EXHIBIT 4.1
CERIDIAN CORPORATION
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of November 6, 2001
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions....................................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent............................................................6
Section 3. Issuance 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 of Rights Certificates...................................................13
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.........................................13
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date...........................................................14
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights...........15
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares............................23
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets Cash Flow or Earning Power........23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...............................................26
Section 15. Rights of Action......................................................................27
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders...........................................................27
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder....................................28
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent...........................................................28
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.............................29
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent................................................................30
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent................................................................32
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates...................................................33
Section 23. Redemption and Termination............................................................33
Section 24. Exchange..............................................................................36
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..............................................................37
Section 26. Notices...............................................................................38
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments............................................................39
Section 28. Successors............................................................................39
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.............................40
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement............................................................40
Section 31. Severability..........................................................................40
Section 32. Governing Law.........................................................................41
Section 33. Counterparts..........................................................................41
Section 34. Descriptive Headings..................................................................41
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificates
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights
iii
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of November 6, 2001 (the "Agreement"), between
Ceridian Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of
New York, a New York banking corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on October 24, 2001 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share of common
stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding
at the close of business on November 9, 2001 (the "Record Date"), and has
authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common
Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued
or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as
hereinafter defined) each Right initially representing the right to purchase one
ten-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of
the Company (the "Preferred Stock") having the rights, powers and preferences
set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights
attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean (x) any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include:
(i) the Company;
(ii) any Subsidiary of the Company;
(iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company, or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established
by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan;
(iv) any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of less than 20% of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding and (x) is permitted, pursuant to
Rule 13d-1 under the Exchange Act, to report such ownership on Schedule 13G
(or any comparable or successor report) or (y) was permitted to report such
ownership on Schedule 13G (or any comparable or successor report) and
thereafter does not acquire additional shares of Common Stock (other than
as a result of any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction)
subsequent to the time when such Person became ineligible to report such
ownership on Schedule 13G (or any comparable or successor report);
(v) any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of less than 20% of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding and has reported or is required to
report such ownership on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report) which Schedule 13D does not state any
intention to or reserve the right to control or influence the management or
policies of the Company or engage in any of the actions specified in Item 4
of such schedule (other than the disposition of the Common Stock) and,
within 10 Business Days of being requested by the Company to advise it
regarding the same, certifies to the Company that such Person acquired
shares of Common Stock in excess of 14.9% inadvertently or without
knowledge of the terms of the Rights and who or which, together with all
Affiliates and Associates, thereafter does not acquire additional shares of
Common Stock (other than as a result of any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction) while the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if the
Person requested to so certify fails to do so within 10 Business Days, then
such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such
10-Business-Day period; or
(vi) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% (or 20% if
clause (iv) of this Section 1(a) is applicable to such Person) or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding as a result of a reduction in
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of
shares of Common Stock by the Company other than during the Special Period
(as defined in Section 23(c) hereof) or at a time when the rights are not
redeemable, unless and until such Person, after becoming aware that such
Person has become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock, acquires beneficial ownership of
additional shares of Common Stock representing 1% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding; or
(y) any Person who or which has entered into any agreement or arrangement
with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company providing for an
Acquisition Transaction during the Special Period or at a time when the
Rights are not redeemable.
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(b) "Acquisition Transaction" shall mean (x) a merger, consolidation or
similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result
of which stockholders of the Company will no longer own a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company or a publicly traded entity
which controls the Company or, if appropriate, the entity into which the Company
may be merged, consolidated or otherwise combined (based solely on the shares of
Common Stock received or retained by such stockholders, in their capacity as
stockholders of the Company, pursuant to such transaction), (y) a purchase or
other acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, or (z) a purchase or other acquisition of securities
representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(c) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(d) "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.
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, other rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
hereinafter defined), or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which
Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates prior to the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined)
or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original
Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an
adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose
of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
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arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not
reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing),
for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of
this paragraph (e)) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (e) 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, and then only if such securities continue to
be owned by such Person at such expiration of forty days.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(h) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share,
of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with
the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest
having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(i) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(j) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(k) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(l) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
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(m) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(n) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(o) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
(p) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(q) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
(r) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(s) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 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, 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) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b)
hereof.
