Exhibit 4.1
NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
and
XXXXXX TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
as Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of June 23, 1997
Table of Contents
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 6
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates 6
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates 8
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 9
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates 10
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights 11
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates 13
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock;
Registration of Securities 14
Section 10. Capital Stock Record Date 15
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and
Kind of Shares or Number of Rights 16
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares 27
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power 28
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 31
Section 15. Rights of Action 32
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders 33
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholde 34
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 34
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent 35
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 35
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 38
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates 39
Section 23. Redemption and Termination 40
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events 42
Section 25. Notices 43
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments 43
Section 27. Successors 44
Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors,
etc. 44
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 45
Section 30. Severability 45
Section 31. Governing Law 46
Section 32. Counterparts 46
Section 33. Descriptive Headings 46
Exhibit A --Resolution of the Board of Directors with respect to Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B --Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C --Form of Summary of Rights
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of June 23, 1997 (the "Agreement"),
between National Patent Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and Xxxxxx Trust Company of New York, a national banking association
(the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on June 23, 1997 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"),
the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company outstanding at the close of business on July 3, 1997 (the "Record Date")
(which for these purposes shall include all Common Shares presently entitled to
receive dividends) and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number
may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof)
for each Common Share 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 thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of the
Resolution of the Board of Directors attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights").
WHEREAS, the Rights will be held by the Rights Agent under this
Agreement as trustee for the stockholders of the Company until the Distribution
Date.
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has considered
whether approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company and all other pertinent factors.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the Common Shares 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 an Exempted Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall
become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by
the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of Common Shares beneficially owned by such
Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; provided, however,
that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares by reason of Common Shares purchased by the Company
and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person
divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that
such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person" for purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(ii).
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that 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 payment, 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) that 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 without
limitation 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 oral or written 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) that 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
(d)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company,
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Illinois are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., Chicago time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "Common Share" shall mean (x) a share of Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company or (y) a share of Class B Capital Stock,
par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to the extent that there are not a
sufficient number of Common Shares authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, shares of any other class or series of the Company designated for such
purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Common
Shares, except that "Common Share" when used with reference to any Person other
than the Company shall mean the shares of 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.
(h) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the
forepart hereof.
(i) "Continuing 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
Continuing Directors.
(j) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(k) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(l) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
(m) "Exempted Persons" shall mean the Persons known to the
Company on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date as the Beneficial Owners of more
than 20% of the then outstanding Common Shares.
(n) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(o) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(p) "NASDAQ" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(q) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 1(d)(i).
(r) "Person" shall mean any natural person, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or partnership,
other business organization, trust, union, association or other entity
(including governmental and quasi-governmental agencies).
(s) "Preferred Share" shall mean a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to
the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, shares of any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated
for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(t) "Preferred Share Fraction" shall mean one one
thousandth of a Preferred Share.
(u) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 4(a) hereof.
(v) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
recitals hereof.
(w) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
recitals hereof.
(x) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth
in the forepart hereof.
(y) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning
set forth in the recitals hereof.
(z) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described
in Section 11(a)(ii) (A), (B) or (C) hereof.
(aa) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 13(a) hereof.
(bb) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended.
(cc) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(dd) "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.
(ee) "Subsidiary" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(ff) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(gg) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(hh) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event
or any Section 13 Event.
Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in
this Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations
under, the Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and
rules as amended from time to time and any successor provisions thereto.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent
(a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as
agent for the Company and trustee for the beneficial owners of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
(b) On the Record Date, the Company will deliver a Rights
Certificate to the Rights Agent, registered in the name of the Rights Agent as
trustee for the beneficial owners of the Rights represented thereby, for that
number of Rights equal to the number of Common Shares issued and outstanding on
the Record Date, and the Rights Agent shall hold the Rights represented thereby
in trust for the beneficial owners in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
. Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the
tenth day after a Stock Acquisition Date involving an Acquiring Person that has
become such in a transaction as to which the Board of Directors has not made the
determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof or (ii) the close of
business on such date as may be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Company
by notice to the Rights Agent and publicly announced by the Company, which date
shall not be later than 65 days 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 or an Exempted Person) 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 20% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) beneficial interests in the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall be deemed also to be
certificates for beneficial interests in the Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights and beneficial interests therein will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will at the expense of the Company send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of
Rights per Common Share 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. Upon the distribution of the Rights Certificates as provided in
this subsection (a), the trust created hereby shall cease.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form of
Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid
mail, to each record holder of the Common Shares as of the close of business on
the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Shares outstanding as of
the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Shares and the registered
holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the
beneficial interests in the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing Common Shares in respect
of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with such Common Shares. Certificates issued after the Record
Date upon the transfer of Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall
bear the legend set forth in subsection (c).
