BIOCLINICA, INC. and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. Amended and Restated Rights Agreement Dated as of March 23, 2011
EXHIBIT 4.1
BIOCLINICA, INC.
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
Dated as of March 23, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
Section 1 Certain Definitions |
1 | |||
Section 2 Appointment of Rights Agent |
7 | |||
Section 3 Issue of Right Certificates |
8 | |||
Section 4 Form of Right Certificates |
9 | |||
Section 5 Countersignature and Registration |
9 | |||
Section 6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates |
10 | |||
Section 7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights |
11 | |||
Section 8 Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates |
12 | |||
Section 9 Status and Availability of Preferred Shares |
12 | |||
Section 10 Preferred Shares Record Date |
12 | |||
Section 11 Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights |
13 | |||
Section 12 Certificate of Adjustment |
19 | |||
Section 13 Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power |
19 | |||
Section 14 Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares |
20 | |||
Section 15 Rights of Action |
21 | |||
Section 16 Agreement of Right Holders |
22 | |||
Section 17 Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder |
22 | |||
Section 18 Concerning the Rights Agent |
22 | |||
Section 19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent |
23 | |||
Section 20 Duties of Rights Agent |
23 | |||
Section 21 Change of Rights Agent |
25 | |||
Section 22 Issuance of New Right Certificates |
26 | |||
Section 23 Redemption |
26 | |||
Section 24 Exchange |
28 | |||
Section 25 Notice of Certain Events |
29 | |||
Section 26 Notices |
31 | |||
Section 27 Supplements and Amendments |
31 | |||
Section 28 Successors |
31 | |||
Section 29 Benefits of this Agreement |
31 | |||
Section 30 Severability |
32 | |||
Section 31 Governing Law |
32 | |||
Section 32 Counterparts |
32 | |||
Section 33 Descriptive Headings |
32 | |||
Section 34 Administration |
32 | |||
Section 35 Force Majeure |
32 |
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AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of March 23, 2011, is entered into
between BioClinica, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company,
N.A. (the “Rights Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent are parties to the Rights Agreement dated July 20,
2009 (the “Prior Agreement”);
WHEREAS, in connection with entrance into the Prior Agreement, the Board of Directors of the
Company authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for
each share of Common Stock, par value $0.00025 per share, of the Company (a “Common Share”)
outstanding on the Close of Business on July 20, 2009 (the “Record Date”) and authorized the
issuance of one Right with respect to each additional Common Share that became outstanding after
the Record Date and before the earliest of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date and the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, and certain additional
shares of Common Stock that became outstanding after the Distribution Date as provided in Section
22 of this Agreement, each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandths
(subject to adjustment) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), or such different amount
and/or kind of securities as shall be hereinafter provided; and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent each desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement
in its entirety pursuant to this Agreement to incorporate certain corporate governance standards
and make certain other changes as set forth herein.
Accordingly, 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:
“Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 20% of the Common Shares, but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant
to the terms of any such employee benefit plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) no Person shall
become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which,
by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall so become the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of the outstanding Common Shares of the
Company (other than pursuant to a dividend or
distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares or pursuant to a
split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares), then such Person shall be deemed to be an
“Acquiring Person”; and (2) if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that
a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently or had no knowledge of the consequences
of becoming an Acquiring Person and had no intention to influence the control of the Company, and
such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such
Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of
this paragraph, then such Person shall not be deemed to have become an “Acquiring Person” for any
purposes of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Acquiring Person to the contrary, no Person (i)
shall become an “Acquiring Person” solely as a result of any unilateral grant of any security by
the Company or through the exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests
(including restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and employees; and
(ii) no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of the acquisition of Beneficial
Ownership of Common Shares from an individual who, on the later of the date hereof or the first
public announcement of this Agreement, is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares
then outstanding if such Common Shares are received by such Person upon such individual’s death
pursuant to such individual’s will or pursuant to a charitable trust created by such individual for
estate planning purposes.
“Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
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 is deemed to
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act, as
in effect on the date hereof;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to
acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities),
written or otherwise, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act by or on behalf of such Person
or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security by reason of such agreement, arrangement or
understanding if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises
solely from a revocable proxy or
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consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act
and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), written or otherwise, for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to section
(B) of the immediately preceding paragraph (ii)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at
any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date hereof.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking
institutions in the state of Massachusetts are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
close.
“Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., eastern time, on such date;
provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
eastern time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
“Common Shares” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of Common Stock,
par value $0.00025 per share, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
“Common Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(B)(3)
hereof.
“Current Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A)(1) hereof.
“Definitive Acquisition Agreement” shall mean an agreement, conditioned on the approval by the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, with respect to a merger,
recapitalization, share exchange, or a similar transaction involving the Company or the direct or
indirect acquisition of more than 50% of the Company’s consolidated total assets.
“Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
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“Equivalent Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
“Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
“Exemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Final Expiration Date” shall mean July 20, 2013.
