EXHIBIT 1
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PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
RIGHTS AGENT
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 9, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Certain Definitions..............................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent......................................8
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.....................................8
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.....................................10
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration...............................10
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates....................................................11
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price..............................12
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.............14
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock...................14
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.....................................15
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights.......................................................16
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares......23
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power...........................................................23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.........................26
Section 15. Rights of Action................................................27
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.....................................27
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder..............28
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.....................................28
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......29
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent..........................................29
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent..........................................31
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.............................32
Section 23. Redemption and Termination......................................32
Section 24. Exchange........................................................33
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events........................................34
Section 26. Notices.........................................................35
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments......................................36
Section 28. Successors......................................................36
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.......37
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement......................................37
Section 31. Severability....................................................37
Section 32. Governing Law...................................................37
Section 33. Counterparts....................................................38
Section 34. Descriptive Headings............................................38
Exhibit A - Form of Articles of Amendment
Exhibit B - Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Rights Agreement, dated as of September 9, 1998 (the
"Agreement"), between Pride International, Inc., a Louisiana corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, on September 9, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
of one Right for each share of common stock, no par value, of the Company (the
"Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business on September 30, 1998 (the
"Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may
hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for
each share of Common Stock of the Company issued (whether originally issued or
delivered from the Company's treasury) between the Record Date and the earlier
of the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) and the Expiration Date (as
hereinafter defined), and, in certain circumstances provided for in Section 22
hereof, after the Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the right
to purchase one Fractional Share (as hereinafter defined) of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms shall 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
15% or more (or the Existing Shareholder Limit or more with respect to any
Person that is an Existing Shareholder) of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include any Exempt Person; PROVIDED, however, that a
Person shall not be or become an Acquiring Person if such Person, together with
its Affiliates and Associates, shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
(or the Existing Shareholder Limit or more with respect to any Person that is an
Existing Shareholder) of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely as a
result of a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due to
the repurchase of Common Stock by the Company, unless and until such time as
such Person or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person shall purchase or
otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Common Stock
constituting 1% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock or any
other Person (or Persons) who is (or collectively are) the Beneficial Owner of
shares of Common Stock constituting 1% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock shall become an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, unless, in
either such case, such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of
such Person, is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more (or the Existing
Shareholder Limit or more with respect to any Person that is an Existing
Shareholder) of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; and PROVIDED,
FURTHER, that if there is at least one Continuing Director then in office and
the Board of
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Directors, with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors then
in office, determines in good faith that a Person that would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation,
because (i) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of
Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring Person"
or (ii) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of
Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial
Ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and if such Person as promptly as
practicable divested or divests itself of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person," then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become
an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
At any time that the Rights are redeemable, there is at least one
Continuing Director then in office, the Board of Directors, with the concurrence
of a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office, may, generally or with
respect to any specified Person or Persons, determine to increase to a specified
percentage greater than that set forth herein or decrease to a specified
percentage lower than that set forth herein or determine a number of shares to
be (but in no event less than or equal to the percentage or number of shares of
Common Stock then beneficially owned by such Person), the level of Beneficial
Ownership of Common Stock at which a Person or such Person or Persons becomes an
Acquiring Person.
"Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
"Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.
"Associate" shall mean, with reference to any Person, (1) any
corporation, firm, partnership, association, unincorporated organization or
other entity (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) of which
such Person is an officer or general partner (or officer or general partner of a
general partner) or is, directly or indirectly, the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of any class of equity securities, (2) any trust or other estate in which
such Person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which such Person
serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity and (3) any relative or
spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same home as
such Person.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, is the "beneficial owner" of (as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) or
otherwise has the right to vote or dispose of, including pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing);
PROVIDED, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph
(i) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
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security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a public
(I.E., not including a solicitation exempted by Rule 14a-2(b)(2) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the
date of this Agreement) proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act and (B) is not then reportable by such
Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report);
(ii) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right or obligation to acquire
(whether such right or obligation is exercisable or effective immediately
or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of an event) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, other rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from
and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to
the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof
(the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) or (p) hereof in
connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights; or
(iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by (A)
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or
consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph (i) of this
definition) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company or (B)
any group (as that term is used in Rule 13d-5(b) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act) of which such Person is a member;
PROVIDED, however, that nothing in this definition shall cause a Person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or
to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting (including,
without limitation, securities acquired pursuant to stabilizing transactions to
facilitate a public offering in accordance with Regulation M promulgated under
the Exchange Act, or to cover overallotments created in connection with a public
offering) until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
For purposes of this Agreement, "voting" a security shall include voting,
granting a proxy, acting by consent, making a request or demand relating to
corporate action (including, without limitation, calling a shareholder meeting)
or otherwise giving an authorization (within the meaning of Section 14(a) of the
Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) in respect of such
security.
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"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
"close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on such date; PROVIDED, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day, it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
"Closing Price" of a security for any day shall mean the last sales
price, regular way, on such day or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on such day,
in either case as reported in the principal transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, or, if such security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which such
security is listed or admitted to trading, or, if such security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but sales price
information is reported for such security, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
self-regulatory organization or registered securities information processor (as
such terms are used under the Exchange Act) that then reports information
concerning such security, or, if sales price information is not so reported, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market on
such day, as reported by NASDAQ or such other entity, or, if on such day such
security is not quoted by any such entity, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such
security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on such day no
market maker is making a market in such security, the fair value of such
security on such day as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
"Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, no par value, of the
Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to equity interests
issued by any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such
Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
"Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Company" shall mean the Person named as the "Company" in the
preamble of this Agreement until a successor Person shall have become such or
until a Principal Party shall assume, and thereafter be liable for, all
obligations and duties of the Company hereunder, pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Agreement, and thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor
Person or Principal Party.
