RIGHTS AGREEMENT by and between SOURCEFIRE, INC. and CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST CO. as Rights Agent Dated as of October 30, 2008
Exhibit 4.1
by and between
SOURCEFIRE, INC.
and
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST CO.
as Rights Agent
Dated as of October 30, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
Section 1.
|
Certain Definitions | 1 | ||||
Section 2.
|
Appointment of Rights Agent | 7 | ||||
Section 3.
|
Issuance of Rights Certificates | 7 | ||||
Section 4.
|
Form of Rights Certificates | 9 | ||||
Section 5.
|
Countersignature and Registration | 10 | ||||
Section 6.
|
Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates | 10 | ||||
Section 7.
|
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights | 11 | ||||
Section 8.
|
Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates | 13 | ||||
Section 9.
|
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock | 14 | ||||
Section 10.
|
Preferred Stock Record Date | 15 | ||||
Section 11.
|
Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights | 16 | ||||
Section 12.
|
Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares | 24 | ||||
Section 13.
|
Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power | 24 | ||||
Section 14.
|
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | 28 | ||||
Section 15.
|
Rights of Action | 30 | ||||
Section 16.
|
Agreement of Rights Holders | 30 | ||||
Section 17.
|
Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder | 31 | ||||
Section 18.
|
Concerning the Rights Agent | 31 | ||||
Section 19.
|
Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent | 31 | ||||
Section 20.
|
Duties of Rights Agent | 32 | ||||
Section 21.
|
Change of Rights Agent | 34 | ||||
Section 22.
|
Issuance of New Rights Certificates | 34 | ||||
Section 23.
|
Redemption and Termination | 35 | ||||
Section 24.
|
Exchange | 36 | ||||
Section 25.
|
Notice of Certain Events | 37 | ||||
Section 26.
|
Notices | 38 | ||||
Section 27.
|
Supplements and Amendments | 39 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
(continued)
Page | ||||||
Section 28.
|
Successors | 39 | ||||
Section 29.
|
Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc | 39 | ||||
Section 30.
|
Requests for Copies of this Agreement | 40 | ||||
Section 31.
|
Benefits of this Agreement | 40 | ||||
Section 32.
|
Severability | 40 | ||||
Section 33.
|
Governing Law | 41 | ||||
Section 34.
|
Counterparts | 41 | ||||
Section 35.
|
Descriptive Headings | 41 | ||||
Exhibits: |
||||||
Exhibit A.
|
Form of Rights Certificate | A-1 | ||||
Exhibit B.
|
Form of Summary of Rights | B-1 | ||||
Exhibit C
|
Certificate of Designation | C-1 |
ii
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 30, 2008 (the “Agreement”), between Sourcefire,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Co., a
banking organization organized under the laws of the State of New York, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).
WHEREAS, effective October 29, 2008 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the
Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) (i) authorized and declared a
dividend of one right (“Right”) for each share of Common Stock, par value $.001 per share,
of the Company (the “Company Common Stock”) outstanding at the Close of Business on
November 14, 2008 (the “Record Date”), and (ii) authorized the issuance of one Right (as
such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant hereto) for each share of Company Common Stock
issued between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date
and, in certain circumstances, for each share of Company Common Stock issued after the Distribution
Date but before the Expiration Date; and
WHEREAS, each Right initially represents the right to purchase, upon the terms and subject to
the conditions hereinafter set forth, one Unit of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth,
the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms
have the meanings indicated:
(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing:
(i) an “Acquiring Person” shall not include:
(A) the Company;
(B) any Subsidiary of the Company;
(C) any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(D) any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such employee benefit plan acting
in such capacity or a trustee or fiduciary holding shares of Company Common Stock
for the purpose of funding any such plan;
(E) any Person if:
(1) the Board of Directors determines in good faith that such Person
who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” became such inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (x) such Person was
unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of Company Common Stock
that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person” or (y)
such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Company
Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such
Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of
changing or influencing control of the Company;
(2) such Person does not become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Company Common Stock after such Person becomes aware that such
Person would be an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this clause
(E)); and
(3) such Person as promptly as practicable (as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors) divested or divests itself of Beneficial
Ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Company Common Stock so that
such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person;”
or
(F) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
then-outstanding shares of Company Common Stock as a result of the acquisition of
shares of Company Common Stock directly from the Company in one or more transactions
approved by the Board of Directors,
and
(ii) no Person shall be deemed an “Acquiring Person” as a result of the acquisition of
shares of Company Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares of
Company Common Stock outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person; provided, however, that if (x) a Person would become
an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this subclause (ii)) as a result of the
acquisition of shares of Company Common Stock by the Company and (y) after such share
acquisition by the Company, such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Company Common Stock (other than pursuant to the grant or exercise of an option
under a Company stock option plan or pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by
the Company on the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or pursuant to a split or
subdivision of the Company Common Stock), then such Person shall be deemed an Acquiring
Person unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares, such Person is
the Beneficial Owner of less than 15% of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock.
