock,
the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is
not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price"
per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall
be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current
market price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the
manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or
listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section
11(d), the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per
share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the
Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current
market price" per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors
of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
15
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the
"current market price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in
the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a
Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing
the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
16
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a
share and the number of one one-hundredths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
17
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends, or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date,
it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
18
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail
or cause the Rights Agent to mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by
Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder
of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not
subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if the Section 11(a)(ii) Event has
occurred prior to the occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number
of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the occurrence of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and
dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of
such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to
this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
19
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its
shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights;
and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall mean (i) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the
Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of
the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities
are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z)
of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions; provided, HOWEVER, that in any such case, (1) if
the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been
continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case
such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will (i) prepare and file a registration
statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and (ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event
that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of the
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section
13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and
(y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Qualifying Offer (or a
wholly owned subsidiary of such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of
Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer, and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
20
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the option of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of
the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
21
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this
Section 14(c), the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock shall
be the closing price of one (1) share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
22
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
SECTION 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The indemnity provided
for herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of
this Agreement. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of
indemnification shall also be paid by the Company.
(b) The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected
and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons.
23
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Rights Agent, by all of which the Company and the holders
of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may
consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the
opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
24
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any 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
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer. Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company 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 Agreement and the date on or
after which such action shall be taken of 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 ten Business Days after the date any officer of the Company 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 instructions in response to such application subject to the proposed
action or omission and/or specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
25
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
(l) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed
to have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without
limitation, any dates or events defined in this Agreement, or the designation of
any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate, Approved Acquiring Person,
Associate or Subsidiary) under the Rights Agreement unless and until the Rights
Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company of such fact,
event or determination.
SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
26
Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or of the State of Arizona (or of any other
state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the States of New York or Arizona), in good
standing, having a principal office in the States of New York or Arizona, 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 either has or is an affiliate of a corporation 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 Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or
awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any
other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights
in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
SECTION 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business Day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day
following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but
not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per
Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
27
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE").
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable after the occurrence of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event
until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The
Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common
Stock (based on the "current market price," as defined in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for
each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption
to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
SECTION 24. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
28
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, (i) the Company
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
SECTION 25. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Amtech Systems, Inc., Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Telephone Number: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile Number: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sent by registered
or certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt and addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
Attention: Legal Department
Telephone Number: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile Number: (000) 000-0000
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by
the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
SECTION 26. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution Date
and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
29
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment
shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the
Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right is exercisable; provided, however, that at any time prior to
(i) a Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the date that a tender or exchange offer by
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning
of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if
upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, the Board of Directors of
the Company may amend this Agreement to increase the Purchase Price or extend
the Final Expiration Date. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the
holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders
of Common Stock. Further notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no supplement
or amendment that changes the rights and duties of the Rights Agent under this
Agreement will be effective against the Rights Agent without the execution of
such supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.
SECTION 27. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
SECTION 28. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
30
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 Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
SECTION 29. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
SECTION 30. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
tenth Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a majority
of the Board of Directors of the Company to act is held by any court of
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors of the Company
in accordance with applicable law and the Company's Articles of Incorporation
and Regulations.
SECTION 31. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Arizona and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State, except that the rights and
obligations of the Rights Agent, shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona.
SECTION 32. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
SECTION 33. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
31
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
AMTECH SYSTEMS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxx
-------------------------------
Title: Chief Financial Officer
------------------------------
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST,
INC., as Rights Agent
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
-------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------
32
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, PREFERENCES
AND PRIVILEGES OF
SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
AMTECH SYSTEMS, INC.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 10-1001 of the Arizona Revised
Statutes:
We, Xxxx X. Xxxxx and Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, the President and Secretary,
respectively, of Amtech Systems, Inc., a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Arizona, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on May 17, 1999, adopted the following resolution creating a
series of shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Participating
Preferred Stock:
"RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the corporation by the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the
Board of Directors does hereby provide for the issue of a series of Preferred
Stock, no par value, of the Corporation, to be designated "Series A
Participating Preferred Stock," initially consisting of 100,000 shares and to
the extent that the designations, powers, preferences and relative and other
special rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock are not stated and expressed in the
Articles of Incorporation, as amended, does hereby fix and herein state and
express such designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special
rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as follows
(all terms used herein which are defined in the Articles of Incorporation, as
amended, shall be deemed to have the meanings provided therein):
1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series shall be designated as
"Series A Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of shares constituting
such series shall initially be 100,000 with no par value, such number of shares
to be subject to increase or decrease by action of the Board of Directors.
2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
A-1
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day
of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per
share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $0.50 or (b)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, without par value, of the Corporation
(the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the
first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after May 17,
1999 (the "Rights Declaration Date"), (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) above
concurrently with its declaration of a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that,
in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.50 per share of the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares unless the
date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to
accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
A-2
entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and
be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro
rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock shall have voting rights as set forth in Section 3.7 of the
Bylaws of the Corporation.