"Continuing Director" shall mean any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, who (a) is a "Continuing Director" as defined in
Article VI.A of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation and (b) is not
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
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Person, or a nominee or representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate, if (i) such Person was a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person
or (ii) such Person's nomination for election or election to the Board of
Directors of the Company is recommended or approved by a majority of the then
Continuing Directors then in office, either by a specific vote or by approval of
the proxy statement issued by the Company on behalf of the Board of Directors in
which such person is named as a proposed nominee for director.
"Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.
"Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Distribution Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day (or, if such Stock Acquisition Date results from the
consummation of a Permitted Offer, such later date as may be determined by the
Company's Board of Directors as set forth below before the Distribution Date
occurs) after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date) or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such
later date as may be determined by the Company's Board of Directors as set forth
below before the Distribution Date occurs) after the date that a tender offer or
exchange offer by any Person (other than any Exempt Person) is first published
or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act as then in effect, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring Person, other than a tender or
exchange offer that is determined before the Distribution Date occurs to be a
Permitted Offer. If there is at least one Continuing Director then in office,
the Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office, may, to the extent set forth in the
preceding sentence, defer the date set forth in clause (i) or (ii) of the
preceding sentence to a specified later date or to an unspecified later date to
be determined by a subsequent action or event (but in no event to a date later
than the close of business on the tenth day after the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event).
"Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24
hereof.
"Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, and any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such
plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company.
"Existing Shareholder" shall mean each of Sertofin B.V., Gialos
B.V., Compagnie Financiere de Services Petroliers S.A. and any Affiliate of any
of the foregoing, for so long as such Person is subject to, and in compliance
with, the covenant in Section 6.9(b) of the Purchase
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Agreement dated as of December 16, 1996 among the Company, Forasol-Foramer N.V.
and the shareholders thereof party thereto, as amended or supplemented.
"Existing Shareholder Limit" with respect to any Existing
Shareholder shall mean 20%; PROVIDED that if such Person ceases to be an
Existing Shareholder, then the Existing Shareholder Limit with respect to such
Person shall be the greater of (i) 15% and (ii) the percentage of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding beneficially owned by such Person at the time such
Person ceases to be an Existing Shareholder (but in no event more than 20%).
"Expiration Date" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Final
Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof, (iii) the time at which the Rights expire pursuant to Section
13(d) hereof and (iv) the time at which all Rights then outstanding and
exercisable are exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of business on
September 9, 2008.
"Flip-In Event" shall mean an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
"Flip-In Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Flip-Over Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof, but excluding any transaction described in
Section 13(d) hereof that causes the Rights to expire.
"Fractional Share" with respect to the Preferred Stock shall mean
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock.
"NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System.
"Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Beneficial Owner."
"Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by at
least a majority of the Continuing Directors who are not, and are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of, the person making the
offer, after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be
(a) at a price and on terms that are fair to shareholders (taking into account
all factors that such members of the Board deem relevant including, without
limitation, prices that could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b)
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. In
considering whether the condition set forth in (b) above is satisfied, the Board
of Directors may take into account the factors set forth in LSA-R.S. 12:92,
subd. G and any other factors it deems relevant.
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"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization or
other entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company having the rights, powers and
preferences set forth in the form of Articles of Amendment attached hereto as
Exhibit A and, to the extent that there is not a sufficient number of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, no par value, of
the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
"Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(b) hereof.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
"Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23(a) hereof.
"Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals clause at
the beginning of this Agreement.
"Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as the "Rights Agent" in
the preamble of this Agreement until a successor Rights Agent shall have become
such pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and thereafter "Rights Agent"
shall mean such successor Rights Agent. If at any time there is more than one
Person appointed by the Company as Rights Agent pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Agreement, "Rights Agent" shall mean and include each such
Person.
"Rights Certificates" shall mean the certificates evidencing the
Rights.
"Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in the recitals clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
"Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition and Section 23, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
"Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation or other Person of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors
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or other persons performing similar functions is beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled 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 Stock sent pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof.
"Trading Day" with respect to a security shall mean a day on which
the principal national securities exchange on which such security is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business, or, if such
security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange but is quoted by NASDAQ, a day on which NASDAQ reports trades, or, if
such security is not so quoted, a Business Day.
