EXHIBIT 5
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THERATX, INCORPORATED
AND
U.S. STOCK TRANSFER CORPORATION
RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 28, 1995
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
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Section 1. Certain Definitions........................................
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates................................
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.................................
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration..........................
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates...............................................
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Section 7. Rights.....................................................
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.........
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares...........................
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date...............................
Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Section 11. Rights.....................................................
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Section 13. Earning Power..............................................
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares....................
Section 15. Rights of Action...........................................
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.................................
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder..........
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent..
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.....................................
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.....................................
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.........................
Section 23. Redemption.................................................
Section 24. Exchange...................................................
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events...................................
Section 26. Notices....................................................
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.................................
Section 28. Successors.................................................
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.......
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.................................
Section 31. Severability...............................................
Section 32. Governing Law..............................................
Section 33. Counterparts...............................................
Section 34. Descriptive Headings.......................................
Exhibit A-- Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock of TheraTx, Incorporated
Exhibit B-- Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C-- Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
(i)
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Rights Agreement, dated as of July 28, 1995, between TheraTx, Incorporated,
a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation
(the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend
of one right (a "Right") for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company outstanding as of the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on
August 14, 1995 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-hundredth 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 or the Final Expiration Date (as
such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be
issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22.
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 who or which, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15%
or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, (ii) Warburg,
Xxxxxx Investors, L.P., together with all Affiliates and Associates
(collectively "Warburg"), but only to the extent that Warburg is the
Beneficial Owner of no more than 20% of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding, or (iii) any Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such Person, who or which would be an Acquiring Person solely by reason of
(A) being the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares, the Beneficial Ownership of
which was acquired by such Person (and the Affiliates and Associates of such
Person) pursuant to any action or transaction, or such series of related
actions or transactions approved by the Board of Directors and a majority of
the Continuing Directors prior to the earlier to occur of (1) the Distribution
Date or (2) any exchange made pursuant to Section 24 hereof, or (B), a
reduction in the number issued and outstanding Common Shares pursuant to a
transaction or series or related transactions approved by the Board of
Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors; provided further that in
the event that such Person described in clause (ii) or (iii) does not become
an Acquiring Person by reason of clause (ii) or (iii), such Person nonetheless
shall become an Acquiring Person in the event such Person, together with all
Affiliates and Associates, thereafter acquires Beneficial Ownership of any
additional Common Shares unless the acquisition of such Beneficial Ownership
would not result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person by reason of
clause (ii) or subclause (A) or (B) of clause (iii). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines (upon approval
by a majority of the Continuing Directors) in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), is eligible to file and did file a Schedule
13G and such Person divests (and/or causes such Person's Affiliates and/or
Associates to divest) as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common
Shares so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person as defined
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person
shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purpose 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
Exchange Act.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "Beneficially Own," and have "Beneficial Ownership" of, any securities:
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(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 or fulfillment of a condition or both)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, 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, (1)
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 (2)
securities which a Person or any Person's Affiliates or Associates may be
deemed to have the right to acquire pursuant to any merger or other
acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) if such agreement has been
approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, upon the affirmative
vote of a majority of the Continuing Directors, prior to there being an
Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote alone or in concert with others
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) other than by reference to a proxy or
consent solicitation being conducted by such Person; or
(iii) which are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, (x) 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, (y) for purposes of determining
Beneficial Ownership, officers and directors of the Company solely by reason
of their status as such shall not constitute a group (notwithstanding that
they may be Associates of one another or may be deemed to constitute a group
for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and shall not be deemed to
own shares owned by another officer or director of the Company.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of Georgia are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the first paragraph at the
beginning of this Agreement.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Atlanta,
Georgia time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Atlanta, Georgia time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall
mean the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, 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.
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(h) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "Continuing Director" shall mean any person who is a member of the Board
of Directors of the Company who, while such person is a member of the Board of
Directors, is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative, nominee or agent of an Acquiring Person
or of any such Affiliate or Associate, and who either (i) was a member of the
Board of Directors prior to the time that any Person became an Acquiring
Person or (ii) who subsequently became a member of the Board of Directors and
who, while such person is a member of the Board of Directors, is not an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a
representative, nominee or agent of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or such
Person's election to the Board of Directors is recommended or approved by a
majority of the Continuing Directors then on the Board of Directors.