(c) Except as provided in Section 22 hereof, Rights shall be
issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such Common Shares shall also be deemed to be certificates for
beneficial interests in the associated Rights, and shall bear the following
legend:
"This certificate also evidences a beneficial interest in and
entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between National Patent Development Corporation (the "Company")
and Xxxxxx Trust Company of New York (the "Rights Agent") dated as of June
23, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), and as the same may be amended from
time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
beneficial interests therein will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a
copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge, promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under
certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to,
or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by
any subsequent holder, may become null and void."
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, beneficial
interests in the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of beneficial
interests in the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates
shall also constitute the transfer of beneficial interests in the Rights
associated with the Common Shares 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
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Preferred Share Fractions
as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise
price per Preferred Share Fraction, 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 that the Company knows are 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 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 oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement
or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the
Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of an oral or written
plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or
effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued
pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement
or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence,
shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person 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."
. Section 5. Countersignature and Registration
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its President and Chief Executive Officer or the Executive Vice
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 of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent 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 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, the Certificate number and the date of each
of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
.ertificates
(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 Rights Certificates may be transferred, split
up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Preferred Share
Fractions (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or 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 Rights Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined
or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) 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
.ate of Rights
(a) Subject to subsection (e), 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 (except as
provided in Section 11(q) hereof) with respect to the total number of Preferred
Share Fractions (or Common Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as
the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable
(except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof), at or prior to the earliest of (i)
the close of business on July 3, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the
consummation of a transaction contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof or (iii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed or terminated as provided in Section 23
hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the
"Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Share Fraction
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $33.00, 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 subsection (c).
(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 Preferred Share Fraction (or Common Shares, 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 14(b) and Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such Shares)
certificates for the total number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit some or all of the
total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder
with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary
receipts representing such number of Preferred Share Fractions as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company 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, at the election of the holder of the Rights Certificate,
(x) in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of
the Company or (y) by delivery of Rights if and to the extent authorized by
Section 11(q) hereof. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities of the Company (including Common Shares), 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.
(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.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an 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 oral or written plan, 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 an oral or
written plan, agreement, 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; provided, however, that the Rights held by an Acquiring
Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or the transferees of
such persons referred to above shall not be voided unless the Acquiring Person
in question or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person shall be
involved in the transaction giving rise to the Section 11(a)(ii) Event. 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 neither the Company
nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company's 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 . All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock;
Registration of Securities
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Rights
as many of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common
Shares and/or other securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held
in its treasury), which together shall at all times after the Distribution Date
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares 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 and other
securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement or statements
under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form or forms, (ii) cause such
registration statement or statements to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (iii) cause such registration statement or statements to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no
longer exercisable for such securities and (B) the date of the expiration of the
Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or
to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various
states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after
the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this subsection (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 unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and,
following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and, with respect to Preferred Shares, Common
Shares or other shares of capital stock, 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
that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of Preferred Share Fractions
(or Common Shares 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 that
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 Preferred Share
Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) in respect
of a name other than 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 Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares 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. Capital Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares 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 Preferred
Share Fractions (or Common Shares 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
applicable 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 applicable transfer books
of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind . The
Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares and other securities covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on any security of the
Company payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a
smaller number of shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) 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 Preferred Shares 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 adjusted Purchase Price, the aggregate number
and kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock, as the case may be, that,
if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a
time when the Preferred Share transfer books were open, such holder would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event:
(A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate
of any Acquiring Person, at any time after the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (1) shall merge into the Company or
otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination
and the Common Shares of the Company or other equity securities of
the Company shall remain outstanding, (2) shall, in one transaction
or a series of transactions, transfer any assets to the Company or
to any of its Subsidiaries in exchange (in whole or in part) for
Common Shares, for shares of other equity securities of the Company,
or for securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of
equity securities of the Company (Common Shares or otherwise) or