"Triggering Event" shall mean any Flip-In Event or any Flip-Over
Event.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent (i) to act as agent for the Company and (ii) to take certain
actions in respect of the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section
3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common
Stock) (although it is expressly agreed that the Rights Agent shall not act as
agent for such holders) 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.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured,
postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Person referred to in the
first sentence of Section 7(e)), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more Rights Certificates, evidencing one Right
for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided
herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of
Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of
distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary
and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof)
so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the
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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 Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date or the earlier
surrender for transfer thereof or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates for Common Stock together with the Summary of
Rights, and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any of the
certificates for Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
that are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22
hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates issued for shares of Common
Stock that shall so become outstanding or shall be transferred or exchanged
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall
bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Pride
International, Inc. (the "Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company (the "Rights Agent") dated as of September 9, 1998 as it may from
time to time be supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement"), the
terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
which is on file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
redeemed, may be exchanged, may expire or may be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The
Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly
after receipt of a written request therefor. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR
TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT), AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF, WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND
WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone, and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be
the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
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Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof), when, as and if issued,
shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have
such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or quotation system
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their
face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Fractional
Shares of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth
therein (such exercise price per Fractional Share (or, as set forth in this
Agreement, for other securities), the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by a Person
described in the first sentence of Section 7(e), and any Rights Certificate
issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any such Rights, shall contain (to the extent
feasible) the following legend, modified as applicable to apply to such Person:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby [will] [have] become null and void in the circumstances
and with the effect specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Agreement shall be operative whether or
not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate. The
Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes aware of
the existence of any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company,
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such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificate may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the certificate number and the date of
each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT-UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section
13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, at any time after the close of business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder
(or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) thereof or of the Affiliates or Associates thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment by the holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split-up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the
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Company will, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 13(d), Section 14
and Section 24, execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to
the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in
lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly completed and executed, to the
Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with
respect to the total number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the Expiration Date.
(b) The Purchase Price for each Fractional Share of Preferred Stock
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50, and shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and
shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse
side thereof duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right
so exercised, of the Purchase Price per Fractional Share of Preferred Stock (or
other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly
(i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock to be
purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion,
shall have elected to deposit the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such
amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash
or by certified check, cashier's or official bank check
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or bank draft payable to the order of the Company or the Rights Agent. In the
event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common
Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a) or Section 13(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements
necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The
Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event that, upon exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate
of an Acquiring Person other than any such Person that became such pursuant to a
Permitted Offer and a majority of the Continuing Directors in good faith
determines was not involved in and did not cause or facilitate, directly or
indirectly, such Triggering Event, (ii) a direct or indirect transferee of such
Rights from such Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after such Triggering Event or (iii) a direct or indirect
transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with such Triggering Event and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or Associate) to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or
Associate) or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate
or Associate) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors
of the Company determines (or a majority of the Continuing Directors determines)
is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without
any further action, no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise, and such Rights shall not be transferable. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
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Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as any shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights are listed on any national
securities exchange or quoted on any trading system, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange, or quoted on such system, upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise. Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company will use
its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights on one or
more national securities exchanges or to cause the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by NASDAQ or such other
transaction reporting system then in use.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) prepare and file,
as soon as practicable following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event or, if
applicable, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first
occurrence of a Flip-In Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined pursuant to this
Agreement (including in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof), a
registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act with
respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) cause
such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act)
until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will
also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The
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Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 days
after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section
9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. In addition, if the
Company shall determine that the Securities Act requires an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act following the Distribution Date,
the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such
time as such a registration statement has been declared effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or any required registration statement shall
not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates
and of any certificates for a number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that
may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to
a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Fractional
Shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) in respect of a name other than that of, the registered holder of the
Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
deliver any certificates for a number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other
than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such
tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(f) The Company further covenants that on the date of this
Agreement, or within 30 days thereafter, the Company will cause a copy of this
Rights Agreement and all Exhibits hereto to be filed with the Louisiana
Secretary of State, in accordance with Section 51C of the Louisiana Business
Corporation Law.
Section 10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for a number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
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certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; PROVIDED, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a
shareholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES
OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or other
securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each Right and the number of
Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
(a)(i)In the event the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date (A) declare a dividend on the outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares or
(D) otherwise reclassify the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e)
hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after
such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price
then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock
or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred
Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs that
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Agreement, in the
event any Person shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such Person to
become an Acquiring Person is (1) a Flip- Over Event or (2) an acquisition
of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Permitted Offer (PROVIDED that
this clause (2) shall cease to apply if such Acquiring Person thereafter
becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock
other than
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pursuant to such Permitted Offer or a transaction set forth in Section
13(a) or 13(d) hereof), then (x) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to
be the Purchase Price immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Flip-In Event multiplied by the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first
occurrence and (y) each holder of a Right (except as provided below in
Section 11(a)(iii) and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of shares of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as
shall equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by 50% of
the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on the date of such
first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares");
PROVIDED that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall
be further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events
occurring after the date of such first occurrence.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
that are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section
11(a), the Company shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law and
regulation, (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment
Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (computed using the Current
Market Price used to determine the number of Adjustment Shares) (the
"Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess is herein
referred to as the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make
adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the
exercise of the Rights and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1)
cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other
equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares,
or units of shares, of preferred stock (including, without limitation, the
Preferred Stock) that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined
to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred
stock are herein referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where
such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the
Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; PROVIDED,
however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the later of
(x) the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later
of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Flip-In Trigger Date"),
then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price,
shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good
faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock
could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the
30-day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but
not more than 90 days after the Flip-In Trigger Date, in order that the
Company may seek
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shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent
that the Company or the Board of Directors determines that some action
need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights,
and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration
of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to
be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value
thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on the Flip-In Trigger Date and the
value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same
value as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after
such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges
and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock"))
or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at
a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock that the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or
warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution
to all holders of Preferred Stock (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, cash
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(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred
Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock)
or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash,
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator
of which shall be such Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current
Market Price" per share of Common Stock of a Person on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per share of such
Common Stock for the 30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such
date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the "Current Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per share of
such Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; PROVIDED, however, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement of (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Common Stock other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or the dividend
of the Rights, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of
such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above,
then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly
adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. If the Common Stock is
not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "Current Market Price" per
share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"Current Market Price" per share (or Fractional Share) of Preferred Stock
shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common
Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence
thereof). If the Current Market Price per share (or Fractional Share) of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if
the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner
described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "Current Market Price"
per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount
equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events
as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the
Common Stock
-19-
occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock
nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, Current
Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value
per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of a Fractional Share
of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share
of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment
in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; PROVIDED, however,
that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be
made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share
or to the nearest ten- thousandth of a Fractional Share of Preferred Stock, as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive in respect of such Right any shares of capital stock
other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so
receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock
contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m)
hereof, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect
to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a Fractional
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock 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.