4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided
herein are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall
not (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem
or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock; (ii) declare or pay dividends on
or make any other distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled; (iii) purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the annual dividend
rates and other rights and preferences of the series, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment to the holders of such series.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of
this subsection, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Participating Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired promptly after the acquisition thereof.
6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.
(a) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
shall have received $5.50 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference").
A-3
(b) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient
assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred
stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of
such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
7. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
shall not be redeemable.
8. RANKING. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall rank equal
to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets.
9. AMENDMENT. The Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of the
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) or more of the outstanding
shares of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a
class.
10. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
A-4
EXHIBIT B
[FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]
Certificate No. R- ________Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 16, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND
ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.1]
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AMTECH SYSTEMS, 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 May 17, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Amtech
Systems, Inc., an Arizona corporation (the "Company"), and American Securities
Transfer & Trust, Inc. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Phoenix, Arizona time) on May 16, 2009 at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as
Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $8.50 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"),
upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of
Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The Purchase Price
shall be paid, at the election of the holder, in cash or shares of Common Stock
of the Company having an equivalent value. The number of Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of May 17, 1999 based on the
Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. Upon the occurrence of the Section
11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring
----------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable.
B-1
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer,
became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person,
such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right
with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of the Section
11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events. This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the
terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, which limitations of rights include
the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned
office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the
Rights Agent. This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights
entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be
entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth business day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. The Company is not required to issue fractional shares of
Preferred Stock upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as
provided in the Rights Agreement. No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be
entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of
shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
B-2
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS, the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated:
------------------------
Signature
----------------------------------
Signature Guaranteed:
B-3
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) This Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) After due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:
------------------------
Signature
----------------------------------
Signature Guaranteed:
B-4
[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the
Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________________________, hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto ________________________________________________ (Please print
name and address of transferee), this Rights Certificate, together with all
right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and
appoint _________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on
the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
------------------------
Signature
----------------------------------
Signature Guaranteed:
B-5
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: Amtech Systems, Inc.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
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(Please insert social security or other identifying number)
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(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
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(Please insert social security or other identifying number)
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(Please print name and address)
Dated:
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Signature
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Signature Guaranteed:
B-7
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On May 17, 1999, the Board of Directors of Amtech Systems, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each share of
Company Common Stock to shareholders of record at the close of business on June
9, 1999. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, no par
value (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $8.50 per one
one-hundredth of a share, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., as Rights
Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
"Distribution Date" will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right
to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as the Board of Directors shall determine) following the commencement
of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group
beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after June 9, 1999 will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and (iii)
the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding will
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificates. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on May 16, 2009, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that an Acquiring Person becomes the beneficial owner of
15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (unless such
acquisition is made pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of the Company, upon terms and conditions determined by a majority of the
Board of Directors to be in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders (a "Qualifying Offer")), each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company), having a
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value equal to two times the Exercise Price of the Right. The Exercise Price is
the Purchase Price times the number of shares of Common Stock associated with
each Right (initially, one). Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the
occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void.
For example, at an exercise price of $50 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties or transferees)
following the event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its
holder to purchase $100 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted
above) for $50. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share market price of
$10 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase
10 shares of Common Stock for $50. [($50.00 x 1 Right) / ($10.00 / 50%) = $50.00
/ $5.00 = 10]
In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or business combination transaction in which
the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger consummated
pursuant to a Qualifying Offer); (ii) the Company is the surviving corporation
in a consolidation or merger pursuant to which all or part of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock are changed or exchanged for stock or other securities of
any other person or cash or any other property; or (iii) more than 50% of the
combined assets or earning power is sold or transferred (in each case other than
certain consolidations with, mergers with and into, or sales of assets or
earning power by or to subsidiaries of the Company as specified in the Rights
Agreement), each holder of a Right (except Rights which have previously been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof, Common Stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to
two times the Exercise Price of the Right. The events described in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) if
holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for Preferred Stock or securities convertible into Preferred Stock at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness,
cash (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends), assets (other than dividends
payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to in (ii) immediately above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, the Company may make an adjustment in
cash based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date
prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten business days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.01 per Right (payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration
C-2
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of
the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
$.01 redemption price.
The term "Director" means any member of the Board of Directors of the
Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the Rights Agreement,
and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if such person is
recommended or approved by a majority of the Directors, but shall not include an
Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person, or any
representative of the foregoing entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company as set
forth above or in the event that the Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of holders of Rights or to shorten or lengthen any time
period under the Rights Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no amendment to
adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the
Rights are not redeemable. Under certain circumstances, the Board of Directors
may amend the Rights Agreement to increase the Purchase Price or extend the
Final Expiration Date.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Rights Agent.
This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