(u) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
(v) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(w) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a)
hereof.
(x) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(y) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(z) "Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
(aa) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
the preamble of this Agreement.
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(bb) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(cc) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(dd) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(ee) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the first date
of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under
the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person
has become such pursuant to clause (x) of the definition of Acquiring Person,
and (ii) the date that an Acquiring Person has become such pursuant to clause
(y) of the definition of Acquiring Person.
(ff) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority
of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(gg) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(hh) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)
hereof.
(ii) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof.
(jj) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-rights agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business
Day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day after the
Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on
the Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as the Board shall determine, provided, however, that no
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deferral of a Distribution Date by the Board pursuant to this clause (ii) may be
made at any time during the Special Period) after the date that a tender or
exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would become an Acquiring Person, (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). The Company shall
give the Rights Agent prompt written notice of the Distribution Date. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date and receipt of written notice of the
Distribution Date from the Company, the Rights Agent will send, at the Company's
expense, by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as practicable following
the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights") to any holder of Rights
who may so request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With respect
to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, or
issued subsequent to the Record Date, unless and until the Distribution Date
shall occur, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common
Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any certificates
representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of
Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which
are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed
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to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend if such
certificates are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Ceridian
Corporation (the "Company") and the Rights Agent thereunder (the
"Rights Agent") dated as of November 6, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Rights Agent.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Rights Agent will mail to the holder
of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the
date of mailing, without charge, promptly after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or
becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held
by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become
null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof,
the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number
of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth
therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
one-hundredth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a), Section 11(i)
or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person 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 the Rights Agreement.
The Company shall supply the Rights Agent with such legended Right
Certificates and shall instruct the Rights Agent accordingly.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually
or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or
a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by
facsimile signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
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(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep, or cause
to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate
place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at
or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates representing Rights that may
have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitles such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment by the holders of Rights 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.
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Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, at any time after the Distribution Date
the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without
limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c),
Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part upon surrender
of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the
certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total
number of one ten-thousandths of a share (or other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then
exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
November 9, 2011, or such later date as may be established by the Board of
Directors prior to the expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be
extended by the Board, the ("Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which
the Rights are redeemed or exchanged as provided in Section 23 and Section 24
hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration
Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right initially shall be $75.00, shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section
13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or, upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
11
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and
delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make
any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
12
Section 8. Cancellation of Rights Certificates. All Rights Certificates
surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or
exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered
to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to
the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be
issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other
Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights
Certificates to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence
of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier
of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will
also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period
of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of
the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in
order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension has
been rescinded, in each case with written notice to the Rights Agent. In
13
addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is
required following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law, or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificates at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
14
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock,
(C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of
shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)
and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person shall, at any time after the Rights
Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the event
causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a transaction set
forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of Common
Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by the Board of
Directors, after receiving advice from one or more investment banking
firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders and not
inadequate (taking into account all factors which such members of the Board
deem relevant, including, without limitation, prices which could reasonably
15
be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis
designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests
of the Company and its stockholders (a "Qualified Offer") (provided,
however, that no such determination shall be made during the Special
Period), then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided
below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for
each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current
Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares,
the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which is
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation, but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section
11(a), the Company shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), and (B) with
respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a
Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board
has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares
of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as
"Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the
Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been determined by the
Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking
firm selected by the Board; provided, however, that if the Company shall
not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B)
above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later
of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
16
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to
the Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall
mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If
the Board determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above
may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days
after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may
seek shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that
action should be taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights,
and (2) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration
of the Substitution Period in order to seek such shareholder approval for
such authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate
form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability
of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For
purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share
shall be the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any
Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price
per share of the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("Equivalent
Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less
than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
17
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or
warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation), cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend
payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Stock) or evidences of indebtedness, or of subscription rights or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on
such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or
evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or
warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which
shall be such Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current
Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date,
and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
18
Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a
dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading
Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current
Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed
on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and
low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market
maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock
are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business
or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is
not publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per
share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per
share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above
or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
19
amount equal to 10,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for
such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock. If
neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so
listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or hundred-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one ten-thousandths of
20
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest hundred-millionth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one ten-thousandths of a share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
millionth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior
to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public
announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the
record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option
of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one ten-thousandth of a
share and the number of one ten-thousandth of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one ten-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
21
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning
power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other
than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each
of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights,
warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect
which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended
to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
22
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c) if a
Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
Certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets Cash Flow
or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
23
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating
more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one ten-thousandths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event), and (2) dividing that
product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the
date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event,
all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii)
the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party,
it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall
apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence
of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred
24
pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in
any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time
and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period
registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which
is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stock of two or more of
which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the
greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to enable the
Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights, including but not limited to the registration or qualification of
such securities under all requisite securities laws of jurisdictions of the
various states and the listing of such securities on such exchanges and
trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
25
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights, selected by the Board
of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making
a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one ten-thousandth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
26
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price per share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
27
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by
a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any
such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder,
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent such compensation as
shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent for all
services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the
Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim
(whether asserted by the Company, a holder of Rights, or any other Person) of
liability in the premises. The provisions of this Section 18(a) shall survive
the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
28
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or
in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, instruction, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper
or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed and executed by the
proper Person or Persons and, where necessary, to be verified or acknowledged.