“Outside Meeting Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited partnership,
limited liability partnership, business trust, limited liability company, unincorporated
association or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
“Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
“Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $0.00025 per share, of the Company having such rights and preferences as are set forth in the
form of Certificate of Designation set forth as Exhibit A hereto, as the same may be
amended from time to time.
“Qualifying Offer” shall mean an offer determined by a majority of independent directors of
the Company to have, to the extent required for the type of offer specified, each of the following
characteristics:
(i) a fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering shares of common
stock of the offeror, or a combination thereof, in each such case for any and all of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock at the same per share consideration; provided, however, that
such per share price and consideration represent a reasonable premium over the highest reported
market price of the Common Stock in the immediately preceding eighteen (18) months, with, in the
case of an offer that includes shares of common stock of the offeror, such per share offer price
being determined using the lowest reported market price for common stock of the offeror during the
five (5) Trading Days immediately preceding and the five (5) Trading Days immediately following the
date on which the Qualifying Offer is commenced;
(ii) an offer that, within twenty (20) Business Days after the commencement date of the offer
(or within ten (10) Business Days after any increase in the offer consideration), does not result
in a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board rendering an opinion to
the Board that the consideration being offered to the stockholders of the Company is either unfair
or inadequate;
(iii) if the offer includes shares of common stock of the offeror, an offer pursuant to which
(a) the offeror shall permit representatives of the Company, including, but not limited to, a
nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board, legal counsel and an
accounting firm designated by the Company to have access to such offeror’s books, records,
management, accountants and other appropriate outside advisers for the purposes of permitting such
representatives to conduct a due diligence review of the offeror in order to permit such investment
banking firm (relying as appropriate on the advice of such legal counsel) to be able to
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render an opinion to the Board with respect to whether the consideration being offered to the
Company’s stockholders is fair, and (b) within ten (10) Business Days after such investment banking
firm shall have notified the Company and the offeror that it has completed the due diligence review
to its satisfaction (or following completion of such due diligence review within ten (10) Business
Days after any increase in the consideration being offered), such investment banking firm does not
render an opinion to the Board that the consideration being offered to the stockholders of the
Company is either unfair or inadequate and such investment banking firm does not after the
expiration of such ten (10) Business Day period render an opinion to the Board that the
consideration being offered to the stockholders of the Company has become either unfair or
inadequate based on a subsequent disclosure or discovery of a development or developments that have
had or are reasonably likely to have a material adverse affect on the value of the common stock of
the offeror;
(iv) an offer that is subject only to the minimum tender condition described below in item
(viii) of this definition and other customary terms and conditions, which conditions shall not
include any financing, funding or similar conditions or any requirements with respect to the
offeror or its agents being permitted any due diligence with respect to the books, records,
management, accountants or any other outside advisers of the Company;
(v) an offer pursuant to which the Company and its stockholders have received an irrevocable
written commitment of the offeror that the offer will remain open for not less than one hundred
twenty (120) Business Days and, if a Special Meeting Demand is duly delivered to the Board in
accordance with Section 23(b), for at least ten (10) Business Days after the date of the Special
Meeting or, if no Special Meeting is held within the Special Meeting Period (as defined in Section
23(b)), for at least ten (10) Business Days following the last day of such Special Meeting Period
(the “Qualifying Offer Period”);
(vi) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment by
the offeror that, in addition to the minimum time periods specified in item (vi) of this
definition, the offer, if it is otherwise to expire prior thereto, will be extended for at least
fifteen (15) Business Days after (a) any increase in the price offered or (b) any bona fide
alternative offer is commenced by another Person within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
Exchange Act; provided, however, that such offer need not remain open, as a result of clauses (vi)
and (vii) of this definition, beyond (1) the time which any other offer satisfying the criteria for
a Qualifying Offer is then required to be kept open under such clauses (vi) and (vii) or (2) the
expiration date, as such date may be extended by public announcement (with prompt written notice to
the Rights Agent) in compliance with Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act, of any other tender offer for
the Common Stock with respect to which the Board of Directors has agreed to redeem the Rights
immediately prior to acceptance for payment of Common Stock thereunder (unless such other offer is
terminated prior to its expiration without any Common Stock having been purchased thereunder) or
(3) one (1) Business Day after the stockholder vote with respect to approval of any Definitive
Acquisition Agreement has been officially determined and certified by the inspectors of elections;
(vii) an offer that is conditioned on a minimum of a majority of the outstanding shares of the
Common Stock being tendered and not withdrawn as of the offer’s expiration date, which condition
shall not be waivable;
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(viii) an offer pursuant to which the Company and its stockholders have received an
irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to consummate as promptly as practicable upon
successful completion of the offer a second step transaction whereby all shares of the Common Stock
not tendered into the offer will be acquired at the same consideration per share actually paid
pursuant to the offer, subject to stockholders’ statutory appraisal rights, if any;
(ix) an offer pursuant to which the Company and its stockholders have received an irrevocable
written commitment of the offeror that no amendments will be made to the offer to reduce the offer
consideration, or otherwise change the terms of the offer in a way that is materially adverse to a
tendering stockholder (other than extensions of the offer consistent with the terms thereof);
(x) an offer (other than an offer consisting solely of cash consideration) pursuant to which
the Company has received the written representation and certification of the offeror and the
written representations and certifications of the offeror’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, that (a) all facts about the offeror that would be material to making an
investor’s decision to accept the offer have been fully and accurately disclosed as of the date of
the commencement of the offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act, (b) all such
new facts will be fully and accurately disclosed on a prompt basis during the entire period during
which the offer remains open, and (c) all required Exchange Act reports will be filed by the
offeror in a timely manner during such period; and
(xi) if the offer includes shares of stock of the offeror, (a) the stock portion of the
consideration must consist solely of common stock of an offeror that is a publicly owned
corporation, and be freely tradable and is listed on either the New York Stock Exchange or The
NASDAQ Global Select Market, (b) no stockholder approval of the offeror is required to issue such
common stock, or, if required, has already been obtained, (c) no Person (including such Person’s
Affiliates and Associates) beneficially owns more than 20% of the voting stock of the offeror at
the time of commencement of the offer or at any time during the term of the offer, and (d) no other
