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EXHIBIT 99.2
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BOLDER TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
AS RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JANUARY 23, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.............................................................................1
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT.....................................................................4
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.....................................................................4
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES......................................................................6
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION...............................................................7
SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED,
DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES....................................................7
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS...................................8
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.............................................10
SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES...............................................................10
SECTION 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE...................................................................11
SECTION 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS.............................11
SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.....................................18
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING POWER...........................18
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES........................................................21
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION...............................................................................22
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS.....................................................................22
SECTION 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER..............................................23
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT....................................................................23
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT......................................24
SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT.........................................................................24
SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT.........................................................................26
SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES.............................................................27
SECTION 23. REDEMPTION.....................................................................................27
SECTION 24. EXCHANGE.......................................................................................29
SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.......................................................................30
SECTION 26. NOTICES........................................................................................31
SECTION 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS.....................................................................32
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(CONTINUED)
PAGE
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SECTION 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.......................................32
SECTION 29. SUCCESSORS.....................................................................................33
SECTION 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT.....................................................................33
SECTION 31. SEVERABILITY...................................................................................33
SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW..................................................................................33
SECTION 33. COUNTERPARTS...................................................................................33
SECTION 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS...........................................................................33
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT ("Agreement"), dated as of January 23, 1998, between
BOLDER TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY ("Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as such term is hereinafter defined) outstanding at the close of business on
January 23, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as such term is 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 to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and 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 and
the Final Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22
hereof.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares
then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term Acquiring Person
shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit or compensation
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit or
compensation plan, or (v) an Excluded Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) and (B) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" either (x) as the
result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the
number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, following written notice from, or public
disclosure by the Company of such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares without the prior consent of
the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 15% of the Common Shares
then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person,"
or (y) as the result of the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the
Company, provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of share
purchases directly from the Company and shall, after that date, become
Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares without the prior written
consent of
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the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 15% of the
Common Shares then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" or (z) if the Board of Directors determines in good faith
that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests, as promptly as practicable (as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors), but in any event within
five Business Days, following receipt of written notice from the Company of such
event, of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number of securities of the
Company 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 purposes of this
Agreement.
(b) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the limited
partners of a limited partnership shall not be deemed to be Associates of such
limited partnership solely by virtue of their limited partnership interests.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is deemed to beneficially own, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the
date of this Rights Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities and other than agreements between the Company and any
corporate partner pursuant to which the right to purchase shares is conditioned
upon the achievement of research or development milestones), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these
Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that
a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under
the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); 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)
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for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated
by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B) hereof) or disposing of any securities of
the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, 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; provided, however, an agreement,
arrangement or understanding for purposes of this Section 1(c)(iii) shall not
be deemed to include actions, including any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, or statements by any member of the Company's Board of Directors
on the date of this Agreement, any subsequent directors of the Company (the
"Successor Directors") who have been nominated by a majority of directors who
are directors as of the date of this Agreement or who are Successor Directors,
or by any Person of whom such a director is an Affiliate or Associate, provided,
however that this exception shall not apply to a particular Person or Persons if
and to the extent that such Person or Persons, after the date of this Agreement,
acquires Beneficial Ownership of more than an additional 5% of the then
outstanding Common Shares of the Company unless (A) the shares are acquired
directly from the Company or as part of an employee benefit or compensation plan
of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or (B) the Person establishes to
the satisfaction of the directors of the Company that it is acting on its own
behalf and not in concert with any other Person and will not, upon completion of
any purchases, be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares.
(d) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Colorado are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.,
Mountain Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Mountain Time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(f) "COMMON SHARES" shall mean the shares of common stock, par
value $.001 per share, of the Company; provided, however, that, "Common Shares,"
when used in this Agreement in connection with a specific reference to any
Person other than the Company, shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest)
with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is
a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control
such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3 hereof.
(h) "EXCLUDED STOCKHOLDER" shall mean Columbine Venture Fund II,
L.P. and funds managed by Patricof & Co. Ventures, Inc. (including its and their
Affiliates and Associates).
(i) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
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(j) "INTERESTED STOCKHOLDER" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any
such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other
Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(k) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(l) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company having
the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(m) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(b) hereof.
(n) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(o) "SHARES ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such provided, however that, if such Person is determined not to have
become an Acquiring Person pursuant to clause (z) of Subsection 1(a)(B) hereof,
then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(p) "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.
(q) "TRANSACTION" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of
assets described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares
which would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined).
