EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC RIGHTS AGREEMENT Dated as of April 7, 2006
EXHIBIT 1.1
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
AND
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
Dated as of April 7, 2006
This Agreement is dated as of April 7, 2006, between Emisphere Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on April 10, 2006, (the “Record Date”), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any 2005 Special Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter defined). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person’ far any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary and for purposes of this definition, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) “Book Value,” when used with reference to Common Shares issued by any Person, shall mean the amount of equity of such Person applicable to each Common Share, determined (i) in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect on the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined, (ii) using all the consolidated assets and all the consolidated liabilities of such Person on the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined, except that no value shall be included in such assets for goodwill arising from consummation of a business combination, and (iii) after giving effect to (A) the exercise of all rights, options and warrants to purchase such Common Shares (other than the Rights), and the conversion of all securities convertible into such Common Shares, at an exercise or conversion price, per Common Share, which is less than such Book Value before giving effect to such exercise or conversion (whether or not exercisability or convertibility is conditioned upon occurrence of a future event), (B) all dividends and other distributions on the capital stock of such Person declared prior to the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined and to be paid or made after such date, and (C) any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral), or transaction or other action prior to the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined which would have the effect of thereafter reducing such Book Value.
(e) “Business Combination” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(a).
(f) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in New York or New Jersey are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) “Close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(h) “Common Shares” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(i) “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(j) “Final Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(k) “Major Part,” when used with reference to the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of any date, shall mean assets (i) having a fair market value aggregating 50% or more of the total fair market value of all the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as of the date in question, (ii) accounting for 50% or more of the total value (net of depreciation and amortization) of all the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would be shown on a consolidated or combined balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date in question, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles then in effect, or (iii) accounting for 50% or more of the total amount of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would he shown on, or derived from, a consolidated or combined statement of income of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period of 12 months ending on the last day of the Company’s monthly accounting period next preceding the date in question, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles then in effect.
(l) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, limited liability company or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(m) “Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations attached to this Agreement as EXHIBIT A.
(n) “Principal Party” shall mean the Surviving Person in a Business Combination; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if such Surviving Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of any other Person, “Principal Part” shall mean the Person which is the ultimate parent of such Surviving Person and which is not itself a Subsidiary of another Person. In the event ultimate control of such Surviving Person is shared by two or more Persons, “Principal Party” shall mean that Person that is immediately controlled by such two or more Persons.
(o) “Purchase Price” with respect to each Right shall mean $80, as such amount may from time to time be adjusted as provided herein, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America. All references herein to the Purchase Price shall mean the Purchase Price as in effect at the time in question.
(p) “Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.
(q) “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(r) “Registered Common Shares” shall mean Common Shares which are, as of the date of consummation of a Business Combination, and have continuously been for the 12 months immediately preceding such date, registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
(s) “Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(t) “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(u) “Surviving Person” shall mean (1) the Person which is the continuing or surviving Person in a consolidation or merger specified in Section 13(a)(i) or 13(a)(ii) or (2) the Person to which the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred or disposed of in a transaction specified in Section 13(a)(iii); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred or disposed of in one or more related transactions specified in Section13(a)(iii) to more than one Person, the “Surviving Person” in such case shall mean the Person that acquired assets of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries with the greatest fair market value in such transaction or transactions.
(v) “2005 Special Exempt Person” shall mean collectively, (i) MHR Institutional Partners II LP, MHR Institutional Partners IIA LP, MHR Capital Partners Master Account LP and MHR Capital Partners (100) LP (“MHR”), (ii) any Subsidiaries, Affiliates or Associates of MHR, and (iii) any Persons to whom shares of Common Stock of the Company are attributed due to their relationship with any Person described in the immediately preceding clauses (i) or (ii) (but only to the extent of such attribution).
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT.