otherwise obtain from the Company, with or without consideration,
any additional shares of such equity securities or securities
exercisable for or convertible into shares of such equity securities
(other than pursuant to a pro rata distribution to all holders of
Common Shares), (3) shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage,
pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of assets in one
transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with (as the
case may be) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on terms and
conditions less favorable to the Company than the Company would be
able to obtain in arm's-length negotiation with an unaffiliated
third party, other than pursuant to a Section 13 Event, (4) shall
sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or
otherwise acquire or dispose of assets having an aggregate fair
market value of more than $5,000,000 in one transaction or a series
of transactions, to, from or with (as the case may be) the Company
or any of the Company's Subsidiaries (other than incidental to the
lines of business, if any, engaged in as of the date hereof between
the Company and such Acquiring Person or Associate or Affiliate),
other than pursuant to a Section 13 Event, (5) shall receive any
compensation from the Company or any of the Company's Subsidiaries
other than compensation for full-time employment as a regular
employee at rates in accordance with the Company's (or its
Subsidiaries') past practices, or (6) shall receive the benefit,
directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder and
except if resulting from a requirement of law or governmental
regulation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other
financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantage
provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
(B) 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 or an Exempted Person), alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the Rights
Dividend Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the Common Shares then outstanding, unless the event causing
the 20% threshold to be crossed is a Section 13 Event, or is an
acquisition of Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer or an
exchange offer for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on
terms that provide fair value to all stockholders, as determined by
at least a majority of the Continuing Directors, after taking into
consideration all factors that such members of the Board of
Directors deem relevant, including, without limitation, the
long-term prospects and value of the Company and the prices and
terms that such members of the Board of Directors believe, in good
faith, could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets
were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value, or
(C) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person,
there shall be any reclassification of securities (including any
reverse stock split), or recapitalization of the Company, or any
merger or consolidation of the Company with any of its Subsidiaries
or any other transaction or series of transactions involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than a Section 13 Event or
series of such events (whether or not with or into or otherwise
involving an Acquiring Person) that has the effect, directly or
indirectly, of increasing by more than 1% the proportionate share of
the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is directly or indirectly
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person,
then, promptly following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
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 Preferred Share Fractions, such number of Common Shares of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred Share Fractions for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following
such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase
Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of
the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
Common Share on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares,
the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares (for any
class or series of Common Shares) that are authorized by the Company's
Certificate 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 the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable
upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over the Purchase Price
(such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make
adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment
of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares of the same or a different class or
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
preferred shares or units of preferred shares that a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time has deemed (based, among other
things, on the dividend and liquidation rights of such preferred shares)
to have substantially the same economic value as Common Shares (such
preferred shares, hereinafter referred to as "common share 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 a
majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the time after
considering the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; 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 first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date
on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a)
expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment
of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (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 Common Shares
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 stockholder 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 shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights, and 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. The Company shall make a public announcement
when the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, and
again when such suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common
Share on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common
share equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common
Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to holders of any security of the
Company entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Shares
(or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or per
equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of the
total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). 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 Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of
the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that 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 Shares (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 dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company),
assets (other than a regular quarterly dividend referred to above or dividend
payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per Preferred Share on such record date, less the then 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 and
shall be conclusive for all purposes) 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 Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be
such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
Preferred Share. 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 Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per Common Share 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 Common Share on
any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
Common Share for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current
market price per Common Share is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Share payable in Common Shares or securities
convertible into Common Shares (other than the Rights), or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Shares, and
prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten
(10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date
for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case,
the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each Trading 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 American Stock Exchange or, if the Common Shares are not listed or
admitted to trading on the American Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which
the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Common
Shares 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 Common Shares are not quoted by any such organization,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Shares selected by
the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker
is making a market in the Common Shares, 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 Common Shares are
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or,
if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Shares are 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 Preferred Share shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Shares in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current
market price per Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner
provided above or if the Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed
or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the
"current market price" per Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to
be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted
for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalization with
respect to the Common Shares occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the current market price per Common Share. If neither the
Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or
traded, "current market price" per Preferred 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. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of a Preferred
Share Fraction shall be equal to the "current market price" of one
Preferred Share divided by 1,000.