class of voting stock of the offeror is outstanding, and the offeror meets the registrant
eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 for registering securities under the Act, including,
but not limited to, the filing of all required Exchange Act reports in a timely manner during the
twelve (12) calendar months prior to the date of commencement of the offer.
For the purposes of the definition of Qualifying Offer, “fully financed” shall mean that the
offeror has sufficient funds for the offer and related expenses which shall be evidenced by (a)
firm, unqualified, written commitments from responsible financial institutions having the necessary
financial capacity, accepted by the offeror, to provide funds for such offer subject only to
customary terms and conditions, (b) cash or cash equivalents then available to the offeror, set
apart and maintained solely for the purpose of funding the offer with an irrevocable written
commitment being provided by the offeror to the Board to maintain such availability until the offer
is consummated or withdrawn, or (c) a combination of the foregoing, which evidence has been
provided to the Company prior to, or upon, commencement of the offer. If an offer becomes a
Qualifying Offer in accordance with this definition but subsequently ceases to be a Qualifying
Offer as a result of the failure at a later date to continue to satisfy any of the requirements of
this definition, such offer shall cease to be a Qualifying Offer and the provisions of Section
23(b) shall no longer be applicable to such offer. The Company shall promptly notify
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the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of a Qualifying Offer and, if such
notification is given orally, the Company shall confirm same in writing on or prior to the Business
Day next following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume
conclusively for all purposes that a Qualifying Offer has not occurred.
“Qualifying Offer Period” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of Qualifying
Offer.
“Qualifying Offer Resolution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23 hereof.
“Right Certificate” shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto.
“Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
“Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the earlier of the date of (i) the public announcement by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or (ii) the public
disclosure of facts by the Company or an Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
“Special Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Special Meeting Demand” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Special Meeting Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Spread” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A) hereof.
“Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any Person of which a majority of the voting power of
the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
“Substitution Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
“Summary of Rights” shall mean the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
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.
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Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action
of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the
date of the commencement 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 entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public
announcement of the intention of any Person (other than any of the Persons referred to in the
preceding parenthetical) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would
result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (such date being herein referred to as the
“Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b)
hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof or by
book entry shares in respect of such Common Shares (which certificates shall also be deemed to be
Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the
Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, at the expense of
the Company, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company, a Right Certificate evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of
the Summary of Rights by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares
as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares (or book entry Common Shares)
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof (or such book
entry Common Shares) together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Close of
Business on the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares (or book entry Common Shares) outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares evidenced thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including, without limitation,
reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record
Date but prior to the earliest of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Redemption
Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on,
written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as
set forth in a Rights Agreement between BioClinica, Inc. and Computershare Trust
Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, dated as of July 20, 2009, as it may from
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time to time be amended or supplemented pursuant to its terms (the “Rights
Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of BioClinica, Inc.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will
be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. BioClinica, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of
the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
Under certain circumstances, Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned
by Acquiring Persons (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
With respect to any book entry Common Shares, such legend shall be included in a notice to the
record holder of such shares in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates
containing the foregoing legend, or any notice of the foregoing legend delivered to holders of book
entry Common Shares, until the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by certificates or book entry Common Shares shall be evidenced
by such certificates alone or book entry Common Shares, and the surrender for transfer of any such
certificate or book entry Common Shares shall, except as otherwise provided herein, also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event
that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), neither the omission of a legend nor the failure to deliver the
notice of such legend required hereby shall affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement
or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election
to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be
substantially the same as 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 or interdealer quotation system on which the Rights may from time
to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the other provisions of this
Agreement, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on
behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer and President, any
of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have
affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right
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Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose
unless so countersigned, either manually or by facsimile. In case any officer of the Company who
shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company
before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right
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 Right Certificates
had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf
of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate,
shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its
principal office, books for registration of the transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof,
at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the earlier of the
Redemption Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or
Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may
be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent
shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient for any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft
or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s
request, 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 Right Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights
Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.