The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or any 2005 Special Exempt Person) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant, to the terms of any such plan or any 2005 Special Exempt Person)) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof and provide the Rights Agent with the names and addresses of all record holders of Common Shares, and the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested and if provided with all necessary information, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company shall confirm the same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not occurred.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement shall not apply to, and the 2005 Special Exempt Person will not become an Acquiring Person upon, and no Distribution Date, Shares Acquisition Date or Business Combination will occur as a result of (i) the consummation or performance of the Investment and Exchange Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2005, by and between the Company and MHR, the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2005, by and between the Company and MHR Institutional Partners IIA LP, as amended, or any other document or instrument contemplated by or related to the 11% secured promissory note in the principal face amount of $15,000,000 (the “Original Note”) issued by the Company which, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, MHR converted into a Convertible Promissory Note of the Company (the “Convertible Note”), which may be converted into Common Shares (the “Conversion Shares”), pursuant to the terms thereof; (ii) the exchange by MHR of the Original Note for the Convertible Note; (iii) the issuance of the Conversion Shares upon the conversion of the Convertible Note; (iv) the issuance of any Common Shares upon the exercise by the 2005 Special Exempt Person of warrants to purchase Common Shares; or (v) the execution, announcement, performance or consummation of any transaction by the 2005 Special Exempt Person involving the Company or any of its securities.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of EXHIBIT C hereto (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them a legend in substantially the following form:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Emisphere Technologies, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services LLC dated as of April 7, 2006 (as 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 executive offices of Emisphere Technologies, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Emisphere Technologies, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificates a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefore. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as EXHIBIT B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect the rights, duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage, provided that such marks, legends, summaries and endorsements do not affect the rights, duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the “Purchase Price”), but the number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall he attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent; and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer. Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of all relevant information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES, MUTILATED, DESTROYED LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. The Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent. 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 properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificate, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company or the Rights Agent may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation under this Section 6 or any other similar provision of this Agreement unless and until it is satisfied that all such taxes and/or governmental charges have been paid in full. Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s or the Right Agent’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS, PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein (including Section 11), each Right shall entitle the registered holder thereof, upon exercise thereof as provided herein, to purchase for the Purchase Price, at any time after the Distribution Date and at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on April 7, 2016 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided herein.
(b) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or governmental charge required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares with a depositary agent under a depositary agreement, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when necessary to comply with this Agreement, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance 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 Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when necessary to comply with this Agreement, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 6 and Section 14 hereof.
(e) The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 calendar days after the Distribution Date, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights and permit such registration statement to become effective; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such suspension shall remain effective after, and the Rights shall without any further action by the Company or any other Person become exercisable immediately upon, the effectiveness of such registration statement. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof and issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended and shall promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof and issue a further public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or the exercise of the Rights shall not be permitted under applicable law.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all taxes and governmental charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or governmental charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax or governmental charge shall have been paid (any such tax or governmental charge being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s or the Rights Agent’s reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or governmental charge is due.
(b) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise or exchange of Rights in accordance with this Agreement, the Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon the exercise or exchange of Rights pursuant to this Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company is unable to cause the authorization of additional Preferred Shares, then the Company shall, or in lieu of seeking any such authorization, the Company may, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is a party, (A) upon surrender of a Right, pay cash equal to the Purchase Price in lieu of issuing Preferred Shares and requiring payment therefor, (B) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, issue equity securities having a value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to this Agreement, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company or (C) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, distribute a combination of Preferred Shares, cash and/or other equity and/or debt securities having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to this Agreement, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. To the extent that any legal or contractual restrictions (pursuant to agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is party) prevent the Company from paying the full amount payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Company shall pay to holders of the Rights as to which such payments are being made all amounts which are not then restricted on a pro rata basis as such payments become permissible under such legal or contractual restrictions until such payments have been paid in full.
(c) So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise or exchange of Rights are to be listed on any national securities exchange or included for quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”), the Company covenants and agrees to use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable or exchangeable, all Preferred Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such securities exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise or exchange or included on NASDAQ, as the case may be.
Section 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes and governmental charges) was made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not he entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS.