(r) "TRANSACTION PERSON" with respect to a Transaction shall mean
(i) any Person who (x) is or will become an Acquiring Person or a Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined) if the Transaction were to be
consummated and (y) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director of
the Company which director is in office at the time of consideration of the
Transaction, or (ii) an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person.
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 Shares Acquisition Date or (ii)
the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
after the date of the commencement (determined in accordance with Rule 14d-2
under the Exchange Act) by any Person (other than
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the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public
announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer (which
intention to commence remains in effect for five Business Days after such
announcement), the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person (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 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 Rights (and
the right to receive Right Certificates therefor) will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent
will, if requested, 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, subject to
the adjustment provisions of Section 11 of this Rights Agreement. As of the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send (directly or through the Rights Agent or its transfer agent) 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. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between Bolder Technologies Corporation (the
"Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of
January 23, 1998, as amended from time to time (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated
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herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at
the principal executive offices of the Company. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without
charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As
described in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any
Person who becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) and certain related persons, whether
currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, shall become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are
no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a
legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights Agreement
or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Right Certificates (and the form of election to purchase
Preferred Shares, the form of assignment and the form of certification 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 on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7, 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.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
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The Rights represented by this Right Certificate
are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was
or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly,
this Right Certificate and the Rights represented
hereby are null and void.
The provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be operative whether or not the
foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Financial Officer, or any of its Vice Presidents, 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; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Subject
to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, at any
time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to
the Close of Business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have
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completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the
reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and
Section 24 hereof, 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.
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 issue, execute and deliver
a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature
and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company and the Rights
Agent may amend this Rights Agreement to provide for uncertificated Rights in
addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates.
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 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 (or such other number of shares or other
securities) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of
(i) the Close of Business on January 23, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof
(the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as
provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") for each one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall
initially be $100.00 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) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent for
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the
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Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to
deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder into
a depository, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when 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 event
that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the Company other than
Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of the Company pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and, if fewer than all the Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so
exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number
of Rights represented thereby which continue to include the rights provided by
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise fewer 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) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights
in accordance with this Section 7.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i) completed and signed the certification following the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange
9.
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shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to
the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if delivered or
surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES. The Company covenants and
agrees that so long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, Common Shares or any other securities) issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quotation system upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may
be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and other
securities, as the case may be) 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 or other securities.
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.
As soon as practicable after the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company shall
use its best efforts to:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form,
will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing and will use its best efforts
to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at
all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration Date;
and
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(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate.
SECTION 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of the Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing
such Rights was duly surrendered with the forms of election and certification
duly executed 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 or other securities 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 or other securities
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as such, shall not be
entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights
shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to
receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights,
and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
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) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
11.
15
(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof and the provisions of the next
paragraph of this Section 11(a)(ii), in the event any Person shall become an
Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall, for a period of 60 days after
the later of such time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or the effective
date of an appropriate registration statement under the Act pursuant to Section
9 hereof (provided, however that, if at any time prior to the expiration or
termination of the Rights there shall be a temporary restraining order, a
preliminary injunction, an injunction, or temporary suspension by the Board of
Directors, or similar obstacle to exercise of the Rights (the "Injunction")
which prevents exercise of the Rights, a new 60-day period shall commence on the
date the Injunction is removed), 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 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 (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person
became an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if the transaction that
would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
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 time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially owned
by (i) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person became such, or
(iii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person's becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section
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. The Company shall
use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii) and Section 4(b) hereof 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. No Right Certificate shall be
issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer
to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding
sentence shall be canceled.
12.
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(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board of
Directors then in office determines that such action is necessary or appropriate
and not contrary to the interests of holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the
event that the Board of Directors has not exercised the exchange right contained
in Section 24(c) hereof and there are not sufficient treasury shares and
authorized but unissued Common Shares to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall)
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize, issue or pay, upon the
exercise of the Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of the Purchase
Price), property, Common Shares, other securities or any combination thereof
having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Shares which
otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, which
aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Shares shall be
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any such election by the Board of
Directors must be made within 60 days following the date on which the event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred. Following the
occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, a majority of the
Board of Directors then in office may suspend the exercisability of the Rights
for a period of up to 60 days following the date on which the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred to the extent that such directors
have not determined whether to exercise their rights of election under this
Section 11(a)(iii). 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.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions 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 such term is hereinafter defined)
on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date
shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for
13.