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(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder of any Right Certificate (other
than a holder whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or have been
exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form
of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at its
principal office, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of
Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the right to exercise the Rights
terminates pursuant to Section 23 hereof, or (iii) the time at which the right to exercise the
Rights terminates pursuant to Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share to be purchased upon
the exercise of a Right shall initially be Sixteen Dollars ($16.00) (the “Purchase Price”), shall
be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof and
shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c)
below.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the
holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by cash, certified check,
cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates
for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby
irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from
any depositary agent for the Preferred Shares depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs any such depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional Preferred Shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such
cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered holder of any Right
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns,
subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
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(e) 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 of
Rights 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 following the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such
exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably
request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates
surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if
surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for
cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Right 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 Right Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent
shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate
of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to
ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery
of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares.
(b) 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 Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares 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 Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery
of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue
or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any
Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s
reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available, out
of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the
number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for
Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
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become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made. Prior
to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred 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.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A)
declare and pay a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of
Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger
in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in
this Section 11(a), 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 capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that
the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number
and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to
such date, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in
no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one
Right.
(ii) Subject to the following paragraph of this subparagraph (ii) and to Section 24 of this
Agreement, in the event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a
Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred
Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Company’s Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) on the date such Person became an Acquiring Person. In the event that any Person
shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not
take any action that would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such an event, any Rights that are or were acquired or
beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring
Person) on or after the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the Distribution Date shall
be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under
any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that
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represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate
shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any
nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof shall be canceled.
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares which are authorized by the Company’s
certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise
committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, are not sufficient to
permit the holder of each Right to purchase the number of Common Shares to which he would be
entitled upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 11, or should the Board of Directors so elect, the Company
shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise
of a Right (calculated as provided in the last sentence of this subparagraph (iii)) pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the “Current Value”) over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the
“Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for such
Common Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, any one or more of the following
having an aggregate value determined by the Board of Directors to be equal to the Current Value:
(1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares or other equity securities of
the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which
the Board of Directors of the Company has determined to have the same value as Common Shares (such
shares of preferred stock, “Common Stock Equivalents”)), (4) debt securities of the Company, or
(5) other assets; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
first occurrence of an event triggering the rights to purchase Common Shares described in Section
11(a)(ii) (the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price,
Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and cash have
an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine
in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be
extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of
such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution Period”). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or
second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section
7(e) hereof and the last paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence
and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall make a
public announcement, and shall deliver to the Rights Agent a statement, stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended. At such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect, the Company shall make another public announcement, and deliver to the
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Rights Agent a statement, so stating. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of
the Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) of the Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any
Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or
warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within forty-five
(45) calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“Equivalent Preferred
Shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares at a price
per Preferred Share or Equivalent Preferred Share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares) less than the then
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record
date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be adjusted by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or
Equivalent Preferred Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the
convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the
denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus
the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital
stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be
paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such
consideration shall be 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. Preferred Shares
owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all
holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend
payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in
Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred
Shares 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 assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of
such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
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denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the
Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if
such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
“current per share market price” of any security (a “Security” for the purpose of this Section
11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of thirty
(30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per
share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share
equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Global Market or, if
the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Global Market, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is 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 bulletin board market, as reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(“FINRA”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is 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 Security selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, if the Preferred Shares are publicly
traded, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly traded but the Common Shares are publicly traded, the “current per share market price” of
the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by
1000. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or
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so listed or traded, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require
an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be
carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-millionth of a Preferred
Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security 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 three (3) years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any
Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the
Company other than Preferred Shares, the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right shall thereafter be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as
nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained
in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Section 7, Section 9, Section 10 and
Section 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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 Section 11(b) and
Section 11(c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one ten-millionth of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-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 substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding
after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall
become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth) obtained by
dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the
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record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be
made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day
thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been distributed, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been distributed, 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 Right Certificates on such
record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a 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 Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender
thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall be
issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below
one one-thousandths of the then par value of the Preferred Shares 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 non-assessable
Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase
Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer
until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such