Each Person identified in subclauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) of this Section (1)(a) is individually
an “Exempt Person” and collectively “Exempt Persons.”
2
(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 hereof.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to have
“Beneficial Ownership” of and to “beneficially own,” any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has “beneficial ownership” of under Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act (the “Exchange Act
Regulations”) as in effect on the date hereof, including pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership”
of or to “beneficially own,” any securities under this subparagraph (i) as a result of an
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such securities if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in
response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations, and (B) is
not reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report);
(ii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate of such other Person) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable
proxy or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (c)) or
disposing of such securities;
(iii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time or upon the satisfaction of conditions) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion
rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; or
(iv) in respect of which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates
has a Synthetic Long Position that has been disclosed in a filing by such Person or any of
such Person’s Affiliates or Associates with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to Regulation 13D-G or Regulation 14D under the Exchange Act in respect of which Company
Common Stock is the “subject security” (as such term is used in such Regulations);
provided, however, that under this paragraph (c) a Person shall not be deemed the
“Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities
(A) tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made in accordance with
Exchange Act Regulations by such Person or any of such
3
Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange,
(B) that may be issued upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or
(C) that may be issued upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of
a Triggering Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(c) or Section 22 hereof (the “Original Rights”) or pursuant to
Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any
Original Rights; and
further provided, however, that:
(x) nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an
underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership”
of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities acquired through such Person’s participation in
good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty days after the
date of such acquisition,
(y) no decision reached, or action taken, by the Board of Directors or any committee
thereof shall cause any Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person) who is a
member of the Board of Directors or such committee to be deemed, for the purposes of this
Agreement, to be a Beneficial Owner of any securities beneficially owned by any other Person
(or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person) who is a member of the Board of Directors or
any committee thereof solely by reason of such membership of the Board of Directors or any
committee thereof or participation in the decisions or actions thereof on the part of either
or both of such Persons, and
(z) no Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be
deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the “Beneficial
Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “beneficially own” any securities that
are “beneficially owned” (as defined in this paragraph (c)), including, without limitation,
in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or
employee of an Exempt Person.
(d) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which
banking institutions in New York, New York 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., New York City time, on
such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean
5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) “Common Stock” of any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock
of such Person with the greatest voting power, or, if such Person shall have no
4
capital stock, the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or
direct the management of such Person.
(g) “Company” has the meaning given it in the first paragraph of this Agreement, and
also means a Principal Party to the extent provided in Section 13(a).
(h) “Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, firm, limited liability company,
corporation, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity, as well as any
syndicate or group deemed to be a person under Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act as in effect on
the date hereof.
(i) “Preferred Stock” shall mean the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $.001 per share, of the Company having the voting powers, designation, preferences and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations and
restrictions described in the Certificate of Designation set forth as Exhibit C hereto and as
amended from time to time.
(j) “Stock Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement
(including, without limitation, the filing of any report, or any amendment to any report, pursuant
to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report)) 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 Section 1(a)
hereof, then no Stock Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(k) “Subsidiary” shall mean, with reference to any Person, any other Person of which
an amount of voting securities or equity interests sufficient to elect at least a majority of the
directors or equivalent governing body of such other Person is beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, or any other Person otherwise controlled by such first-mentioned
Person.
(l) “Synthetic Long Position” shall mean any option, warrant, convertible security,
stock appreciation right or other contractual right, whether or not presently exercisable, which
has an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to
Company Common Stock or a value determined in whole or part with reference to, or derived in whole
or in part from, the market price or value of Company Common Stock, whether or not such right is
subject to settlement in whole or in part in Company Common Stock, and which increases in value as
the value of Company Common Stock increases or which provides to the holder of such right an
opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase in
the value of Company Common Stock, but shall not include:
(i) rights of a pledgee under a bona fide pledge of Company Common Stock;
(ii) rights of all holders of Company Common Stock to receive Company Common Stock pro
rata, or obligations to dispose of Company Common Stock, as a result of a merger, exchange
offer, or consolidation involving the Company;
5
(iii) rights or obligations to surrender Company Common Stock, or have Company Common
Stock withheld, upon the receipt or exercise of a derivative security or the receipt or
vesting of equity securities, in order to satisfy the exercise price or the tax withholding
consequences of receipt, exercise or vesting;
(iv) interests in broad-based index options, broad-based index futures, and broad-based
publicly traded market baskets of stocks approved for trading by the appropriate federal
governmental authority;
(v) interests or rights to participate in employee benefit plans of the Company held by
employees or former employees of the Company; or
(vi) options granted to an underwriter in a registered public offering for the purpose
of satisfying over-allotments in such offering.