17
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 (as
such term is hereinafter defined) on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share
market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued
upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so
made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to 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 or securities
convertible into such shares, or (C) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 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 New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is
listed or admitted to trading or as reported on the Nasdaq National Market or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
14.
18
national securities exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("Nasdaq") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company or, if on any such date no professional market
maker is making a market in the Security, the price as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors. 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) hereof. 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)
hereof (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,
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-hundredth of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii)
the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11(a) through 11(c) hereof, inclusive,
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof 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.
15.
19
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and Section 11(c) hereof,
each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall 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
16.
20
the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly
and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted
Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise 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) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights. Any such action taken by the Company during any period
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date
shall be null and void unless such action could be taken under this Section
11(m) from and after the Distribution Date.
(n) 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.
(o) 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(o) shall be made successively whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.
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21
(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
only result in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof to the extent
so exercised and shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights
under this Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13 hereof.
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. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date or, if
a Transaction is proposed, the Distribution Date, directly or indirectly (x) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any Interested
Stockholder, or if in such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock
are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) any Interested Person, or if in
such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike,
any other Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the
Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such merger (other than, in the case of either transaction described in (x) or
(y), a merger or consolidation which would result in all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and the holders of
such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or consolidation),
or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
Interested Stockholder or Stockholders, or if in such transaction all holders of
Common Stock are not treated alike, any other Person, (other than the Company or
any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
individually and the aggregate does not violate Section 13(d) hereof) then, and
in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a
Right, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, shall 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 freely tradeable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens,
rights of call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall
be equal to 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 (without taking into account any adjustment previously made
18.
22
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal
Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation
of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party 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 Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply to such Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal
Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares 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 its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights.
(b) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the issuer
of any securities into which Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other
party to the merger or consolidation (or, if applicable, the Company, if it is
the surviving corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any case, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are
not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person the Common Shares
of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person; (2) if such Person is a subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or
Affiliate of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are
and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such
Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market
value; and (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint
venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall
apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest in such joint
venture as if such party were a "subsidiary" of both or all of such joint
venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the
obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or
indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and each Principal Party and
each other Person who may become a Principal Party as a result of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer shall have (i) executed and delivered to
the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section
19.
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13 and (ii) prepared, filed and had declared and remain effective a registration
statement under the Act on the appropriate form with respect to the Rights and
the securities exercisable upon exercise of the Rights and further providing
that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the
Principal Party at its own expense will:
(i) cause the registration statement under the Act with respect
to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate;
(iii) list the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on each national securities exchange on which the Common
Shares were listed prior to the consummation of the Business Combination or on
the Nasdaq National Market if the Common Shares were listed on the Nasdaq
National Market or, if the Common Shares were not listed on a national
securities exchange or the Nasdaq National Market prior to the consummation of
the Business Combination, on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq
National Market; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in
all material respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.
(d) After the Distribution Date, the Company covenants and agrees
that it shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into, or (iii) sell
or transfer to, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which does not violate Section 11(m) hereof), if (x) at the time of
or after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any charter or bylaw
provisions or any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding, agreements in effect or any other action taken which would diminish
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such other Person shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
evidencing compliance with this Section 13(d).
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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 New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or as reported on the
Nasdaq National Market or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
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; provided, however, that holders of such depositary receipts shall have
all of the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions 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 current per share market
price of the Preferred Shares (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 (or, if not publicly traded, in accordance with Section 11(d)(ii)
hereof).
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 hereof giving rise to the right to receive Common
Shares, capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other
securities upon the exercise of a Right, the Company shall
21.
25
not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or units of such Common
Shares, capital stock equivalents or other securities upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares,
capital stock equivalents or other securities. In lieu of fractional Common
Shares, capital stock equivalents or other securities, 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 Common Share or unit of such Common Shares, capital
stock equivalents or other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the
current market value shall be the current per share market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise and, if such capital stock equivalent is not traded,
each such capital stock equivalent shall have the value of one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Sections 18 and 20 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 his own behalf and for
his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement. Holders
of Rights shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs and expenses,
including attorneys fees, incurred by them in any action to enforce the
provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF 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 (subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement) 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) 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
22.
26
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.
SECTION 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No holder,
as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of
the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses
and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The indemnity provided
herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this
Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any 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. In no case will the Rights Agent be liable for special,
indirect, incidental or consequential or consequential loss or damage at any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of such loss or damage.