record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares 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 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 adjustments in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required
by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be
advisable in order that any (i) combination or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance
wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares
or (v) issuance of any rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in
- 18 -
Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that at any time after the
date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare and pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise other than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in
any such case (i) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such
event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and
the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event,
and (ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect
to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had
issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or
consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in
Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting
forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file
with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a
copy of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment occurs following a Distribution Date, mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment
therein contained and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment nor
shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless and until it shall have received
such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the
event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, directly or indirectly, (i) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall
consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part
of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person (or of the Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company
or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that (A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then
current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained
- 19 -
by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (B) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such issuer; and (D) such issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company covenants and agrees that it
shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the
Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to
in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments
or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation
of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded
by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. For purposes hereof, the “earning power” of the
Company and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors
on the basis of the operating earnings of each business operated by the Company and its
Subsidiaries during the three (3) fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the
case of any business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary during three (3) full fiscal
years preceding such date, during the period such business was operated by the Company or any
Subsidiary).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be
paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional
Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of
a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the
date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted
to trading on the NASDAQ Global Market or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
the NASDAQ Global Market, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights
are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter bulletin board market, as reported by NASDAQ,
FINRA 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
- 20 -
a professional market-maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the
fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandths (subject to appropriate adjustment in
the case of a subdivision or combination) of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in
integral multiples of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company,
be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In
lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to each registered holder of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one Preferred Share as the fraction of one Preferred Share that such holder
would otherwise receive upon the exercise of the aggregate number of rights exercised by such
holder. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share
shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives any right to receive
fractional Rights or fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting
the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the
respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) may, without the consent of the Rights Agent
or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Shares), on 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 Right Certificate in the manner provided in such
Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available
to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have
an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
- 21 -
Section 16. Agreement of Right 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 the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry
books maintained by the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with a completed form of
certification; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate or book
entry Common Shares) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced
thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the
associated Common Shares certificate (or notices provided to holders of book entry Common Shares)
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any
Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the
holder of the Preferred Shares 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 Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right 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 Right Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand
of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and 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 or liability in connection therewith. The indemnification
provided for hereunder shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this
Agreement. The costs and expenses of enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be paid by
the Company.
- 22 -
The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for
Preferred Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for
special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or
damage and regardless of the form of the action.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any corporation
into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate trust
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the
name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the
Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all
such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations
expressly set forth in this Agreement and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall perform those duties and obligations
upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may consult with legal counsel
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it
in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
- 23 -
(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 be proved or established by the Company prior to
taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect
thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer and
President, a Vice President, the Treasurer or the 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 Right Certificates (except as to its
countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, 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 Right 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 Right Certificate; nor shall it be
responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Right 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 Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be
performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and
assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to
the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer and President, a Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it
shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for written
instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any
action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on or
after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall
not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in
- 24 -
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in
such application (which date shall not be less than ten (10) Business Days after the date any
officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have
consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective
date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received, in response to such
application, written instructions with respect to the proposed action or omission specifying a
different 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, 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 reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own
funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder
or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured
to it.
(k) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any
fact, event or determination (including, without limitation, any dates or events defined in this
Agreement or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under
this Agreement unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the
Company of such fact, event or determination.
Section 21. 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, in the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is
not also the transfer agent for the Company, to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail. In the event the transfer agency relationship in
effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have
resigned automatically and will be discharged from its duties under this Agreement as of the
effective date of such termination, and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required
notice. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30)
days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be,
and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by registered or certified
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
- 25 -
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of
this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right
Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect
any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common
Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the
Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common
Shares so issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options, (ii) under any employment
plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or
debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a contractual obligation of the Company, in each case
existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.
Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time
as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, 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 redemption of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions
as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
- 26 -
(b) In the event the Company receives a Qualifying Offer and the Board of Directors has not
redeemed the outstanding Rights or exempted such offer from the terms of this Agreement or called a
special meeting of stockholders by the end of the ninetieth (90th) Business Day following the
commencement (or, if later, the first existence) of a Qualifying Offer, for the purpose of voting
on whether or not to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the terms of this Agreement, holders of
record (or their duly authorized proxy) of at least 10% of the shares of Common Shares then
outstanding may submit to the Board of Directors, not earlier than ninety (90) Business Days nor
later than one hundred twenty (120) Business Days following the commencement (or, if later, the
first existence) of such Qualifying Offer, a written demand complying with the terms of this
Section 23(b) (the “Special Meeting Demand”) directing the Board of Directors to submit to a vote
of stockholders at a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company (a “Special Meeting”) a
resolution exempting such Qualifying Offer from the provisions of this Agreement (the “Qualifying
Offer Resolution”). For purposes of a Special Meeting Demand, the record date for determining