The number of shares of Company Common Stock in respect of which a Person has a Synthetic Long
Position shall be the notional or other number of shares of Company Common Stock specified in a
filing by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates with the Securities and
Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 13D-G or Regulation 14D under the Exchange Act in
respect of which Company Common Stock is the “subject security” (as such term is fined in such
Regulations) or in the documentation evidencing the Synthetic Long Position as being subject to be
acquired upon the exercise or settlement of the applicable right or as the basis upon which the
value or settlement amount of such right, or the opportunity of the holder of such right to profit
or share in any profit, is to be calculated in whole or in part or, if no such number of shares of
Company Common Stock is specified in such filing or documentation, as determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company in good faith to be the number of shares of Company Common Stock to which
the Synthetic Long Position relates.
(m) “Triggering Event” shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
In addition, the following terms are defined in the Sections indicated below:
Defined Term | Section Number | |
Adjustment Shares
|
11(a)(ii) | |
Agreement
|
Preamble | |
Board of Directors
|
Whereas clause | |
common stock equivalents
|
11(a)(iii) | |
Company
|
Preamble | |
Company Common Stock
|
Whereas clause | |
current market price
|
11(d) | |
Current Value
|
11(a)(iii) | |
Distribution Date
|
3(a) | |
Equivalent Preferred Stock
|
11(b) | |
Exchange Act
|
1(b) | |
Exchange Act Regulations
|
1(c) | |
Exchange Ratio
|
24(a) | |
Exempt Person
|
1(a) |
6
Defined Term | Section Number | |
Expiration Date
|
7(a) | |
Final Expiration Date
|
7(a) | |
Nasdaq
|
11(d)(i) | |
Original Rights
|
1(c) | |
Purchase Price
|
7(b) | |
Record Date
|
Whereas clause | |
Redemption Price
|
23(a) | |
Registered Common Stock
|
13(b)(ii) | |
Registration Date
|
9(c) | |
Registration Statement
|
9(c) | |
Right
|
Whereas clause | |
Rights Agent
|
Preamble | |
Rights Certificates
|
3(a) | |
Rights Dividend Declaration Date
|
Whereas clause | |
Section 11(a)(ii) Event
|
11(a)(ii) | |
Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date
|
11(a)(iii) | |
Section 13 Event
|
13(a) | |
Securities Act
|
9(c) | |
Spread
|
11(a)(iii) | |
Substitution Period
|
11(a)(iii) | |
Summary of Rights
|
3(b) | |
TIDE Committee
|
29(b) | |
Trading Day
|
11(d)(i) | |
Unit
|
7(b) |
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent
to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights
Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights
agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise,
and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-rights agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the Stock
Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the
Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date), and (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors) after
the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) is first
published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act Regulations or
any successor rule, if upon consummation thereof such Person would be an Acquiring Person
(including, in the case of both clause (i) and (ii), any such date which is after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights) (the earlier of (i) and (ii) above being the
“Distribution Date”):
(x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this
Section 3) by the certificates for shares of Company Common Stock
7
registered in the names of the holders of shares of Company Common Stock as of and
subsequent to the Record Date (which certificates for shares of Company Common Stock shall
be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and
(y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying shares of Company Common Stock including a transfer to the Company;
provided, however, that if a tender or exchange offer is terminated prior to the
occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender
or exchange offer. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send
by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares of Company Common
Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A
hereto (the “Rights Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each share of Company Common
Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Company Common Stock has
been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates,
the Company may make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed
and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of
shares of Company Common Stock 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 Company Common
Stock outstanding as of the Record Date or issued subsequent to the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration 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, if earlier, the Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any such
certificate for Company Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Company Common Stock represented thereby.