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 shareholder
services 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
23.
27
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 or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and
any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except 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.
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(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any 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 Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, 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 a certificate pursuant to Section 12 hereof
describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued,
be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
the Chief Financial Officer, 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 liable for any action taken or
suffered 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 with respect to its duties or obligations under this
Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or
omitted and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted
in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the
date specified therein (which date shall not be less than three business days
after the date indicated in such application unless any such officer shall have
consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking or omitting any
such action, the Rights Agent has received written instructions in response to
such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or
25.
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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 or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
executed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be
either (a) a corporation business trust or limited liability company organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any other state of
the United States which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or (b) a
direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of such an entity or its
wholly-owning parent. 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 for
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
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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 to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier
of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall with
respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement in existence prior to the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities,
notes or debentures issued by the Company and in existence prior to the
Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be obligated to issue
any such Right Certificates if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be
advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no 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 Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors
pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.
(b) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to the earlier of such time as any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person or the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all
of 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 in Common Shares (based on the "current
per-share market price," as such term is defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the
Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash 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 subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement
to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof prior to the expiration or termination of the Company's right
of redemption under this Section 23(b)(i).
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at
its option, at any time after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and
the expiration of any period during which the holder of Rights may exercise the
rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof but prior to any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of the first sentence of Section 13
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hereof, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price (x) in connection with any merger, consolidation or sale or
other transfer (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) of
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of
Common Shares are treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of
Common Shares being treated like all other such holders) an Interested
Stockholder or a Transaction Person or (y)(A) if and for so long as the
Acquiring Person is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
then outstanding Common Shares, and (B) at the time of redemption no other
Persons are Acquiring Persons.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof,
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 pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof, the Company shall
mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Shares, provided, however, that failure to give, or any defect
in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. 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.
(d) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its
obligations with respect to any redemption of the Rights by (i) issuing a press
release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their
last addresses as they appear on 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, and upon such action, all outstanding Right Certificates
shall be null and void without any further action by the Company.
SECTION 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for
Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any
Person (other than the Company, any
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Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) hereof and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such
Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for
Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of
Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata
based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section
24(a) hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board of Directors then in
office determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary
to the interests of the holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that
there are not sufficient treasury shares and authorized but unissued Common
Shares to permit any exchange of the Rights in accordance with Section 24(a)
hereof, the Company shall) take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize, issue or pay, upon the exchange of the Rights, cash (including by way
of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property, Common Shares, other securities
or any combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of the
Common Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 24(a)
hereof, which aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in
office. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Shares
shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any election pursuant to
this Section 24(c) by the Board of Directors must be made within 60 days
following the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall have occurred. Following the occurrence on the event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following
the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have
occurred to the extent that such directors have not determined whether to
exercise their rights of election under this Section 24(c). 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.
(d) 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
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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 Section 24(d), 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 after the date of the first public announcement by the
Company that an exchange is to be effected pursuant to this Section 24.
(e) 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 exchange 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; provided, however, that holders of such depositary receipts shall have
all of the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions 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 24(e), the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be one hundred (100) times 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 after the date of
the first public announcement by the Company that an exchange is to be effected
pursuant to this Section 24.
SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole), to any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to 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 purpose 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 the
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)
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above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the
Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other
action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or
the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
SECTION 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Bolder Technologies Corporation
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
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:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
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 and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of the
Rights. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, from time to time supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or (iii) change any other provisions with respect to the
Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however,
that no such supplement or amendment shall be made which would adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights (other than the interests of an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates or Associates). Any supplement or amendment adopted
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during any period after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to
the Distribution Date shall become null and void unless such supplement or
amendment could have been adopted by the Company from and after the Distribution
Date. Any such supplement or amendment shall be evidenced by a writing signed by
the Company and the Rights Agent. Upon delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment unless the Rights Agent shall have
determined in good faith that such supplement or amendment would adversely
affect its interest under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests
of the holders of Common Shares.
SECTION 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC. 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 or any other securities
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. The Board of
Directors of the Company 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 in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of the Rights, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
SECTION 29. 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 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any person or corporation 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.
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
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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 for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, parties whereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: BOLDER TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
/s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
-------------------------------- --------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Secretary Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
By: /s/ XXXXXXX XXXXX By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXX
----------------------------- -----------------------------
Title: Vice President Title: Vice President
-------------------------- --------------------------
33.