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 all or
substantially all the corporate trust, stock transfer or other shareholder
services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be
the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto;
but only if such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in
the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
29
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11,
Section 13 or Section 24 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
30
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for
any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. 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 and/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 such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three Business
Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such
application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any
earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Right 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 Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents as reasonably approved by the Company, and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or
misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however,
reasonable care was exercised in the selection thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
31
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the Distribution Date, to
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty
(30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and
Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs
after the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the Rights Agent or any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may
apply, at the expense of the Company, to any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business
entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of
the State of New York or of any other state of the United States, in good
standing, having an office in the State of New York, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust, stock transfer or shareholder services
powers and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined
capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a legal
business entity described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if
such appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance
or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to
32
the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect
to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business Day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth
Business Day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date,
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"). The aggregate Redemption Price otherwise payable to a
holder of Rights shall be rounded to the nearest $0.01, provided, however, if
such aggregate redemption price is less than $0.01, such holder will be entitled
to receive $0.01 upon the redemption of such Rights. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
Current Market Price, as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock
at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors.
(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 as described in Section 23(a) hereof. Promptly after the action of the
Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give
notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's
last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made.
33
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 23(a) hereof, if, within 180
days of a public announcement by a third party of an intent or proposal to
engage (without the current and continuing concurrence of the Board) in a
transaction involving an acquisition of or business combination with the Company
or otherwise to become an Acquiring Person, there is an election of Directors
(at one or more stockholder meetings) resulting in a majority of the Board being
comprised of persons who were not nominated by the Board in office immediately
prior to such election, then following the effectiveness of such election for a
period of 180 days (the "Special Period") the Rights, if otherwise then
redeemable absent the provisions of this paragraph (c), shall be redeemable upon
either of the following conditions being satisfied, but not otherwise:
(A) by a vote of a majority of the Directors then in office, provided
that
(I) before such vote, the Board of Directors shall have implemented
the Value Enhancement Procedures (as defined below) and
(II) promptly after such vote, the Company publicly announces such
vote and
(a) the manner in which the Value Enhancement Procedures were
implemented,
(b) any material financial, business, personal or other benefit
or relationship (an "Interest") which each Company Director and each
Affiliate of such Company Director (identifying each Director and
Affiliate separately in relation to each such Interest) has in
connection with any suggested, proposed or pending transaction with or
involving the Company (a "Transaction"), or with any other party or
Affiliate of any other party to a Transaction, where such Transaction
would or might, or is intended to, be permitted or facilitated by
redemption of the Rights (an "Affected Transaction"), other than
treatment as a shareholder on a pro rata basis with other shareholders
or pursuant to compensation arrangements as a director or employee of
the Company or a subsidiary which have been previously disclosed by
the Company,
(c) the individual vote of each Director on the motion to redeem
the Rights, and
(d) the statement of any Director who voted for or against the
motion to redeem the Rights and desires to have a statement included
in such announcement, or
34
(B) if clause (A) is not applicable, by a vote of a majority of the
Directors then in office, provided that (I) if there is a challenge to the
Directors' action approving redemption and/or any related Affected
Transaction as a breach of the fiduciary duty of care or loyalty, the
Directors (solely for purposes of determining the effectiveness of such
redemption pursuant to this clause (B)) are able to establish the entire
fairness of such redemption and, if applicable, such related Affected
Transaction, and (II) the Company shall have publicly announced the vote of
the Board of Directors approving such redemption and, if applicable, such
related Affected Transaction, which announcement shall set forth the
information prescribed by clauses (A) (II) (b), (c) and (d) above.