(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 thousandth of a Common Share
or one one-hundred millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this subsection (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 that 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 Shares, 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 Shares contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Share
Fractions 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 subsections (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
Preferred Share Fractions (calculated to the nearest one one-hundred millionth
of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred
Share Fractions 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 Preferred Share Fractions 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 Preferred Share
Fractions 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 thousandth
of a Preferred Share) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. The record date for the adjustment 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 Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction and the
number of Preferred Share Fractions that 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 or par value, if any, of the
number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel,
be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue such number
of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Share Fractions 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 Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities of
the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
Preferred Share Fractions 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 Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for
cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, (iii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (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 Shares shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets 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 that would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 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 Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Shares or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Shares into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with
each Common Share 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 Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) In the event that the Rights become exercisable following
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company, by action of a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time, may permit the Rights, subject to
Section 7(e) hereof, to be exercised for 50% of the Common Shares (or cash or
other securities or assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares pursuant
to subsection (a)(iii)) that would otherwise be purchasable under subsection
(a), in consideration of the surrender to the Company of the Rights so exercised
and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights exercised under this
subsection (q) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and shall be
cancelled.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or . Whenever an
adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company
shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file
with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and
the Common Shares, a copy of such certificate, and (c) 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 Common Shares) 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 and shall not be
obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment, nor shall it be deemed
to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received
such a certificate.
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 Common Shares 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 and except as
contemplated by subsection (d), proper provision shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof or subsection (e), shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, non assessable and freely tradeable
Common Shares 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 Preferred
Share Fractions for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event,
multiplying the number of such shares for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence),
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 Common
Share 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
its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
its Common Shares 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 subsection (a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which Common Shares 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 subsection (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 Shares of such
Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer
to such other Person, and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(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 Shares that 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 Section 13 event, 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
that 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 a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable solely in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 (other than this subsection (d)) shall not be applicable
to, and the term "Section 13 Event" shall not include, a transaction described
in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person, or Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a
tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding Common Shares that complies
with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof (or a wholly owned Subsidiary
of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per Common Share offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to all holders of
Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of Common Shares pursuant to such transaction is the same as
the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this subsection (d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
(e) In the event that the Rights become exercisable under
subsection (a) (except as provided in subsection (d)), the Company, by action of
a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the time, may agree with the
Principal Party that the Principal Party shall permit the Rights to be exercised
for 50% of the Common Shares of the Principal Party that would otherwise be
purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the
Principal Party, as the successor to the Company under subsection (a) (ii), of
the Rights so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights
exercised under this subsection (e) shall be deemed to have been exercised in
full and shall be cancelled.
. 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 that 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 subsection (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 American Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the American 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
Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Preferred Shares, except in each case for fractions which
are integral multiples of Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of Preferred Shares, 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 a Preferred Share. For purposes of this subsection (b),
the current market value of one Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, 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 Common Share. For purposes of this subsection (c), the
current market value of one Common Share shall be the closing price of one
Common Share (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 or a beneficial interest in a Right
by the acceptance thereof expressly waives his right to receive any fractional
Rights or any fractional Common 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 Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such 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 or beneficial interests
therein, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights or
beneficial interests therein 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 or a
beneficial interest in a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with
the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other such holder that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in
the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares;
(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
Share 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 Share certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or
ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental,
regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule,
regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the 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 . 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 Preferred Share Fractions
or any other securities of the Company (including the Common Shares) that may at
any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 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 and its
directors, officers, employees and agents, for and to hold each of them harmless
against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent or any such indemnified party in connection with the
acceptance or administration of this Agreement or the exercise of its duties
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises. The indemnification provided for hereunder shall
survive the expiration of the Rights, the termination of this Agreement and the
resignation or removal of such Rights Agent. The costs and expenses of enforcing
this right of indemnification shall also be paid by the Company.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and may conclusively
rely upon 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 or the exercise of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20(a).