holders of record eligible to make a Special Meeting Demand shall be the ninetieth (90th) Business
Day following commencement (or, if later, the first existence) of a Qualifying Offer. The Board of
Directors shall take such actions as are necessary or desirable to cause the Qualifying Offer
Resolution to be so submitted to a vote of stockholders at a Special Meeting to be convened within
ninety (90) Business Days following the Special Meeting Demand (the “Special Meeting Period”);
provided, however, that if the Company at any time during the Special Meeting Period and prior to a
vote on the Qualifying Offer Resolution enters into a Definitive Acquisition Agreement, the Special
Meeting Period may be extended (and any special meeting called in connection therewith may be
cancelled) if the Qualifying Offer Resolution will be separately submitted to a vote at the same
meeting as the Definitive Acquisition Agreement. A Special Meeting Demand must be delivered to the
Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company and must set forth as to
the stockholders of record making the request (x) the names and addresses of such stockholders, as
they appear on the Company’s books and records, (y) the number of Common Shares which are owned of
record by each of such stockholders, and (z) in the case of Common Shares that are beneficially
owned by another Person, an executed certification by the holder of record that such holder has
executed such Special Meeting Demand only after obtaining instructions to do so from such
beneficial owner and attaching evidence thereof. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the
Board of Directors may take a position in favor of or opposed to the adoption of the Qualifying
Offer Resolution, or no position with respect to the Qualifying Offer Resolution, as it determines
to be appropriate in the exercise of its duties. In the event that no Person has become an
Acquiring Person prior to the redemption date referred to in this Section 23(b), and the Qualifying
Offer continues to be a Qualifying Offer and either (i) the Special Meeting is not convened on or
prior to the last day of the Special Meeting Period (the “Outside Meeting Date”), or (ii) if, at
the Special Meeting at which a quorum is present, a majority of the shares of Common Shares present
or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting and entitled to vote thereon as of the record date
for the Special Meeting selected by the Board of Directors shall vote in favor of the Qualifying
Offer Resolution, then the Qualifying Offer shall be deemed exempt from the application of this
Agreement to such Qualifying Offer so long as it remains a Qualifying Offer, such exemption to be
effective on the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day after (i) the Outside Meeting
Date or (ii) the date on which the results of the vote on the Qualifying Offer Resolution at the
Special Meeting are certified as official by the appointed inspectors of election for the Special
Meeting, as the case may be (the “Exemption
- 27 -
Date”). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no action or vote, including action
by written consent, by stockholders not in compliance with the provisions of this Section 23(b)
shall serve to exempt any offer from the terms of this Agreement. The Company shall promptly notify
the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Exemption Date and, if such notification is
given orally, the Company shall confirm same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next
following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume
conclusively for all purposes that the Exemption Date has not occurred.
(c) Immediately upon the time of the effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 23 or such earlier time as may be determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company in the action ordering such redemption (although not earlier than the time
of such action) (such time the “Redemption Date”), and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any
defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within ten (10) days
after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then
outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights
Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. If the payment of the Redemption Price is not
included with such notice, each such notice shall state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. 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 or in Section 24 hereof, other than in connection with
the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
(d) Immediately upon the Close of Business on the Exemption Date, without any further action
and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights with respect to the Qualifying Offer will
terminate.
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
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of a majority of the Common Shares then outstanding.
- 28 -
(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 Common Shares 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 Shares for
Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will
be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute
Preferred Shares or Common Stock Equivalents for Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the
initial rate of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or an appropriate number of Common Stock
Equivalents) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting
rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred
Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares, Preferred Shares or Common
Stock Equivalents authorized by the Company’s certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or
subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of Rights, 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
Common Shares, Preferred Shares or Common Stock Equivalents for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares,
the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph
(e), the current per share market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a
Common Share (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 after the Distribution Date propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend),
- 29 -
(ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision or combination of outstanding Preferred Shares),
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer
(or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, 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, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is
to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or
Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of
any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least ten (10) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any
such other action, at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares,
whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Company
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance
with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such
event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
- 30 -
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
BioClinica, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxx X. Xxxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxx X. Xxxxxxx
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights
Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or registered or
certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt and, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Client Services
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Client Services
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights
Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to time, and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
or to make any change to or delete any provision hereof or to adopt any other provisions with
respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided,
however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this
Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented in any manner which would adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and
Associates). Any supplement or amendment authorized by this Section 27 will be evidenced by a
writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights, duties or obligations of the
Rights Agent under this Agreement will be effective against the Rights Agent without the execution
of such supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.
Section 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. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to
give to any person or entity other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
- 31 -
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this
Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder
shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to
contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and
each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signature to this
Agreement transmitted electronically shall have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an
original signature.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this
Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or
construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. Administration. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive
power and authority to administer and interpret the provisions of this Agreement and to exercise
all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or the Company or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement. All such actions, calculations,
determinations and interpretations which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith
shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights
and all other parties and shall not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders
of the Rights.
Section 35. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts
beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage
of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss
of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval
systems, labor difficulties, war or civil unrest.
** ** ** ** **
- 32 -
Attest: | BIOCLINICA, INC. | |||||
/s/ Xxx Xxxxxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||||
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
Attest: | COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Rights Agent |
|||||
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx | ||||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx | ||||||
Title: Vice President |
- 33 -
EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
BIOCLINICA, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
BioClinica, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following
resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of
the General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on July 8, 2009:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of
this Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) in accordance with
the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended (the
“Certificate of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock,
par value $0.00025 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Corporation and hereby states the
designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations
thereof as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of this series shall be designated as
“Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of
shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 36,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease
shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of
shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued
by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or
any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock
A-1
with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled
to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for
the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and
December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share
or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the
nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 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, par value $0.00025 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation or
a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
declared on 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 Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under
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 Preferred Stock
as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or
distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is
prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A 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 Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A 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 Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date fixed
for the payment thereof.