The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Shares 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; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a Preferred Share as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a Preferred Share for which a Right in then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company’s Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. As soon as practicable after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (provided the Company shall not have elected to make the exchange permitted by Section 24 for all outstanding Rights), the Company covenants and agrees to use its best efforts to: (I) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, on an appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights; (II) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing; (III) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date; and (IV) qualify or register the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate. In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, from and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement, No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be canceled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“equivalent preferred shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to but not including such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security”) for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to but not including such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after but not including the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i), multiplied by one hundred (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof). If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment, or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) if as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 8, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one 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 promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing and 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 Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right 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 Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing of such election and deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
(o) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no adjustment to the number of Preferred Shares (or fractions of a share) or other securities for which a Right is exercisable or the number of Rights outstanding or associated with each Common Share or any similar or other adjustment shall be made or be effective if such adjustment would have the effect of reducing or limiting the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such adjustment, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 13, unless the terms of this Agreement are amended so as to preserve such benefits.
(p) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, except as permitted by Section 27, it will not take (or permit any Subsidiary of the Company to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is intended or reasonably foreseeable that such action will reduce or otherwise limit the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 13. Any action taken by the Company during any period after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such action could be taken under this Section 11(p) from and after the Distribution Date. The Company shall not consummate any Business Combination if any issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised after such Business Combination in accordance with Section 13 shall have taken any action that reduces or otherwise limits the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 13.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made or any event affecting the Rights or their exercisability (including without limitation an event which causes Rights to become null and void) as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment or describing such event, and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts, computations and methodology accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment or statement contained therein, and shall have no duty or liability with respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment or any such event unless and until it shall have received such a certificate.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION. MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING POWER.
(a) (i) In the event that, following a Distribution Date, directly or indirectly, any transactions specified in the following clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of this Section 13(a) (each such transaction being a “Business Combination”) shall be consummated:
(ii) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person;
(iii) any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person shall merge with and into the Company and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for capital stock or other securities of the Company or of any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or cash or any other property; or
(iv) the Company shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose of (or one or more of the Subsidiaries shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose of), in one or more transactions, the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, then, in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 11(a)(ii), shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, the securities specified below (or, at such holder’s option, the securities specified in Section 11(a)(ii)):
| (a) | If the Principal Party in such Business Combination has Registered Common Shares outstanding, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, such number of Registered Common Shares of such Principal Party, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall have an aggregate current per share market price equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two; |
| (b) | If the Principal Party involved in such Business Combination does not have Registered Common Shares outstanding, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, at the election of the holder of such Right at the time of the exercise thereof, any of: |
(1) such number of Common Shares of the Surviving Person in such Business Combination as shall have an aggregate Book Value immediately after giving effect to such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two;
(2) such number of Common Shares of the Principal Party in such Business Combination (if the Principal Party is not also the Surviving Person in such Business Combination) as shall have an aggregate Book Value immediately after giving effect to such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two; or
(3) if the Principal Party in such Business Combination is an Affiliate of one or more Persons which has Registered Common Shares outstanding, such number of Registered Common Shares of whichever of such Affiliates of the Principal Party has Registered Common Shares with the greatest aggregate current per share market price on the date of consummation of such Business Combination as shall have an aggregate current per share market price on the date of such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two.