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 and trust 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 or beneficial interests in the Rights, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, the
Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the
Company), and the written opinion or advice 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 or advice.
(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
any person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the
Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the
Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own gross negligence 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 any provision 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 change in the
exercisability of the Rights or any adjustment required under the provisions of
this Agreement 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 Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares or
Preferred Shares 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
any person believed by the Rights Agent to be the President and Chief Executive
Officer, the Executive Vice 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 or such omission shall be effective. The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the
Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on
or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less
than five Business Days after the date any officer of the 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 specifying the action to be
taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the 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 the Rights
Agent under this Agreement and none of such actions shall constitute a breach of
trust. 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.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
(l) The Rights Agent undertakes only the express duties and
obligations imposed on it by this Agreement and no implied duties or obligations
shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent.
(m) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special,
indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but
not limited to lost profits).
(n) 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 or Associate) under this Agreement
unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by
the Company of such fact, event or determination.
Section 21. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign
and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days'
prior written notice mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the
Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and at the
expense of the Company 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' prior written notice mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
Shares and Preferred Shares, 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
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized, doing business
and in good standing under the laws of the United States or of any state, that
is authorized by law to exercise corporate trust and stock transfer powers and
is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and that
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus adequate in the judgment of a majority of Continuing Directors in office
at the time to assure the performance of its duties hereunder and the protection
of the interests of the Company and the holders of Rights or beneficial
interests therein, or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a)
of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Shares and Preferred Shares and mail a notice thereof in writing to
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates or, prior to the Distribution
Date, to the registered holders of the Common Shares. 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. 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, sale or delivery of
Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or
expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares
so issued, sold or delivered pursuant to the exercise of stock options, stock
appreciation rights, grants or awards outstanding on the Distribution Date under
any benefit plan or arrangement for employees or directors, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities outstanding on the Record Date or
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 day
following a Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have
occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth 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
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price") and
the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares
(based on the "current market price", as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of
the Common Shares at the time of redemption) or cash; provided, however, if the
Board of Directors of the Company authorizes redemption of the Rights in either
of the circumstances set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this proviso, then
there must be Continuing Directors then in office and such authorization shall
require the concurrence of a majority of such Continuing Directors if: (i) such
authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
or (ii) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a change (resulting
from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the directors in office
at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a participant in
such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of such solicitation,
a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has determined in good
faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or Associates) intends to
take, or may consider taking, any action that would result in such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person or that would cause the occurrence of a Triggering
Event unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such Person (or one or more of
its Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender offer pursuant to a
Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for all outstanding Common Shares not beneficially owned by such
Person (or by its Affiliates or Associates); provided further, however, that if,
following the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the
expiration of the right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering
Event, (i) an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or otherwise disposed of a
number of Common Shares in one transaction or series of transactions, not
directly or indirectly involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which
did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering Event or the Company (with the
approval of the majority of Continuing Directors) shall have issued additional
equity securities, in either instance such that such Person is thereafter a
Beneficial Owner of 10% or less of the outstanding Common Shares, and (ii) there
is no other Acquiring Person immediately following the occurrence of the event
described in clause (i), then the right of redemption shall be reinstated and
thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section 23. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such
time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired.
(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 Shares. Any notice that
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
(c) In deciding whether or not to exercise the Company's right
of redemption hereunder, the directors of the Company shall act in good faith,
in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the Company
and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence, as a
person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances.
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 Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Shares), 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 Preferred Shares, if any such date is to
be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the
case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right,
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 Shares shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
. 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 registered or certified mail and
shall be deemed given upon receipt, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
National Patent Development Corporation
0 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by registered or certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
Xxxxxx Trust Company of New York
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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 Common
Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by registered or certified
mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt, addressed to such holder at the
address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
. Section 26. Supplements and Amendments
(a) 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 Common Shares.