(j) "Current Per Share Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.
(k) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iv).
(l) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(m) "Equivalent Preferred Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(n) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(o) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(p) "Issuer" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13 hereof.
(q) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(r) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Shares, par value $.001 per share, of the Company having the rights
and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation attached
to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(s) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof.
(t) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
at the beginning of this Agreement.
(u) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(v) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23
hereof.
(w) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph at the
beginning of this Agreement.
(x) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(y) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the first paragraph
at the beginning of this Agreement.
(z) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(aa) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the first date
of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange
Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become
such, or (ii) the
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date on which a majority of the Continuing Directors, in good faith, informs
the Company by written notice of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(bb) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iv) hereof.
(cc) "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.
(dd) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iv) hereof.
(ee) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(ff) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11 hereof.
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.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth Business Day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors (upon approval by a majority of
the Continuing Directors) prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any Person holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of
any Subsidiary of the Company or any Person holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% 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 will notify the
Rights Agent thereof 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, 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.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company or
the Rights Agent 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 on the Record
Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby.
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(c) Certificates issued 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 the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between TheraTx,
Incorporated and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation dated as of July 28,
1995 (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 TheraTx, Incorporated. 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. TheraTx, Incorporated will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, 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 cancelled 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 assignment, certification and election to purchase Preferred Shares to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange or transaction reporting system on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections
11 and 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.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its
Chairman of the Board, 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 be 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. 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.
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(b) Following the Distribution Date, 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.
(a) 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 (or other securities or property) as the
Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder
to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or
exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request
in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent with the form of
certification and assignment on the reverse side thereof duly endorsed (or
enclosed with such Rights Certificate a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Rights Agent), duly executed by the
registered holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and with
such signature duly guaranteed. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign
and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may
be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange
of Right Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and (in case of loss, theft or destruction) of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed
or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) 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 and certification 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 of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on July
27, 2005 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (iii) the
time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, or
(iv) the consummation of any merger or other acquisition involving the Company
pursuant to an agreement described in Section 1(c)(ii)(A)(2) hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be sixty dollars ($60),
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of certification and election
to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for
the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax
required to be
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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) requisition from a
depositary agent properly appointed by the Company 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 appropriate, 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 appropriate, after receipt,
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. In the case of a purchase of securities, other than Preferred
Shares, pursuant to Section 13 hereof, the Rights Agent shall promptly take
the appropriate actions corresponding in such case to that referred to in the
foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) of this Section 7(c). In the event that the
Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, and/or
distribute other property or consideration as provided for herein, the Company
shall make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, and/or
property or other consideration are available for distribution by the Rights
Agent, if and when appropriate.
(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 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise
as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the form of certification and election to purchase set
forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such
exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled 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 cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled 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 use its best efforts to
cause to be reserved and kept available out of and to the extent of its
authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock not reserved for another
purpose, or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury (and, following the
occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a), out of
its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities),
the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of any such
event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) If the Preferred Shares (or, following the occurrence of an event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a), the Common Shares and/or
other securities) are at any time listed on a national securities exchange or
included for quotation on any transaction reporting system, then so long as
the Preferred Shares (and,
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following the occurrence of any such event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a), the Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon exercise of the Rights may be listed on such exchange or
included for quotation on any such transaction reporting system, the Company
shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights
become exercisable (but only to the extent that it is reasonably likely that
the Rights will be exercised), all shares reserved for such issuance to be
listed on such exchange or included for quotation on any such transaction
reporting system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of an event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) in which the consideration to be delivered by
the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iv) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities or
(B) the date of expiration of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend,
for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause
(i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the
Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it
to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating, and notify the Rights Agent, that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement and notification to the Rights Agent at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. The Company will also take such action as
may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or
"blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of
the Rights. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction, unless the requisite
qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained, or an exemption
therefrom shall be available and until a registration statement has been
declared effective.