(b) The Company shall not consummate any Business Combination unless each issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised, as set forth in this Section 13, shall have sufficient authorized Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved for issuance (and which shall, when issued upon exercise thereof in accordance with this Rights Agreement, he validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or any other restrictions or limitations on the transfer or ownership thereof) to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto:
(i) a registration statement under the Securities Act on an appropriate form, with respect to the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, shall he effective under the Securities Act; and
(ii) the Company and each such issuer shall have:
| (1) | executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the assumption by such issuer of the obligations set forth in this Section 13 (including the obligation of such issuer to issue Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the terms set forth in Sections 13(a) and 13(c) and further providing that such issuer, at its own expense, will use its best efforts to: |
| (2) | cause a registration statement under the Securities Act on an appropriate form, with respect to the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date; |
| (3) | qualify or register the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and |
| (4) | list the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on each national securities exchange on which the Common Shares were listed prior to the consummation of the Business Combination or, if the Common Shares were not listed on a national securities exchange prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, on a national securities exchange; |
| (5) | furnished to the Rights Agent a written opinion of independent counsel stating that such supplemental agreement is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of such issuer; and |
| (6) | filed with the Rights Agent a certificate of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants setting forth the number of Common Shares of such issuer which may be purchased upon the exercise of each Right after the consummation of such Business Combination. |
(c) After consummation of any Business Combination and subject to the provisions of Section 13(b), (i) each issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised as set forth in this Section 13 shall be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Business Combination, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Rights Agreement, (ii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer, (iii) each such issuer shall take such steps in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof (including the provisions of Sections 11(a) and 13(a)) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights, and (iv) the number of Common Shares of each such issuer thereafter receivable upon exercise of arty Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions of Sections 11 and 13 and the provisions of Sections 7, 9 and 10 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on like terms to any such Common Shares.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable; provided, however, that if the Rights are not then publicly traded, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; PROVIDED that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise,
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
(d) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such payment and the prices and/or formulas utilized in calculating such payments, and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon such a certificate and shall have no duty with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent shall have received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION.
(a) All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent herein, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), 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 Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach by the Company of this Agreement and will he entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations by the Company of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
(b) Any holder of Rights who prevails in an action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in such action.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS.
Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate 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.
(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, judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) 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, that the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as reasonably practicable.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, administration, execution and amendment 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, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement or in the exercise or performance of its duties hereunder. The indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the termination and the expiration of the Rights. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. The Rights Agent shall be authorized to rely on, shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, the acceptance and administration of this Agreement or in the exercise or performance of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to he genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, PROVIDED, that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement. In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT.
The Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and obligations, and only the duties and obligations, expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company or an employee of the Rights Agent), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in the absence of bad faith in accordance with such advice or 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 be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction). Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but no limited to, lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability for, nor shall it be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except, with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and such advice or instructions shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for such instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, member, Affiliate, 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 the Rights Agent were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent or any such Stockholder affiliate, director, officer or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(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 (through its directors, officers and employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or any other Person resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct (which gross negligence or willful misconduct must be determined by a final non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction) 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 it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured it.
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 Shares or Preferred Shares known to the Rights Agent, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent 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 Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right 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 Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States in good standing and 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 $50 million, or (b) an Affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided far 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 ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company, and (b) may, in another case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) no such Right 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 Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Right 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.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the close of business an the earlier of (i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23, 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. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for consideration per Right consisting of one-half of the securities that would be issuable at such time upon the exercise of one Right in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) or, if applicable, Section 9(b) (the consideration issuable per Right pursuant to this Section 24(a) being the “Exchange Consideration”). The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, issue, in substitution for Preferred Shares, Common Shares in an amount equal to the number of Preferred Shares multiplied by one hundred (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration in exchange for each such Right held by such holder. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent and give public notice of any such exchange (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Rights for the Exchange Consideration will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph (c), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent and each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. NOTICES.
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Emisphere Technologies, Inc.
000 Xxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx — 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Relationship Manager
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
with a copy to:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS.
At any time prior to the Distribution Date, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, the date on which the Distribution Date shall occur, the time during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 23 or any provision of the Certificate of Designation) without the approval of any holder of the Rights, PROVIDED, such supplement or amendment does not, without the consent of the Rights Agent, change or increase the Rights Agent’s duties, liabilities or obligations hereunder; PROVIDED, FURTHER, such supplement or amendment does not, without the consent of the 2005 Special Exempt Person, alter or diminish the rights of the 2005 Special Exempt Person. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to applicable law, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, amend this Rights Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision of this Rights Agreement or (ii) to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), PROVIDED, such supplement or amendment does not, without the consent of the Rights Agent, change or increase the Rights Agent’s duties, liabilities or obligations hereunder. Prior to signing any such amendments, the Company shall provide the Rights Agent with a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company stating that the proposed amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27. Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such supplement or amendment could have been adopted under the prior sentence from and after the Distribution Date. Any supplement or amendment to this Rights Agreement duly approved by the Company that does not amend Section 18, 19, 20 or 21 in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent shall become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the Rights Agent.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS.