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 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
that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates; 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 that
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, (i) no
supplement or amendment shall be made that changes the Redemption Price, the
Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of Preferred Share
Fractions for which a Right is exercisable, (ii) any supplement or amendment
shall be effective only if there are Continuing Directors and shall require the
concurrence of a majority of such Continuing Directors if: (x) such supplement
or amendment occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or
(y) such supplement or amendment occurs on or after the date of a change
(resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the directors
in office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a
participant in such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of
such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action that would
result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or that would cause the
occurrence of a Triggering Event unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such
Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender
offer pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for all outstanding Common Shares not
beneficially owned by such Person (or by its Affiliates or Associates); and
(iii) no supplement or amendment that changes the rights and duties of the
Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be effective without the consent of the
Rights Agent. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the beneficial
owners of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of
Common Shares.
(b) In deciding whether or not to supplement or amend this
Agreement, the directors of the Company shall act in good faith, in a manner
they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the Company and with such
care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence, as a person of ordinary
prudence would use under similar circumstances, and they may consider the
effects of any action upon employees, suppliers and customers of the Company and
upon communities in which offices or other establishments of the Company are
located, and all other pertinent factors.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights and duties of the
Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be effective without the written consent
of the Rights Agent.
Section 27. 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 . For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares
outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the
particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares 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 (with, where specifically provided for herein,
the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board (with, where specifically provided for herein,
the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend or supplement the Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or
made by the Board (with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence
of the Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties and (y) not subject the Board or the Continuing Directors 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 Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Shares).
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 for any purpose or under
any set of circumstances or as applied to any Person, such invalid, void or
unenforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction shall continue in effect
to the maximum extent possible for all other purposes, under all other
circumstances and as applied to all other Persons; and 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 day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provisions requiring that a determination
be made by less than the entire Board (or at a time or with the concurrence of a
group of directors consisting of less than the entire Board) is held by a court
of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's articles of incorporation and by-laws.
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 Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such jurisdiction, except as
to Sections 18, 20 and 21 which shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of Illinois.
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.
[Signature Page to Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION
By: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Chief Executive Officer
XXXXXX TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
as Rights Agent
By: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
EXHIBIT A
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
ESTABLISHING & DESIGNATING
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
AS A SERIES OF THE SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the
Board of Directors of National Patent Development Corporation (the
"Corporation") by Article Four of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
of the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby fixes and determines the
voting rights, designations, preferences, qualifications, privileges,
limitations, restrictions, options, conversion rights and other special or
relative rights of a series of the Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share,
which shall consist of 10,000 shares and shall be designated as Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Series A Preferred Shares").
Special Terms of the Series A Preferred Shares
Section 1. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) The rate of dividends payable per share of Series A Preferred
Shares on the first day of January, April, July and October in each year or such
other quarterly payment date as shall be specified by the Board of Directors
(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 the Series A Preferred Shares,
shall be (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $0.01 or (ii)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in cash, based upon the fair market value at the time
the non-cash dividend or other distribution is declared or paid as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in Common Shares (as hereinafter
defined) or a subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification
or otherwise), declared on either the Common Stock, $.01 par value, or the Class
B Capital Stock, $.01 par value (collectively, the "Common Shares") 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 the Series A Preferred Shares. Dividends on the Series A
Preferred Shares shall be paid out of funds legally available for such purpose.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after June 23, 1997 (the "Rights
Dividend Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Shares payable in
Common Shares, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine
the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, then in each such
case the amounts to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
Series A Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such Series A Preferred 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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.
Section 2. Voting Rights. In addition to any other voting
rights required by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall
have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each Series A Preferred Share shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on
all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i)
declare any dividend on Common Shares payable in any class of Common Shares,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine the outstanding
Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number
of votes per share to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by
a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) In the event that dividends upon the Series A Preferred Shares
shall be in arrears to an amount equal to six full quarterly dividends thereon,
the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares shall become entitled to the
extent hereinafter provided to vote noncumulatively at all elections of
directors of the Corporation, and to receive notice of all stockholders'
meetings to be held for such purpose. At such meetings, to the extent that
directors are being elected, the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares
voting as a class shall be entitled solely to elect two members of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation; and all other directors of the Corporation shall
be elected by the other stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote in the
election of directors. Such voting rights of the holders of such Series A
Preferred Shares shall continue until all accumulated and unpaid dividends
thereon shall have been paid or funds sufficient therefor set aside, whereupon
all such voting rights of the holders of shares of such series shall cease,
subject to being again revived from time to time upon the reoccurrence of the
conditions above described as giving rise thereto.