(d) 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.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect
of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or
the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the
Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
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 transfer
taxes) 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
8
other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be
entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as
provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number 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, such holder 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. If an
event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to any adjustment required
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that 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 multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-
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 (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.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of an event in which any Person shall become an
Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially owned by (A) an Acquiring Person
or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (B) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (C) a transferee of
an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such
and receives such Rights pursuant to either (1) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests
in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person
has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (2) a transfer which the Board of Directors, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, has determined is part
of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall become null and void
without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise. 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
9
Affiliate thereof or to any nominee or agent 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 cancelled. The Company shall
use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of
Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(iii) The right to buy Common Shares of the Company pursuant to
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (a) shall not arise if the event
causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person (A) is a consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer or similar transaction subject to Section 13 hereof,
or (B) is an acquisition of shares of Common Shares pursuant to a tender
offer or an exchange offer for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and
on terms determined by the Board of Directors and at least a majority of
the Continuing Directors, and after receiving advice from one or more
investment banking firms, to be (1) at a price which is fair to
stockholders (taking into account all factors which such members of the
Board of Directors deem relevant including, without limitation, prices
which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold
in an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (2) otherwise in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
(iv) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if the Board of Directors of the
Company, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors,
determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to
the interest of holders of Rights (and/or in the event that the number of
Common Shares which are authorized by the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights, or if any necessary regulatory approval for
such issuance has not been obtained by the Company), the Company shall: (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Common Shares issuable upon
the exercise of a Right (determined as provided in the last sentence of
this subclause (iv), hereinafter referred to as the "Current Value") over
(2) the Purchase Price (such excess being referred to as the "Spread") and
(B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for
such Common Shares, upon exercise of the Rights, (1) cash, (2) a reduction
in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares or units of shares of any series of
preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company, upon approval
by a majority of the Continuing Directors, has deemed to have the same
value as Common Shares (such shares or units of shares of preferred stock
are herein called "Common Stock Equivalents")), except to the extent that
the Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval for such
issuance, (4) debt securities of the Company, except to the extent that the
Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval for such
issuance, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value
has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, upon approval
by a majority of the Continuing Directors, based upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30)
days following the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii),
then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price,
Common Shares (to the extent available), except to the extent that the
Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval for such
issuance, and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an
aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, shall determine in good
faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights or that any
necessary regulatory approval for such issuance will be obtained, the
thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of an
event described in Section 11(a)(ii), in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares or
take action to obtain such regulatory approval (such period, as it may be
extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the
10
Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iv), the Company (x) shall
provide that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights
held by holders entitled to receive Common Shares or other securities or
property upon exercise of such Rights and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution
Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares, to take any
action to obtain any required regulatory approval and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence
and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect
and shall promptly notify the Rights Agent of such suspension. For purposes
of this Section 11(a)(iv), the value of the Common Shares shall be the
Current Per Share Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) of the Common Shares at the Close of Business on the date of the
occurrence of one of the events described in Section 11(a)(ii) and the
value of any "Common Stock Equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same
value as the Common Shares on such date.
(b) In the event that 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). 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, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, whose determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding
on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights,
options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to
be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to
be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the then Current Per Share Market Price of the
Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, 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
11
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 on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such security for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately
prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
Per Share Market Price of the security is determined during a period
following the announcement by the Issuer of such security of (A) a dividend
or distribution on such security payable in shares of such security or
securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such security and prior to the
expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the Current
Per Share Market Price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the
current market price per share equivalent of such security. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case
no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed
or admitted to trading on the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotation System/National Market System ("NASDAQ/ NMS"), if
the security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ/NMS, 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 the
NASDAQ/NMS 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,
upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors. If on any such
date no market maker is making a market in the security, the "Current Per
Share Market Price" of such security on such date as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company as provided for above shall
be used. 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)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one
hundred. 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, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, 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.
12
(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 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 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 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 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 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.
13
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in
the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such
adjustment; provided, however that the Company shall deliver to such holder a
due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company
shall be entitled to make such 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.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 25 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the
failure by the Company to make such certification or give such notice shall
not affect the validity of or the force or effect of the requirement for such
adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) Except as provided in Section 13(b) hereof, in the event, directly or
indirectly, (1) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person, (2) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge
with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the
Company) or cash or any other property, or (3) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, directly or indirectly, assets or
earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than
the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each
such case,
14
proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as
otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which
a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of capital stock of such other
Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving
corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) 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 (B)
50% of the then Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares of such
other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of
consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the Issuer
of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations
and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Issuer; and (iv) such Issuer shall
take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise
of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such Issuer
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind
referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements
or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction,
would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded
by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
The supplemental agreement referred to above in this Section 13(a) to be
entered into by the Company and the Rights Agent shall also provide that, as
soon as practicable after the date of any of the events described in Section
13(a), such Issuer shall:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and use its best efforts to 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
similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a national
securities exchange or to meet the eligibility requirements for quotation
on the NASDAQ/NMS; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for such Issuer which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act.