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
(a) Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent, the 2005 Special Exempt Person and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
(b) Except as explicitly otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company 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 and a determination of whether there is an Acquiring Person).
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in derogation of the obligation of the Board of Directors of the Company to exercise its fiduciary duty. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be entitled to reject any tender offer, or to recommend that holders of Common Shares reject any tender offer, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, defense or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or alternative offers or other proposals) with respect to any tender offer that the Board of Directors of the Company believes is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of such fiduciary duty.
Section 30. SEVERABILITY.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS.
Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. TERMINATION.
Notwithstanding anything in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, prior to such time as there is an Acquiring Person the Board of Directors of the Company may approve entering into an agreement providing for a merger of the Company with another Person, which agreement may provide that upon the consummation of such merger the Rights shall be canceled and shall terminate; should the Board of Directors of the Company give such approval and should the Company enter into such an agreement, the Rights shall be canceled and terminated upon consummation of such merger without any further action and without any notice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this amended and restated Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Attest: By: _/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
By: _/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
Attest: By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
By: _/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President
EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK
of
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
Emisphere Technologies, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation duly held on April 4, 2006:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors of the Corporation hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
| Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock: |
||
Section 1.
|
DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. | |
The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”). The number of shares initially constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 200,000; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if more than a total of 200,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the “Right”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated as of April 7, 2006, between the Corporation and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agreement”), the Board of Directors of the Corporation, pursuant to Section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, providing for the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon exercise of such Rights. Such number of shares may he decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation; PROVIDED, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $.0l per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); 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 Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof, and shall be the same as the record date for any corresponding dividend or distribution on the Common Stock.
(D) So long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, no dividends or other distributions shall be declared, paid or distributed, or set aside for payment or distribution, on the Common Stock unless, in each case, the dividend required by this Section 2 to be declared on the Series A Preferred Stock shall have been declared.
(E) The holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions except as provided herein.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS.
The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock), then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends (whether or not consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A Preferred Stock are in default, the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two. In addition to voting together with the holders of Common Stock for the election of other directors of the Corporation, the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled at said meeting of stockholders (and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders), unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for payment prior thereto, to vote for the election of two directors of the Corporation, the holders of any Series A Preferred Stock being entitled to cast that number of votes per share of Series A Preferred Stock as specified in clause (A) of this Section 3. Until the default in payments of all dividends which permitted the election of said directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall have been so elected pursuant to the next preceding sentence may be removed at any time, either with or without cause, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of any such director at a special meeting of such holders called for that purpose, and any vacancy thereby created may be filled by the vote of such holders. If and when such default shall cease to exist, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be divested of the foregoing special voting rights, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent like default in payments of dividends. Upon the termination of the foregoing special voting rights, the terms of office of all persons who may have been elected directors pursuant to said special voting rights shall forthwith terminate, and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be reduced by two. The voting rights granted by this Section 3(C) shall be in addition to any other voting rights granted to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock in this Section 3.
(D) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES.
Any shares of Series A 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 subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.
Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A 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, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC
In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the 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. In the event both this Section 7 and Section 2 appear to apply to a transaction, this Section 7 shall control.
Section 8. NO REDEMPTION.
The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable; provided, however, that the Corporation may purchase or otherwise acquire outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the open market or by offer to any holder or holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 9. RANK.
The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, unless the Board of Directors shall specifically determine otherwise in fixing the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.
Section 10. FRACTIONAL SHARES.
The Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon exercise of the Rights issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to receive dividends, exercise voting rights, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares, the Corporation, prior to the first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, may elect (1) to make a cash payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one one-hundredths (1/100ths) of a share or any integral multiple thereof or (2) to issue depository receipts evidencing such authorized fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Corporation and a depository selected by the Corporation; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depository receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as holders of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 11. AMENDMENT.