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(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.
Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall
become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-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 record date for the adjustment,
and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record
date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day
thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least
10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates
have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date
Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment,
or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders
of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates
so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Fractional Share and the number of
Fractional Shares that were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, or the stated capital of
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock or of the number of shares of
Common Stock or other securities issuable upon exercise of a Right, the Company
shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable such number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock or such number
of shares of Common Stock or other securities at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any,
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issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior
to such adjustment; PROVIDED, however, that the Company shall deliver to such
holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right
to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities that by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11 hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall
not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
that there is an Acquiring Person, (i) consolidate with any other Person, (ii)
merge with or into or be acquired pursuant to a share exchange by any other
Person, or (iii) sell, lease or transfer (or permit one or more Subsidiaries to
sell, lease or transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons, if (x) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, lease or transfer there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities of the Company or any other
Person outstanding or agreements, arrangements or understandings in effect that
would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, lease or transfer, the
shareholders or other equity owners of the Person who constitutes, or would
constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall
have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of
its Affiliates or Associates, or (z) the identity, form or nature of
organization of the Principal Party (including, without limitation, the
selection of the Person that will be the Principal Party as a result of the
Company's entering into one or more consolidations, mergers, share exchanges,
sales, leases, transfers or transactions with more than one party) would
preclude or limit the exercise of Rights or otherwise diminish substantially or
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if the purpose of
such action is to, or if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will, diminish substantially or eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Notwithstanding Section 3(c) hereof or any other provision of
this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company shall at any time
after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date
(i) declare a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
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(iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares or (iv) otherwise reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction (the "Adjustment
Fraction") the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event. In lieu of such
adjustment in the number of Rights associated with one share of Common Stock,
the Company may elect to adjust the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of one Right and the Purchase Price. If the
Company makes such election, the number of Rights associated with one share of
Common Stock shall remain unchanged, and the number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of one Right and the Purchase Price
shall be proportionately adjusted so that (i) the number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Right following such adjustment
shall equal the product of the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon exercise of a Right immediately prior to such adjustment
multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction and (ii) the Purchase Price following such
adjustment shall equal the product of the Purchase Price immediately prior to
such adjustment multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13
hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to each registered holder of a certificate
representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS
OR EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, from and after the time an Acquiring Person
has become such, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, and the Company shall not be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any
Person shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation
or merger, or the Company shall be party to a share exchange, and, in connection
with such consolidation or merger or share exchange, all or part of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell, lease or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries
-23-
shall sell, lease or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of
related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company or any combination thereof in one or more transactions each of
which complies (and all of which together comply) with Section 11(o) hereof),
then, and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d)
hereof), proper provision shall be made so that: (i) the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event multiplied by the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first
occurrence; (ii) on and after the Distribution Date, each holder of a Right,
except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock of
the Company, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by 50% of the Current Market Price per
share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Flip-Over Event; PROVIDED that the Purchase Price and the number of shares
of Common Stock of such Principal Party issuable upon exercise of each Right
shall be further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events
occurring after the date of such first occurrence of a Triggering Event or after
the date of such Flip- Over Event, as applicable; (iii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-Over
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iv) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event; (v) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but
not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (vi) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the occurrence of
any Flip-Over Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person that is the issuer of
any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation or share exchange, or, if there
is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common Stock of which has the
greatest aggregate market value, or (B) if no securities are so issued,
(x) the Person that survives such consolidation or is the other party to
the merger and survives such merger, or, if there is more than one such
Person, the Person the Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate
market value or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the merger
does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the merger
(including the Company if it survives); and
-24-
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant
to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to
such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets
or earning power so transferred, or if the Person receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, the Person
the Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market value;
PROVIDED, however, that in any such case, if the Common Stock of such Person is
not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and if (1) such Person
is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which
is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person; (2) such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Stocks of all of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons
that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set
forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having
an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both
or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain
shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as
their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such
interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any Flip-Over Event unless each
Principal Party (or Person that may become a Principal Party as a result of such
Flip-Over Event) shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its
Common Stock that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless
prior thereto the Company and each such Principal Party shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms
set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing
that, as soon as practicable after the date of such Flip-Over Event, the
Principal Party at its own expense will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities
Act with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act)
until the Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the "blue sky"
laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate;
(iii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the Principal
Party is or shall become listed on a national securities exchange, to list
(or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights on such securities exchange and, if the Common
Stock of the Principal Party shall not be listed on a national securities
-25-
exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights to be reported by NASDAQ or such other transaction reporting
system then in use; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Flip-Over Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Rights that
have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the
manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Permitted
Offer (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the
price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the
price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of Common Stock whose shares
were purchased pursuant to such Permitted Offer, and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates or scrip evidencing fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Closing Price
of one Right for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided in Section 7(c) hereof,
fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of Preferred Stock)
upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing
fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided in Section
7(c) hereof, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of
Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in
integral multiples of a Fractional Share of Preferred Stock may, at the election
of the Company in its sole discretion, 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 shares of Preferred Stock
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of
Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of a Fractional Share of
Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the
-26-
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of one
one-hundredth of the Closing Price of a share of Preferred Stock for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the Closing Price of one share of Common Stock for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant
to Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Stock) and, where applicable, the Company; and any registered
holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any
other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
After a Triggering Event, holders of Rights shall be entitled to recover the
reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by them in
any action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that it accepts the terms and conditions of
this Agreement and the Rights Certificates and, without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be evidenced
by Rights Certificates and will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates will be
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument
-27-
of transfer and with the form of assignment set forth on the reverse side
thereof and the certificate contained therein duly completed and fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of Fractional
Shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at any
time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer
upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other reasonable disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
-28-
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other
paper or document believed by it, after proper inquiry or examination, to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, guaranteed, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; PROVIDED, however, that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the
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identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of "Current Market
Price") be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President,
any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. 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 action.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt of actual knowledge 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 Stock or Common Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of
Preferred Stock or Common Stock or other securities will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties,
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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.
(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, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act,
omission, default, neglect or misconduct; PROVIDED, however, that reasonable
care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
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 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the registered holders, if any, of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent (with or without cause) upon 30 days' notice in writing,
mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, by registered
or certified mail, and to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates, if
any, by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or
shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a
successor to the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 21, in no event shall the resignation or removal of a Rights Agent be
effective until a successor Rights Agent shall have been appointed and have
accepted such appointment. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment
within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the registered holder of a Rights Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by
the Company), then the
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Rights Agent or the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United
States so long as such corporation is authorized to conduct a stock transfer or
corporate trust business in the State of New York), in good standing, which is
authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers
and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and
which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation described
in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent
shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if
it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but
the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to
shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement granted or awarded on or prior
to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities issued by the Company on or prior to the Distribution Date, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; PROVIDED, however,
that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day
following the first date of public announcement of the occurrence of a Flip-In
Event (or, if such date shall have occurred prior to the
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Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day following the Record Date)
and (ii) the Expiration Date, cause the Company to redeem all but not less than
all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, as
such amount may be appropriately adjusted, if necessary, to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"); PROVIDED, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company
authorizes redemption of the Rights after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, the Rights may be redeemed only if (A) there is at least one Continuing
Director then in office and (B) the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of
a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office, determines that such
redemption is, in their judgment, in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a
Flip-In Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has
expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price of the Common Stock at
the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by
the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (the
effectiveness of which action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or
more events or on the existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some
future time), evidence of which shall be filed with the Rights Agent and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the
effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of
the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice
to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Company for the Common Stock. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) If there is at least one Continuing Director then in office, the
Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office, may, at its option, at any time and from
time to time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares
of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or any combination thereof, at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or such number of Common Stock
Equivalents or units representing fractions thereof as would be deemed to have
the same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right, appropriately adjusted,
if necessary, to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors may not effect such exchange at any time after (i) any
Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all
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Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (ii) the occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to and in
accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 24 (the effectiveness of which
action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or more events or on the
existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some future time) and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock and/or Common Stock
Equivalents 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 registered 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 shares of Common
Stock and/or Common Stock Equivalents for Rights will be effected and, in the
event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights that will be exchanged. Any
partial exchange shall be effected as nearly pro rata as possible based on the
number of Rights (other than Rights that have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock that are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not
sufficient to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 24, the Company may, at its option, take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the value of a whole share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 24, the value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be
the Closing Price per share of Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24, and the value of any
Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common
Stock on such date.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock
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rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with any other Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale,
lease or other transfer of all or substantially all the Company's assets to any
other Person or Persons (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to be acquired
pursuant to a share exchange, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to
each holder of record of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, lease, transfer, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take
place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of
Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so
given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20
days prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least 20 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier. The failure to give notice required by this
Section 25 or any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of
the action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.
(b) In case any Flip-In Event or Flip-Over Event shall occur, then
(i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution Date,
the registered holders of Common Stock), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Pride International, Inc.
0000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
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American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-
class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Except as provided in the
last sentence of this Section 27, at any time when the Rights are then
redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of
this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights or
holders of Common Stock. At any time when the Rights are not redeemable, except
as provided in the last sentence of this Section 27, the Company may and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order (i) to cure any
ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may
be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten
or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the
provisions hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or
desirable; PROVIDED that no such amendment or supplement shall materially
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); and FURTHER
PROVIDED that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended pursuant to this
sentence to lengthen (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be
redeemed or (B) any other time period unless the lengthening of such other time
period is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of,
and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other than any Acquiring Person
and its Affiliates and Associates). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment; PROVIDED, however, that the Rights
Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplement or
amendment that affects the Rights Agent's own rights, duties or immunities under
this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, (1) at any time after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
this Agreement may be supplemented or amended only if (A) there is at least one
Continuing Director then in office and (B) the Board of Directors, with the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office, determines
that such supplement or amendment is, in their judgment, in the best interests
of the Company and its shareholders, and (2) no supplement or amendment shall be
made that decreases the Redemption Price.