(b) In the event of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving
the Company pursuant to an agreement described in Section 1(c)(ii)(A)(2), the
provisions of Section 13(a) hereof shall not be applicable to such transaction
and this Rights Agreement and the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall
be terminated in accordance with Section 7(a) hereof.
(c) The term "Issuer," for purposes of this Section 13, shall refer to the
Person (or Affiliate or Associate) referred to in Section 13(a); provided,
however, that (i) if such Person (or Affiliate or Associate) is a direct or
indirect Subsidiary of another Person, the term "Issuer" shall refer to such
other Person, and (ii) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the term "Issuer" shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the Issuer of such Common Shares having the
greatest aggregate value.
15
(d) If, for any reason, the Rights cannot be exercised for Common Shares of
such Issuer as provided in Section 13(a), then each holder of Rights shall
have the right to exchange its Rights (without payment of the Purchase Price)
for cash from such Issuer in an amount equal to the product of (1) one-half (
1/2) of the number of Common Shares of the Issuer that it would otherwise be
entitled to purchase pursuant to Section 13(a) hereof multiplied by (2) the
Current Per Share Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) of such Common Shares of such Issuer. If, for any reason, the
foregoing provision cannot be applied to determine the cash amount into which
the Rights are exchangeable, then the Board of Directors of the Company, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, based upon the advice of
one or more nationally recognized investment banking firms, shall determine
such amount reasonably and with good faith to the holders of Rights. Any such
determination shall be final and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of Rights.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the
NASDAQ/NMS or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the
NASDAQ/NMS, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
NASDAQ/NMS or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights
are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, upon approval by
a majority of the Continuing Directors. If on any such date no such market
maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such
date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, 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).
16
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),
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 such holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and
may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company
to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise
the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such
Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
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 principal
office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer; and
(c) subject to Sections 6 and 7(f) hereof, 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 or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or
by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of
such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to
have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon
as possible.
Section 17. 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,
17
its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in
the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on
the part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the
Rights Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance and administration
of this Agreement and the exercise and performance hereunder of its duties,
including the costs and expenses of defending against and appealing any claim
of liability in the premises. The indemnity provided herein shall survive the
termination of this Agreement and the expiration of the Rights.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement and the exercise and 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 be genuine and to be signed,
executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person
or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20
hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement 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 of its choice (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the administration, exercise and 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 any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate
signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer,
the President, any
18
Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to
the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted in good faith 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 negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. Anything
in this agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage
of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if
the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and
regardless of the form of action.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the 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 be under any liability or responsibility in
respect of the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the legality, validity or enforceability or the
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be liable or 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 receipt of the certificate described in Section 12 hereof);
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 administration, exercise and performance of
its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, 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 it shall not be responsible or
liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting
while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for
written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent,
set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights
Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such
action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent
in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the
date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five (5)
Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually received such
application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an
earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date
in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written
instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken
or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction
in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or
19
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under
this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds
or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange, the
certification on the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as
the case may be, that the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate are not
owned by an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate thereof, has either
not been completed or in any manner indicates any other response thereto, the
Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested
exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange, without first
consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer
agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares (as to which the Rights Agent
has received prior written notice) by registered or certified mail, and the
Company shall mail notice thereof to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares (as to which the Rights Agent
has received prior written notice) 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 thirty (30) days after giving
notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit such
holder's 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
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States
or of any state of the United States so long as such corporation is in good
standing, and is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or
stock transfer powers. 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 for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section 22. Issuance of New 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, upon approval by a majority
of the Continuing Directors, to reflect any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
20
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 redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall,
with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of
stock options or under any employee benefit plan or arrangement or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities of the Company currently
outstanding or issued at any time in the future by the Company and (b) may, in
any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors
of the Company, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, 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 and this sentence shall be null and void ab initio
if, and to the extent that, such issuance or this sentence would create a
significant risk of or result in material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued or would
create a significant risk of or result in such options' or employee plans' or
arrangements' failing to qualify for otherwise available special tax treatment
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 Company may, at its option, upon approval of the Board of Directors
and a majority of the Continuing Directors, at any time prior to the earliest
of (i) the expiration of ten (10) Business Days following 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"), and the Company may, at
its option, pay the Redemption Price either in cash, Common Shares (based on
the Current Per Share Market Price thereof (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) at the time of redemption), or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights by
the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
(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; 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 ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the Rights Agent and 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) Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, the Company,
at its option, upon approval by the Board of Directors and a majority of the
Continuing Directors, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, may mandatorily 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 (i) Common Shares
at an exchange ratio per each Right equal to one-half ( 1/2) of the Common
Shares that a holder would be eligible to receive upon exercise of the Right
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the "Exchange Shares") or (ii)
Substitute Consideration (as that term is defined below). The Board of
Directors may determine, in its sole discretion, whether to deliver Exchange
Shares or Substitute Consideration.