A-2
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A
Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote
of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series A 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 in the Certificate of Incorporation, including any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law,
the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any
other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one
class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise required by law, holders of Series A 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
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 Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, 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 Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A 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; or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of
A-3
any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation
or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock.
(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 Preferred Stock purchased or
otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled
promptly after the acquisition thereof. The Corporation shall take all such actions as are
necessary to cause all such shares to become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock that
may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation, including any
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or as
otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation, dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to
holders of shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event under 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.
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 each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged
or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 1000 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 declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
A-4
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 8. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation shall not be amended in any
manner, including in a merger or consolidation, which would alter, change, or repeal the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment
of dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution and winding up, junior to all series of Preferred
Stock, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.
BIOCLINICA, INC. |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
A-5
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-_______ | _____ Rights |
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 20, 2013 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE
TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS THAT
ARE OR WERE ACQUIRED OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY ASSOCIATES
OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Right Certificate
BIOCLINICA, INC.
This certifies that _______, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights
set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of March 23, 2011 (the “Rights
Agreement”), between BioClinica, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare
Trust Company, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., eastern
time, on July 20, 2013, at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandths of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.00025 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the
Company, at a purchase price of $16.00 per one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase
Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the certification and the
Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon
exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of July 20, 2009, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights
Agreement, if the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are or were at any time on or after
the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such Rights
shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such
Rights.
B-1
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and
made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights
Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are
on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the
principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate
shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another
Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, at the Company’s option, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $0.001
per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of the Company’s Common Stock,
par value $0.00025 per share, or Preferred Shares.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights
evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts),
but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be
deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares 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 or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided
in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have
been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-2
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ____, ___.
Attest: | BIOCLINICA, INC. | |||||||
By: | ||||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: | ||||||||
Countersigned | ||||||||
Rights Agent | ||||||||
By: |
||||||||
Authorized Signature |
B-3
Form of
Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
_________________________.
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________, Attorney, to transfer the within
Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Date:
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be medallion guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an approved signature
guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement).
Signature
B-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Right Certificate.)
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Right Certificate.)
To BIOCLINICA, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______________ Rights represented by
this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights
and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new
Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and
delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Date:
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be medallion guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer Association
Inc. recognized signature guarantee medallion program.
B-5
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement).
Signature
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must conform to the name as
written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of
Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will
deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES OF BIOCLINICA, INC.
On July 20, 2009, the Board of Directors of BioClinica, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of Common
Stock, par value $0.00025 per share (the “Common Shares”) outstanding on July 20, 2009 (the “Record
Date”) to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company one one-thousandths of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.00025 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company, at a price of $16.00
per one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement,
dated March 23, 2011 (the “Rights Agreement”), between the Company and Computershare Trust Company,
N.A., as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).
Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public announcement that a person
or group of affiliated or associated persons, with certain exceptions (an “Acquiring Person”), has
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) ten (10)
Business Days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to
such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement
of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the
earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with
respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date
or upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the
Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto,
will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common
Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates
alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on July
20, 2013 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the
Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property
issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent
dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification
of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
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certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current
market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred
Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out
of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split
of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or
subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each
Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend payment of 1000 times the dividend
declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will
be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1000 times the aggregate payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. In the event of
any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred
Share will be entitled to receive 1000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights
are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares’ dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the
value of the one one-thousandths interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each
Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, if the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are or were at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of such
event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) acquired or
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such Rights shall become void, and any holder of
such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company is
acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated
assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price
of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the
event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each
holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates
and Associates (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. If the Company does not have sufficient Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue
Common Shares, or if the Board of Directors so elects, the Company shall deliver upon payment of
the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or securities equivalent in value to the Common
Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right; provided that, if the Company fails to meet such
obligation within thirty (30) days following the date a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the
Company must deliver, upon exercise of a Right but without requiring payment of the exercise price
then in effect, Common Shares (to the extent
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available) and cash equal in value to the difference between the value of the Common Shares
otherwise issuable upon the exercise of a Right and the exercise price then in effect. The Board
of Directors may extend the thirty (30) day period described above for up to an additional sixty
(60) days to permit the taking of action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional
Common Shares to permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by any
person or group of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the
Company 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 Common Share per Right (subject to
adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative
adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred
Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts)
and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Shares on the last Trading Day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors
of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the
“Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such
basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Rights Agreement further provides that if the Company receives a Qualifying Offer (that
has not been terminated and continues to be a Qualifying Offer for the period hereinafter
described) and the Board of Directors has not redeemed the outstanding Rights, exempted such
Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement or called a special meeting of the
stockholders for the purpose of voting on whether or not to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the
terms of the Rights Agreement, then stockholders representing at least 10% of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding may request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting of
stockholders to vote to exempt the Qualifying Offer from the operation of the Rights Agreement,
such notice to be delivered not earlier than ninety (90), nor later than one hundred twenty (120),
Business Days following the commencement of such offer. The Board of Directors must then call and
hold such a meeting to vote on exempting such offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement by the
ninetieth (90th) Business Day following receipt of the stockholder demand for the meeting; provided
that such period may be extended if, prior to the vote, the Company enters into an agreement (that
is conditioned on the approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock) with respect to a merger, recapitalization, share exchange, or a similar transaction
involving the Company or the direct or indirect acquisition of more than 50% of the Company’s
consolidated total assets (a “Definitive Acquisition Agreement”), until the time of the meeting at
which the stockholders will be asked to vote on the Definitive Acquisition Agreement. If no
Acquiring Person has emerged, the offer continues to be a Qualifying Offer and stockholders
representing a majority of the shares of Common Stock represented at the meeting at which a quorum
is present vote in favor of redeeming the rights, then such Qualifying Offer shall be deemed exempt
from the Rights Agreement on the date that the vote results are certified. If no Acquiring Person
has emerged and
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no special meeting is held by the date required, the Rights will be redeemed at the close of
business on the tenth (10th) Business Day following that date.