At any time when such right to elect directors separately as a class
shall have so vested, the Corporation may, and upon the written request of the
holders of record of not less than 20% of the then outstanding total number of
shares of all the Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors
in such circumstances shall, call a special meeting of holders of such Series A
Preferred Shares for the election of directors. In the case of such a written
request, such special meeting shall be held within 90 days after the delivery of
such request, and, in either case, at the place and upon the notice provided by
law and in the By-laws of the Corporation; provided, that the Corporation shall
not be required to call such a special meeting if such request is received less
than 120 days before the date fixed for the next ensuing annual or special
meeting of stockholders of the Corporation. Upon the mailing of the notice of
such special meeting to the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares, or, if no
such meeting be held, then upon the mailing of the notice of the next annual or
special meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the number of
directors of the Corporation shall, ipso facto, be increased to the extent, but
only to the extent, necessary to provide sufficient vacancies to enable the
holders of such Series A Preferred Shares to elect the two directors hereinabove
provided for, and all such vacancies shall be filled only by vote of the holders
of such Series A Preferred Shares as hereinabove provided. Whenever the number
of directors of the Corporation shall have been increased, the number as so
increased may thereafter be further increased or decreased in such manner as may
be permitted by the By-laws and without the vote of the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares, provided that no such action shall impair the right of the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares to elect and to be represented by two
directors as herein provided.
So long as the holders of Series A Preferred Shares are entitled
hereunder to voting rights, any vacancy in the Board of Directors caused by the
death or resignation of any director elected by the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares, shall, until the next meeting of shareholders for the election
of directors, in each case be filled by the remaining director elected by the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors in such
circumstances.
Upon termination of the voting rights of the holders of any series
of Series A Preferred Shares the terms of office of all persons who shall have
been elected directors of the Corporation by vote of the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares or by a director elected by such holders shall forthwith
terminate.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the articles of the
Corporation or by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and the holders
of Common Shares (and the holders of shares of any other series or class
entitled to vote thereon) shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
Section 3. Reacquired Shares. Any Series A Preferred Shares
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued Series
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Series Preferred
Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. In the event of
any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to
receive the greater of (a) $100 per share, plus accrued dividends to the date of
distribution, whether or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common
Shares. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each
such case the amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled
immediately prior to such event pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 5. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Shares are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series A
Preferred Shares shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an
amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth)
equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which
each Common Share is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common
Shares payable in any class of Common Shares, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
shares of Common Shares, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Shares into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the
preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A
Preferred Shares shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 6. No Redemption. The Series A Preferred Shares
shall not be redeemable.
Section 7. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Shares shall rank junior
to all other series of the Corporation's Series Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 8. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Shares.
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ___________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 3, 2007 OR AFTER EARLIER REDEMPTION 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.]*
---------------
* The bracketed portion of the legend shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
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 June 23, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between National Patent Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and Xxxxxx Trust Company of New York (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (San Francisco,
California time) on July 3, 2007 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one
thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Share") of the Company, at a purchase price (the
"Purchase Price") of $33.00 per one one thousandth of a Preferred Share (such
fraction, a "Preferred Share Fraction"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate
duly executed. Except as provided in Sections 11(q) and 13(e) of the Rights
Agreement, the Purchase Price shall be paid in cash. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of Preferred Share
Fractions that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the
Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of June 23, 1997, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted
at such date. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in the Rights Agreement.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon the
occurrence of any 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 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 any such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of Preferred Shares or other securities that may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company.
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 Preferred Share Fractions 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 day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such
time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of a Preferred Share, which may, as the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares or
of any other securities of the Company (including Common Shares) that may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ____________ ___, ____
ATTEST
-----------------------------
__________________ By___________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned
-------------------------------
By____________________
Authorized Officer
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto
---------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ______________ ___, ____
-----------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned
and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ________________, ____ _____________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented
by the Rights Certificate.)