"Value Enhancement Procedures" shall mean:
(1) the selection by the Board of Directors of an independent
financial advisor (the "Independent Advisor") from among financial advisors
which have national standing, have established expertise in advising on
mergers, acquisitions and related matters and have no Interest relating to
an Affected Transaction, and have not during the preceding year provided
services to, been engaged by or been a financing source for any other party
to an Affected Transaction or any Affiliate of any such party or of any
Director (other than the Company and its subsidiaries);
(2) whether or not there is a then-pending Affected Transaction, the
receipt by the Board of Directors from its Independent Advisor of (a) such
advisor's view (expressed in such form and subject to such qualifications
and limitations as the Independent Advisor deems appropriate) regarding
whether redemption of the Rights will serve the best interests of the
Company and its shareholders or (b) such advisor's statement that it is
unable to express such a view, setting forth the reasons therefor;
(3) if there is a then-pending Affected Transaction,
(A) the establishment and implementation by the Board of
Directors of a process and procedures approved by its Independent
Advisor which the Board and such advisor conclude would be most likely
to result in the best value reasonably available to shareholders
(regardless of whether such Affected Transaction involves a "sale of
control" or "break-up" of the Company for Delaware law purposes),
(B) the Board of Directors (I) receiving the opinion of its
Independent Advisor, in customary form and content for transactions of
the type involved, that the Affected Transaction is fair to the
Company's shareholders from a financial point of view and (II)
35
determining, and the Independent Advisor confirming, that it has no
reason to believe that a superior transaction is reasonably available
for the benefit of the Company's shareholders, and
(C) the execution of a definitive transaction agreement and other
definitive documentation necessary to effect the Affected Transaction.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem,
acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than
that specifically set forth in this Section 23 and other than in connection with
the purchase or repurchase by any of them of Common Stock prior to the
Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Stock
at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any
time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity
holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner
of 50% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
36
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as such
term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11 hereof) for Common Stock
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of Common Stock,
as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and other
similar transactions after the date hereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of
Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there shall be
paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which
such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (e), the current market value
of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common
Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate and to the Rights Agent, to
the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
37
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to
be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever
shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate and to the Rights Agent,
to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by
the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
Ceridian Corporation
0000 Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
The Bank of New York
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00X
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Stock Transfer Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
38
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.
(a) Prior to the Distribution Date, and subject to the provisions of
Section 27(b) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so
directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock.
From and after the Distribution Date, and subject to the provisions of Section
27(b) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person). Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no supplement or
amendment shall be made to this Agreement during the Special Period or at a time
when the Rights are not redeemable, except as contemplated by clause (i) or (ii)
of Section 27(a) hereof.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock or any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular
time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner,
shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of
the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board, or
any of the directors on the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
39
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
tenth Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a specific
group of directors to act is held to by any court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such determination shall
then be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with
applicable law and the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws. Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right
and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract
made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable
to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State, provided,
however, that the rights and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The
parties hereto hereby waive the right to a jury trial in any action arising out
of this Agreement. Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be litigated
in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, New York, and the parties hereby
submit to the jurisdiction of such courts and acknowledge that such courts are a
convenient forum.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
40
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
41
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
CERIDIAN CORPORATION
By /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
42
Exhibit A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND
RIGHTS OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
of
CERIDIAN CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
The undersigned officers of Ceridian Corporation, a corporation organized
and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, in
accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of said Corporation, said
Board of Directors on October 24, 2001, adopted the following resolution
creating a series of 50,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be
and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the
voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations
or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 50,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) The holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on the fifteenth day of February, May, August and November of each year
(each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to
the greater of (a) $100.00 and (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of
all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after October 24, 2001 (the "Rights
Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $100.00 per share on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior
to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series
A Participating Preferred Stock 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
2
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount
less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on
such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the
date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 10,000 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 Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote
of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly
dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous
quarterly dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on
all shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock then
outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart for payment.