A Qualifying Offer, in summary terms, is an offer determined by the Board of Directors to have
each of the following characteristics which are generally intended to preclude offers that are
coercive, abusive, or clearly illegitimate:
• | is an all-cash tender offer or stock exchange offer or combination thereof for any and all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company; | ||
• | is an offer whose per-share price represents a reasonable premium over the highest market price of the Common Stock in the preceding eighteen (18) months, with, in the case of an offer that includes shares of common stock of the offeror, such per-share offer price being determined using the lowest reported market price for common stock of the offeror during the five (5) Trading Days immediately preceding and the five (5) Trading Days immediately following the commencement of the offer; | ||
• | is an offer which, within twenty (20) Business Days after the commencement date of the offer (or within ten (10) Business Days after any increase in the offer consideration), does not result in a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board rendering an opinion to the Board that the consideration being offered to the Company’s stockholders is either unfair or inadequate; | ||
• | is subject only to the minimum tender condition described below and other customary terms and conditions, which conditions shall not include any requirements with respect to the offeror or its agents being permitted to conduct any due diligence with respect to the books, records, management, accountants and other outside advisers of the Company; | ||
• | is accompanied by an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to the Company that the offer will remain open for at least one hundred twenty (120) Business Days and, if a special meeting is duly requested by the Company’s stockholders with respect to the offer, at least ten (10) Business Days after the date of the special meeting or, if no special meeting is held within ninety (90) Business Days following receipt of the notice of the special meeting, for at least ten (10) Business Days following that ninety (90)-day period; | ||
• | is accompanied by an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to the Company that, in addition to the minimum time periods specified above, the offer will be extended for at least fifteen (15) Business Days after any increase in the price offered, and after any bona fide alternative offer is made; | ||
• | is conditioned on a minimum of a majority of the shares of Common Stock of the Company being tendered and not withdrawn as of the offer’s expiration date; | ||
• | is accompanied by an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to the Company to consummate promptly upon successful completion of the offer a second-step transaction whereby all shares of Common Stock of the Company not tendered into the offer will be acquired at the same consideration per share |
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actually paid pursuant to the offer, subject to stockholders’ statutory appraisal rights, if any; | |||
• | is accompanied by an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to the Company that no amendments will be made to the offer to reduce the offer consideration or otherwise change the terms of the offer in a way that is adverse to a tendering stockholder; and | ||
• | is accompanied by certifications of the offeror and its chief executive officer and chief financial officer that all information that may be material to an investor’s decision to accept the offer have been, and will continue to be promptly for the pendency of the offer, fully and accurately disclosed. |
Any offers that have cash as all or partial consideration are subject to further conditions
for qualification as “qualifying offers,” as set forth in the Rights Agreement. These conditions
generally require assurance that the offer is fully financed and that the offeror has sufficient
committed resources to consummate the offer. Any offers that have acquiror common stock as all or
partial consideration are subject to further conditions for qualification as “qualifying offers,”
as set forth in the Rights Agreement. These conditions generally require certain safeguards
regarding, and access to, information about the acquiror to allow an informed determination as to
the value and risks of the stock, including safeguards against developments that adversely affect
the value of the stock, that the acquiror’s stock (which may not have subordinated voting rights or
have ownership be heavily concentrated in one person or group) is listed on a national exchange,
that the acquiror meets certain seasoned issuer standards under the Securities Act of 1933, and
that no acquiror stockholder approval of the issuance of the consideration to the Company
stockholders is necessary after commencement of the offer.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the
consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after such time as any person becomes an
Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights
(other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).
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.
A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an
Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 25, 2011. A copy of the Agreement is available
free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
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