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.
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Section 29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
ETC. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. The Board of
Directors of the Company (or, as set forth herein, certain specified members
thereof and, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors) shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board
of Directors of the Company (with, where specifically provided for herein, the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x)
be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders
of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors (or the Continuing Directors) to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring that a determination
be made by less than the entire Board of Directors of the Company is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the entire Board of
Directors of the Company.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Louisiana and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
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Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
/s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXXX By /s/ XXXX X. XXXXXX
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Xxxx X. XxXxxx
Vice President and Secretary Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
& TRUST COMPANY
/s/ XXXXX XXXXXX By /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXX
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Assistant Secretary Vice President
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO
RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT ss. STATE OF TEXAS
TO ss.
RESTATED ARTICLES OF ss. COUNTY OF XXXXXX
INCORPORATION ss.
OF ss. CITY OF HOUSTON
PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC. ss.
BE IT KNOWN, That on this ___ day of September, 1998,
BEFORE ME,_______________, a Notary Public, duly commissioned and
qualified in and for the County of Xxxxxx, State of Texas, and in the presence
of the witnesses hereinafter named and undersigned:
PERSONALLY CAME AND APPEARED:
________________ and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, appearing herein and acting
for Pride International, Inc. (of which Corporation they are, respectively,
________ and Secretary), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of
the State of Louisiana, domiciled in the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana,
organized by Articles of Incorporation effective May 3, 1988, which Articles, as
amended, were restated pursuant to Restated Articles of Incorporation effective
August 31, 1988, who declared that pursuant to Section 24B(6) and 33A of the
Louisiana Business Corporation Law, Article III.B of the Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation, and resolutions of the Board of Directors of
the Corporation adopted at a special meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation held on September 9, 1998, they now appear for the purpose of
executing this act of amendment and putting into authentic form the amendment so
adopted by the Board of Directors of said Corporation.
AND THE SAID APPEARERS further declare that by vote of the Board of
Directors of said Corporation, it was resolved that Article III of the Restated
Articles of Incorporation of Pride International, Inc. be further amended to add
as a new paragraph C of Article III the following:
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C. Of the aforesaid 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock,
1,000,000 shares shall constitute a separate series of preferred shares
designated "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock." The preferences,
limitations and relative rights of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock are as follows:
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
1. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in
preference to the holders of shares of any class or series of stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 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 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $1 or (b) the Adjustment Number (as defined below) times the aggregate
per share amount of all cash dividends, and the Adjustment Number times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, no par value, of the Corporation (the
"Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first
issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock. The "Adjustment Number" shall initially be 100. In the event
the Corporation shall at any time after September 9, 1998 (the "Rights
Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on
such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
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(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares
is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue
of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which
events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-
by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
2. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall entitle the holder thereof to a number of votes equal to the Adjustment
Number on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the
Corporation.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Articles of
Incorporation or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of any other class or series entitled to
vote with the Common Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the
Corporation.
(C)(i)If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly
dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the beginning
of a period (herein called a "default period") that shall extend until such time
when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend
periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been declared
and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, (1) the number of
Directors shall be increased by two, effective as of the time of election of
such Directors as herein provided, and (2) the holders of Preferred Stock
(including holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock) upon
which these or like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (the
"Voting Preferred Stock") with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to six
quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series, shall
have the right to elect such two Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a
special meeting called pursuant to
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subparagraph (iii) of this Section 2(C) or at any annual meeting of
shareholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of shareholders, provided that
such voting right shall not be exercised unless the holders of at least
one-third in number of the shares of Voting Preferred Stock outstanding shall be
present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common
Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Voting Preferred Stock of
such voting right.
(iii) Unless the holders of Voting Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to elect
Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any shareholder or shareholders
owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent of the total number of shares
of Voting Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request, the
calling of a special meeting of the holders of Voting Preferred Stock, which
meeting shall thereupon be called by the Chairman of the Board, the President, a
Vice President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and
of any annual meeting at which holders of Voting Preferred Stock are entitled to
vote pursuant to this paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record
of Voting Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last
address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall
be called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not later than 60 days after
such order or request or, in default of the calling of such meeting within 60
days after such order or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice
by any shareholder or shareholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten
percent of the total number of shares of Voting Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), no such special
meeting shall be called during the period within 60 days immediately preceding
the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the shareholders.
(iv) In any default period, after the holders of Voting Preferred
Stock shall have exercised their right to elect Directors voting as a class, (x)
the Directors so elected by the holders of Voting Preferred Stock shall continue
in office until their successors shall have been elected by such holders or
until the expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of
Directors may be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining Directors
theretofore elected by the holders of the class or classes of stock which
elected the Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in this
paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class or
classes of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to fill
vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the
right of the holders of Voting Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors
shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Voting
Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate and (z) the number of Directors shall
be such number as may be provided for in the Restated Articles of Incorporation
or By-Laws irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of
paragraph (C) of this Section 2 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the Restated Articles of
Incorporation or By-Laws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by
the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by
a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent
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they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.
3. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 1 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity
stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the
total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer
made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, or to all such holders and the holders of any such shares ranking
on a parity therewith, upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative
rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among
the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 3, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
4. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
A-5
5. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
$100 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the
"Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of
the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made
to the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) the Adjustment Number.
Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference
and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common
Stock shall, subject to the prior rights of all other series of Preferred Stock,
if any, ranking prior thereto, receive their ratable and proportionate share of
the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to
1 with respect to such Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, that
rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then
such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or
with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other
corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section
5, but the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all the
Corporation's assets shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 5.
6. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination, share exchange 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment
Number 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.
A-6
7. REDEMPTION. (A) The Corporation, at its option, may redeem shares
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in whole at any time and in
part from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the Adjustment Number
times the current per share market price (as such term is hereinafter defined)
of the Common Stock on the date of the mailing of the notice of redemption,
together with unpaid accumulated dividends to the date of such redemption. The
"current per share market price" on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the closing price per share of such Common Stock for the ten consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such
date; PROVIDED, however, that in the event that the current per share market
price of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the
announcement of (A) a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock and the ex-dividend date for such dividend
or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of such ten
Trading Day period, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The
closing price for each day shall be the last sales 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
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading,
or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange but sales price information is reported for such security,
as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other self-regulatory organization or
registered securities information processor (as such terms are used under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that then reports information
concerning the Common Stock, or, if sales price information is not so reported,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market
on such day, as reported by NASDAQ or such other entity, or, if on any such date
the Common Stock is not quoted by any such entity, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. If on
any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the
fair value of the Common Stock on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used. The term "Trading Day"
shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which
the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business, or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange but is quoted by NASDAQ, a day on which NASDAQ
reports trades, or, if the Common Stock is not so quoted, a Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions in the State of New
York are not authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(B) In the event that fewer than all the outstanding shares of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number of
shares to be redeemed shall be determined by the Board of Directors and the
shares to be redeemed shall be determined by lot or pro rata as may be
determined by the Board of Directors or by any other method that may be
determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion to be equitable.
A-7
(C) Notice of any such redemption shall be given by mailing to the
holders of the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock to be
redeemed a notice of such redemption, first class postage prepaid, not later
than the fifteenth day and not earlier than the sixtieth day before the date
fixed for redemption, at their last address as the same shall appear upon the
books of the Corporation. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date;
(ii) the number of shares to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held
by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from
such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where
certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption
price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue
on the close of business on such redemption date. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly
given, whether or not the shareholder received such notice, and failure duly to
give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice, to any holder of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall not affect the validity of the
proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock that are to be redeemed. On or after the date
fixed for redemption as stated in such notice, each holder of the shares called
for redemption shall surrender the certificate evidencing such shares to the
Corporation at the place designated in such notice and shall thereupon be
entitled to receive payment of the redemption price. If fewer than all the
shares represented by any such surrendered certificate are redeemed, a new
certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares.
(D) The shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall not be subject to the operation of any purchase, retirement or sinking
fund.
8. RANKING. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock
as to such matters.
9. AMENDMENT. At any time that any shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.
10. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
A-8
APPEARERS further stated that all of the shares of the Corporation
have no par value; that the Corporation is authorized to issue 105,000,000
shares, of which 100,000,000 are common shares and 5,000,000 are preferred
shares; that of the preferred shares, no shares have been designated as shares
of any series; and that the Board of Directors of the Corporation has the
authority to amend the Articles to fix the preferences, limitations, and
relative rights of the shares of Preferred Stock, and to establish, and fix
variations in the preferences, limitations and relative rights as between
different series of Preferred Stock, all as more fully set out in Article III of
the Restated Articles of Incorporation.
AND SAID APPEARERS having requested me, Notary, to note said
amendment in authentic form, I do by these presents receive said amendment in
the form of this public act to the end that said amendment may be promulgated
and recorded and thus be read into the Restated Articles of Incorporation of
Pride International, Inc., as hereinabove set forth.
THUS DONE AND PASSED, in my office at Houston, Xxxxxx County, State
of Texas, on the day, month and year first above written, in the presence of the
undersigned competent witnesses, who hereunto sign their names with the said
appearers and me, Notary, after a due reading of the whole.
PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By: __________________________
By: __________________________
WITNESSES:
___________________________
___________________________
_____________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
A-9
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY
THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY,
AT $0.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR
TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO
LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
This certifies that _____________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 9, 1998 as it may from time to time
be supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between Pride
International, Inc., a Louisiana corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a national banking association (the "Rights Agent"),
to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time)
on September 9, 2008 at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable share (a "Fractional Share") of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the
Company, at a purchase price of $50 per one one-hundredth of a share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate set forth on the
reverse hereof duly executed. The Purchase Price may be paid in cash or by
certified check, cashier's or official bank check or bank draft payable to the
order of the Company or the Rights Agent. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per Fractional Share
set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of September 9, 1998,
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves
the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
B-1
From and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such
term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring Person
or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, concurrently with or after such
transfer, became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, such Rights shall, with certain exceptions, become null and
void in the circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, and no holder
hereof shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights from and
after the occurrence of such Triggering Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or assets that
may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of
certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock as the
Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered
shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights
not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, payable, at the election of the
Company, in cash or shares of Common Stock or such other consideration as the
Board of Directors may determine, at any time prior to the earlier of the close
of business on (a) the tenth day following the first public announcement of the
occurrence of a Flip- In Event (as such time period may be extended or shortened
pursuant to the Rights Agreement) and (b) the Expiration Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part
for shares of the Company's Common Stock, no par value, and/or other equity
securities of the Company deemed to have the same value as shares of Common
Stock, at any time prior to a person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or
more of the shares of Common Stock
B-2
outstanding or the occurrence of a Flip-Over Event. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem the Rights shall
require the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be issued
upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than, except as
set forth above, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of
Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company that may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-3
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of September 30, 1998
ATTEST: PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
________________________ By ________________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By ________________________________
Authorized Signature
B-4
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
transfer any Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_________ Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, together with all right,
title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
__________________ Attorney, to transfer the said Rights on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________________, 199__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
B-5
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or
was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or indirect
transferee of an Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, 199__ ________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares (or other
securities) be issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________, 199__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
B-7
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or indirect transferee of an
Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, 199__ _________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-8
EXHIBIT C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF, WILL BECOME NULL AND
VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On September 9, 1998, the Board of Directors of Pride International,
Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one right to purchase preferred
stock ("Right") for each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock, no par
value ("Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the close of business on
September 30, 1998. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from
the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Fractional
Share") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the
"Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price of $50 per Fractional Share, subject to
adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights are
set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of September 9, 1998 as it may from
time to time be supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates
representing outstanding shares of Common Stock, and no separate certificates
for the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be distributed. The Rights will
separate from the Common Stock and a "Distribution Date" will occur, with
certain exceptions, upon the earlier of (i) ten days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more (20% or more with respect to specified existing
shareholders of the Company) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the date
of the announcement being the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten business
days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person. In certain circumstances, the
Distribution Date may be deferred by the Board of Directors. Certain inadvertent
acquisitions will not result in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person if the
person promptly divests itself of sufficient Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date, (a) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates (together with a copy of this Summary of Rights or bearing the
notation referred to below) and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (b) new Common Stock certificates issued after
September 30, 1998 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (c) the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Stock
(with or without a copy of this Summary of Rights) will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on September 9, 2008, unless earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company as described below.
C-1
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date and, from and after the Distribution Date,
the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. All shares of
Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
Shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date in connection with
certain employee benefit plans or upon conversion of certain securities will be
issued with Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, no
other shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date will be issued
with Rights.
In the event (a "Flip-In Event") that a person becomes an Acquiring
Person (except pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding shares
of Common Stock at a price and on terms that a majority of the independent
Continuing Directors (as hereinafter defined) determines to be fair to and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders (a
"Permitted Offer")), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise of such Right, a number of shares of Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a Current Market Price (as defined in the Rights Agreement) equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the
occurrence of any Triggering Event, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by or
transferred to an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) will be null
and void in the circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. However, Rights
are not exercisable following the occurrence of any Flip-In Event until such
time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $50 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following an event
set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $100
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above), based upon its
then Current Market Price, for $50. Assuming that the Common Stock had a Current
Market Price of $12.50 per share at such time, the holder of each valid Right
would be entitled to purchase eight shares of Common Stock for $50.
In the event (a "Flip-Over Event") that, at any time from and after
the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, (i) the Company is acquired in a
merger or other business combination transaction (other than certain mergers
that follow a Permitted Offer), or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights that
are voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company having a
Current Market Price equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Flip-In
Events and Flip-Over Events are collectively referred to as "Triggering Events."
The number of outstanding Rights associated with a share of Common
Stock, or the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of a Right and the Purchase Price, are subject to adjustment in the
event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification
of, the Common Stock occurring prior to the Distribution Date. The Purchase
Price payable, and the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock or other
securities or property
C-2
issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to
time to prevent dilution in the event of certain transactions affecting the
Preferred Stock.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples
of a Fractional Share are required to be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise. Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
At any time until ten days following the first date of public
announcement of the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right, payable, at the
option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other
consideration as the Board of Directors may determine. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem shall
require the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors. Immediately
upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, who (a) is a "Continuing Director" as defined in
Article VI.A of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation and (b) is not
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a
nominee or representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, if (i) such Person was a member of the Board of Directors of the
Company prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) such
Person's nomination for election or election to the Board of Directors of the
Company is recommended or approved by a majority of the then Continuing
Directors then in office, either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy
statement issued by the Company on behalf of the Board of Directors in which
such person is named as a proposed nominee for director.
At any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event and prior to a
person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding or the occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, the Company (with
the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors) may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person or an affiliate or an
associate of an Acquiring Person, which will have become void), in whole or in
part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, and/or other equity
securities deemed to have the same value as one share of Common Stock, per
Right, subject to adjustment.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have
no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
should not be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
C-3
Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for the common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above or
are exchanged as provided in the preceding paragraph.
Other than the redemption price, any of the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company (in certain
circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) as long as the
Rights are redeemable. Thereafter, the provisions of the Rights Agreement other
than the redemption price may be amended by the Board of Directors (in certain
circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in order to
cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes that do not
materially adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period
under the Rights Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no amendment to lengthen the
time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are
not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of
the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary
description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein
by reference.
C-4