During each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock (including
holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock) with
dividends in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends
thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series, shall have the right to
elect two (2) directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at
a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section
3
3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that such voting right shall not be
exercised unless the holders of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The
absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the
exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such voting right. At any
meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting
right initially during an existing default period, they shall have the
right, voting as a class, to elect directors to fill such vacancies, if
any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2) directors
or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2)
directors. If the number which may be so elected at any special meeting
does not amount to the required number, the holders of the Preferred Stock
shall have the right to make such increase in the number of directors as
shall be necessary to permit the election by them of the required number.
After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right
to elect directors in any default period and during the continuance of such
period, the number of directors shall not be increased or decreased except
by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to
the rights of any equity securities ranking senior to or pari passu with
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an existing
default period, have previously exercised their right to elect directors,
the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders owning
in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request,
the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock, which
meeting shall thereupon be called by the President, a Vice-President or the
Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual
meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant
to this Paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of
Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last address
as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall be
called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not later than 60 days after
such order or request or in default of the calling of such meeting within
60 days after such order or request, such meeting may be called on similar
notice by any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less
than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Paragraph (C)(iii), no
such special meeting shall be called during the period within 60 days
immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the
stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and other
classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be
entitled to elect the whole number of directors until the holders of
4
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) directors
voting as a class, after the exercise of which right (x) the directors so
elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in office until
their successors shall have been elected by such holders or until the
expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of
Directors may (except as provided in Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3)
be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining directors theretofore
elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected the director
whose office shall have become vacant. References in this Paragraph (C) to
directors elected by the holders of a particular class of stock shall
include directors elected by such directors to fill vacancies as provided
in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the right
of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any directors elected by the holders of Preferred
Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of directors shall be
such number as may be provided for in the certificate of incorporation or
by-laws irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of
Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to
change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the certificate of
incorporation or by-laws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected
by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be
filled by a majority of the remaining directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not
be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of
Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock;
5
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on
any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares
of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock
in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of
such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration
of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective
series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under Paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock 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 shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
an amount equal to $100.00 per share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock,
plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon,
whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the "Series A Liquidation
Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A
Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made to the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received an amount per
6
share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i)
the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 10,000 (as appropriately adjusted as
set forth in subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock splits,
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such
number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the
full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in
respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their
ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the
ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred Stock and
Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which
rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then
such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock 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 10,000 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 share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or
change of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
7
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. At any time when any shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, neither the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation nor this Certificate of
Designation shall be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
8
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate and do
affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this __day of _____,
200 .
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
9
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 9, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.](1)
Rights Certificate
CERIDIAN CORPORATION
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 November 6, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Ceridian Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of
New York, a New York banking corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on November 9,
2011 (unless such date is extended prior thereto by the Board of Directors) at
the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one ten-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock")
--------
(1) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
of the Company, at a purchase price of $75.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share
(the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the
number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase
Price as of November 6, 2001, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at
such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will
be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person 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 such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
2
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 $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth Business Day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. The aggregate redemption price otherwise payable to a
beneficial holder of Rights shall be rounded to the nearest $0.01, provided,
however, if such aggregate redemption price is less than $0.01, such holder will
be entitled to receive $0.01 upon the redemption of such Rights. For 180 days
following a change in control of the Board of Directors of the Company, that has
not been approved by the Board of Directors, occurring within six months of
announcement of an unsolicited third party acquisition or business combination
proposal or of a third party's intent or proposal otherwise to become an
Acquiring Person, the new directors are entitled to redeem the rights (assuming
the rights would have otherwise been redeemable), including to facilitate an
acquisition or business combination transaction involving the Company, but only
(1) if they have followed certain prescribed procedures or (2) if such
procedures are not followed, and if their decision regarding redemption and any
acquisition or business combination is challenged as a breach of fiduciary duty
of care or loyalty, the directors (solely for purposes of the effectiveness of
the redemption decision) are able to establish the entire fairness of the
redemption or transaction. In addition, under certain circumstances following
the Stock Acquisition Date, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole or in part,
for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the Company
having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares. Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing any such
exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than
Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights
will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. The
Company, at its election, may require that a number of Rights be exercised so
that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give consent to or withhold consent from any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
3
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights
Agent.