To:___________________
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or Common Shares or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: _____________ ___, ____
-------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, ____ _________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On June 23, 1997 the Board of Directors of National Patent
Development Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one
Right for each outstanding share of (x) Common Stock, $.01 par value, and (y)
Class B Capital Stock, $.01 par value (each, a "Common Share" and collectively,
"Common Shares") of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of
business on July 3, 1997. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase
from the Company a unit consisting of one one thousandth of a share (a "Unit")
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Company (the "Preferred Shares"), or a combination of securities and
assets of equivalent value, at a Purchase Price of $33.00 per Unit, subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Xxxxxx Trust Company
of New York as Rights Agent.
Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Share certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common
Shares and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 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 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) the close of business on such date as
may be fixed by the Board of Directors, which date shall not be more than 65
days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Share certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Share certificates, (ii) new Common Share certificates issued after July
3, 1997, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference
and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Shares represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on July 3, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below or unless a transaction under Section 13(d) of the
Rights Agreement has occurred.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares 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, and except in connection with the exercise of employee
stock options or stock appreciation rights or under any other benefit plan for
employees or directors or in connection with the exercise of warrants or
conversion of convertible securities, only Common Shares issued after July 3,
1997 and prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
Except in the circumstances described below, after the Distribution
Date each Right will be exercisable into one one thousandth of a Preferred Share
(a "Preferred Share Fraction"). Each Preferred Share Fraction carries voting and
dividend rights that are intended to produce the equivalent of one Common Share.
The voting and dividend rights of the Preferred Shares are subject to adjustment
in the event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations with respect to the
Common Shares of the Company. In lieu of issuing certificates for Preferred
Share Fractions which are less than an integral multiple of one Preferred Share
(i.e. 1,000 Preferred Share Fractions), the Company may pay cash representing
the current market value of the Preferred Share Fractions.
In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring
Person and its Common Shares remain outstanding, (ii) a Person becomes the
beneficial owner of more than 20% of the then outstanding Common Shares other
than pursuant to a tender offer that provides fair value to all stockholders,
(iii) an Acquiring Person engages in one or more "self-dealing" transactions as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, or (iv) during such time as there is an
Acquiring Person an event occurs that results in such Acquiring Person's
ownership interest being increased by more than 1% (e.g., a reverse stock
split), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price
of the Right. In lieu of requiring payment of the Purchase Price upon exercise
of the Rights following any such event, the Company may permit the holders
simply to surrender the Rights, in which event they will be entitled to receive
Common Shares (and other property, as the case may be) with a value of 50% of
what could be purchased by payment of the full Purchase Price. Notwithstanding
any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in
clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph, all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in the transaction
giving rise to any such event will be null and void. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of any of the events set forth above until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
For example, at an exercise price of $33.00 per Right, each Right
not otherwise voided following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph
would entitle its holder to purchase $66.00 worth of Common Shares (or other
consideration, as noted above) for $33.00. Assuming that the Common Shares had a
per share value of $11.00 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase 6 Common Shares for $33.00. Alternatively, the Company
could permit the holder to surrender each Right in exchange for stock or cash
equivalent to 3 Common Shares (with a value of $33.00) without the payment of
any consideration other than the surrender of the Right.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a
merger that is described in, or that follows a tender offer or exchange offer
described in, the second preceding paragraph), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights that previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the
Right. Again, provision is made to permit surrender of the Rights in exchange
for one-half of the value otherwise purchasable. The events set forth in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred
Shares or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Shares, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Shares are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Shares or convertible securities
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Shares, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per
Right. That ten day redemption period may be extended by the Board of Directors
so long as the Rights are still redeemable. Under certain circumstances set
forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem will require the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors. Immediately upon the
action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, with, where
required, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01
redemption price.
The term "Continuing Directors" 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 Continuing
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 stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will
not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights
become exercisable for Preferred Shares (or other consideration) of the Company
or for common shares of the acquiring company as set forth above.
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 that do not adversely
affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any
Acquiring Person), 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 set forth in the Rights Agreement,
amendments will require the concurrence of the Continuing Directors.
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 Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[End of Document]