The Certificate 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 Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chief Executive Officer and attested by its Secretary this day of April, 2006.
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Attest:
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER APRIL 7, 2016 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, 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 April 7, 2006, the “Rights Agreement”), between Emisphere Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Mellon Investor Services LLC (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on April 7, 2016 at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.0l per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $80 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number and kind of shares which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and kind of shares and Purchase Price as of April 7, 2006, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
If the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate arc at any time beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such Rights shall be null and void and nontransferable and the holder of any such Right (including any purported transferee or subsequent holder) shall not have any right to exercise or transfer any such Right.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred Sharps or shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of , 2006.
ATTEST:
EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By
Countersigned:
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
By
Authorized Officer
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer Association (“STA”) recognized signature program.
— —
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate)
To: EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated:
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer Association (“STA”) recognized signature program.
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate – continued
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are riot beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature
NOTICE The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or ate Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES
On April 4, 2006, the Board of Directors of Emisphere Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend was paid on April 10, 2006 (the “Record Date”) to the stockholders of record at the close of business on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company at a price of $80 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (as amended and restated, the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) have acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on April 7, 2016 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Right are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares with a conversion price less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares’ dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall he made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company’s Common Shares.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, for consideration consisting of one-half the securities of the Company that would be issuable at such time upon exercise of one Right.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a Person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The Redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after a Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. A copy of this Rights Amendment, dated April 7, 2006, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated April 10, 2006. 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 hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Section 1. CERTAIN |
DEFINITIONS 1 |
|||||||||||||||
Section 2. |
APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT |
4 | ||||||||||||||
Section 3. |
ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES |
5 | ||||||||||||||
Section 4. |
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES |
6 | ||||||||||||||
Section 5. |
COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION |
6 | ||||||||||||||
| Section 6. | TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES, MUTILATED, DESTROYED LOST OR STOLEN |
6 | ||||||||||||||
| RIGHT CERTIFICATES |
||||||||||||||||
Section 7. |
EXERCISE OF RIGHTS, PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS |
7 | ||||||||||||||
Section 8. |
CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES |
8 | ||||||||||||||
Section 9. |
AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES |
9 | ||||||||||||||
Section 10. |
PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE |
10 | ||||||||||||||
Section 11. |
ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS10 |
|||||||||||||||
Section 12. |
CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES |
16 | ||||||||||||||
Section 13. |
CONSOLIDATION. MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING POWER |
16 | ||||||||||||||
Section 14. |
FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES. |
19 | ||||||||||||||
Section 15. |
RIGHTS OF ACTION. |
20 | ||||||||||||||
Section 16. |
AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. |
21 | ||||||||||||||
Section 17. |
RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. |
21 | ||||||||||||||
Section 18. |
CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. |
22 | ||||||||||||||
Section 19. |
MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT. |
22 | ||||||||||||||
Section 20. |
DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. |
23 | ||||||||||||||
Section 21. |
CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. |
25 | ||||||||||||||
Section 22. |
ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. |
25 | ||||||||||||||
Section 23. |
REDEMPTION. |
26 | ||||||||||||||
Section 24. |
EXCHANGE. |
26 | ||||||||||||||
Section 25. |
NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. |
27 | ||||||||||||||
Section 26. |
NOTICES |
28 | ||||||||||||||
Section 27. |
SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. |
28 | ||||||||||||||
Section 28. |
SUCCESSORS |
29 | ||||||||||||||
Section 29. |
BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT |
29 | ||||||||||||||
Section 30. |
SEVERABILITY |
30 | ||||||||||||||
Section 31. |
GOVERNING LAW. |
30 | ||||||||||||||
Section 32. |
COUNTERPARTS |
30 | ||||||||||||||
Section 33. |
DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. |
30 | ||||||||||||||
Section 34. |
TERMINATION. |
30 | ||||||||||||||