4
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
ATTEST: CERIDIAN CORPORATION
By: By:
-------------------------------- -------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President, General Title: Chairman of the Board,
Counsel and Secretary Chief Executive Officer
and President
Countersigned:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
By: Date of countersignature: ____, ___
---------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
5
[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 signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: CERIDIAN CORPORATION:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: _______________,__
-----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an 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 signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On October 24, 2001, the Board of Directors of Ceridian Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the close of business
on November 9, 2001 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one ten-thousandth of a
share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Series A Preferred Stock") at a Purchase Price of $75.00
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 The
Bank of New York, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement,
the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will
occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days following a public announcement
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring
Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (20%, in the case of certain institutional investors)
other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain
inadvertent actions by institutional or certain other stockholders or the date a
Person has entered into an agreement or arrangement with the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company providing for an Acquisition Transaction (the "Stock
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board
shall determine, provided, however, that no deferral of a Distribution Date by
the Board pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement described in this clause
(ii) may be made at any time during the Special Period (as defined below))
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result
in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. An Acquisition Transaction is
defined in the Rights Agreement as (x) a merger, consolidation or similar
transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of
which stockholders of the Company will no longer own a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company or a publicly traded entity
which controls the Company or, if appropriate, the entity into which the Company
may be merged, consolidated or otherwise combined (based solely on the shares of
Common Stock received or retained by such stockholders, in their capacity as
stockholders of the Company, pursuant to such transaction), (y) a purchase or
other acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, or (z) a purchase or other acquisition of securities
representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Until
the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date
will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificate. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement,
the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number
of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be
issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on November 9, 2011, unless such date is
extended or the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company as
described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except pursuant to
an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the independent
directors determine to be fair and not inadequate and to otherwise be in the
best interests of the Company and its stockholders, after receiving advice from
one or more investment banking firms (a "Qualified Offer"), each holder of a
Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock
(or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the
Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set
forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring
Person will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the
occurrence of the event set forth above until such time as the Rights are no
longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $75.00 per Right, each Right not owned
by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following an event set
forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $150.00
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $75.00.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $25.00 at such time, the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 6 shares of Common
Stock for $75.00.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the Company engages in
a merger or other business combination transaction in which the Company is the
surviving corporation and the Common Stock of the Company is changed or
exchanged, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets, cash flow or earning
power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have
previously been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
2
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the
acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
outstanding Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than Rights
owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at
an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one ten-thousandth of a share
of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's
preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right
(subject to adjustment).
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock 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
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments 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 Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten business days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors). The aggregate redemption price otherwise
payable to a beneficial holder of Rights shall be rounded to the nearest $0.01,
provided, however, if such aggregate redemption price is less than $0.01, such
holder will be entitled to receive $0.01 upon the redemption of such Rights.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the
Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights
will be to receive the redemption price.
For 180 days (the "Special Period") following a change in control of the
Board of Directors of the Company, that has not been approved by the Board of
Directors, occurring within six months of announcement of an unsolicited third
party acquisition or business combination proposal or of a third party's intent
or proposal otherwise to become an Acquiring Person, the new directors are
entitled to redeem the rights (assuming the rights would have otherwise been
redeemable), including to facilitate an acquisition or business combination
transaction involving the Company, but only (1) if they have followed certain
prescribed procedures or (2) if such procedures are not followed, and if their
decision regarding redemption and any acquisition or business combination is
challenged as a breach of fiduciary duty of care or loyalty, the directors
(solely for purposes of the effectiveness of the redemption decision) are able
to establish the entire fairness of the redemption or transaction.
3
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company or in the event of the redemption of the
Rights as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of holders of Rights, or to shorten or lengthen any time
period under the Rights Agreement. The foregoing notwithstanding, no amendment
may be made to the Rights Agreement during the Special Period or at a time when
the Rights are not redeemable, except to cure any ambiguity or correct or
supplement any provision contained in the Rights Agreement which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provision therein.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form
8-A/Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 6, 2001. A copy of the Rights
Agreement is available free of charge from the Rights Agent. This summary
description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein
by reference.
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