21
(b) In the event the Board of Directors shall determine to deliver
Substitute Consideration in exchange for Rights, the Company shall (1)
determine the value of the Exchange Shares (the "Exchange Value"), and
(2) with respect to each Right to be exchanged, make adequate provision to
substitute for Exchange Shares the following (the "Substitute Consideration"):
(v) cash, (w) Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (as that term is
defined in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) or Preferred Shares or Equivalent
Preferred Stock (as that term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof), (x) debt
securities of the Company, (y) other assets, or (z) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Exchange Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. For purposes of this
Section 24(b), the value of the Common Shares shall be the Current Per Share
Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the day that
is the later of (x) the first occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption
pursuant to Section 24(a) expires; and the value of any Common Stock
Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such
date.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to 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 Exchange Shares or Substitute Consideration for each Right
exchanged by such holder. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any
such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in,
such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company
promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of
such Rights at their last address 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 Common
Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange,
the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be
effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by
each holder of Rights.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
or Preferred Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24(c), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors
shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50%
or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of
such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares
would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this
paragraph (e), 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
22
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 each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least ten (10) days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of
such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least ten (10) days
prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice
of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and
the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof. In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company will
promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof.
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:
TheraTx, Incorporated
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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:
U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
Company may supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect, including,
without limitation, any amendment to increase the Purchase Price, without the
approval of any holders of Rights, by action of its Board of Directors upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors, and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, execute such supplement or amendment. From
and after the Distribution Date, the Company may from time to time
23
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Rights, by action of its Board of Directors, upon approval by a majority of
the Continuing Directors, in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions
with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable
and which shall be consistent with, and for the purpose of fulfilling, the
objectives of the Board of Directors in adopting this Agreement, including,
without limitation, to change the Purchase Price, the Redemption Price, any
time periods herein specified, and any other term hereof, any such supplement
or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after the Distribution Date, this
Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights. Upon receipt of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company that the proposed supplement or amendment
is consistent with this Section 27 and, after the Distribution Date, that the
proposed supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the interests of
the holders of Rights, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior
to the Distribution Date, by action of its Board of Directors, upon approval
by a majority of the Continuing Directors, amend this Agreement to lower the
thresholds set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of
(i) any percentage greater than the largest percentage of the outstanding
Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure
to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares
outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the
particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is
the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of
Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (and, where specifically provided
for herein, only upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors)
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and
to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board, or the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret
the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed
necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement).
All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including,
for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing), which are done or made by the Board (or, where specifically
provided for herein, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors)
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all other parties and
(y) not subject the Board or the Continuing Directors to any liability to the
holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders
of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common
Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority
to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided,
however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if
any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of
the Company, upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
24
Directors, determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid
language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of
this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall
be reinstated and shall not expire until the tenth business day following the
date of such determination by the Board of Directors of the Company.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued
hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed
entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted or convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: THERATX, INCORPORATED
/s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
By___________________________________ By___________________________________
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: General Counsel & Secretary Title: Vice President, Finance &
CFO
ATTEST: RIGHTS AGENT
/s/ Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxx /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
By___________________________________ By___________________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President Title: Vice President
25