(c) Rights shall, without any further action, be issued in respect of all shares of Company
Common Stock which are issued (including any shares of Company Common Stock held in treasury) after
the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date. In
addition, Rights shall be issued with respect to all shares of Company Common Stock described in
the second sentence of Section 22 hereof, subject to the provisions thereof. Certificates
representing such shares of Company Common Stock issued after the Record Date shall bear the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set
forth in the Rights Agreement between Sourcefire, Inc. (the “Company”) and Continental
8
Stock Transfer & Trust Co. (the “Rights Agent”) dated as of October 30, 2008, as amended
from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the office of the Rights Agent. 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, as in effect on
the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY,
ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF
(AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF
OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
With respect to certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock that bear the foregoing
legend, until the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone and registered holders of the shares of Company Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Company Common Stock
represented by such certificates.
(d) In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any shares of Company Common Stock
after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such shares of
Company Common Stock shall be deemed canceled and returned so that the Company shall not be
entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Company Common Stock that are no
longer outstanding.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, shares of Company Common Stock
and Rights (and any securities issuable on their exercise) may be issued and transferred by
book-entry and not represented by physical certificates. Where shares of Company Common Stock and
Rights (and any securities issuable on their exercise) are held in uncertificated form, the Company
and the Rights Agent shall cooperate in all respects to give effect to the intent of the provisions
contained herein.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment and the
certificates to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set
forth in Exhibit A 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 any rule or regulation thereunder or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange or automated quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
9
Date (or in the case of Rights issued with respect to Common Stock issued by the Company after
the Record Date, as of the date of issuance of such Common Stock) and on their face shall entitle
the holders thereof to purchase such number of Units of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth
therein at the price set forth therein, provided, however, that the amount and type
of securities, cash or other assets that may be acquired upon the exercise of each Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section
7(e) of this Agreement and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof
upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in
this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person
who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person
(as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby are null and void.
The provisions of Section 7(e) hereof shall be operative whether or not the foregoing legend is
contained on any such Right Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) Any Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President or one of its Vice Presidents and shall be attested by its
Secretary, Treasurer or one of its Assistant Secretaries and shall have affixed thereto the
Company’s seal (if any) or a facsimile thereof. The signature of any of these officers on the
Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or
facsimile signatures of the individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company
shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold
such offices prior to the countersignature of such Rights Certificates or did not hold such offices
at the date of such Rights Certificates. No Rights Certificate shall be entitled to any benefit
under this Agreement or be valid for any purpose unless there appears on such Rights Certificate a
countersignature duly executed by the Rights Agent by manual or facsimile signature of an
authorized signatory, and such countersignature upon any Rights Certificate shall be conclusive
evidence, and the only evidence, that such Rights Certificate has been duly countersigned as
required hereunder.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its
office designated for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
name and address of each holder of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its
face by each Rights Certificate and the date of each Rights Certificate.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. |
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 4, 7(e) and 14 hereof, at any time after the Close
of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on
10
the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder, in the case of a transfer) to
purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and
shall surrender the Rights Certificate or 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 Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and
executed the certificate set forth in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights
Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4, Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, if a Rights Certificate shall be mutilated, lost, stolen
or destroyed, upon request by the registered holder of the Rights represented thereby and upon
payment to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incident thereto, there
shall be issued, in exchange for and upon cancellation of the mutilated Rights Certificate, or in
substitution for the lost, stolen or destroyed Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate, in
substantially the form of the prior Rights Certificate, of like tenor and representing the
equivalent number of Rights, but, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, only upon receipt of
evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Rights Agent of such loss, theft or destruction of
such Rights Certificate and, if requested by the Company or the Rights Agent, indemnity also
satisfactory to it.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth anniversary hereof (the
“Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof, and (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24
hereof, at which time the Rights are deemed terminated (the earlier of (i), (ii), and (iii) being
the “Expiration Date”), the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may, subject to the
other provisions hereof, including without limitation Sections 7(e), 7(f), 9(c), 11(a) and 23
hereof, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby, in whole or in part, at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price
for the number of Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) for which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable.
11
(b) The purchase price for each one one-hundredth of a share (each such one one-hundredth of a
share being a “Unit”) of Preferred Stock upon exercise of Rights shall be $30.00, subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof (such purchase price,
as so adjusted, being the “Purchase Price”), and shall be payable in lawful money of the
United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of
election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to
each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price for the Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased
thereby as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax or evidence
satisfactory to the Company of payment of such tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly:
(i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available,
if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock) a certificate or
certificates for the number of Units of Preferred Stock to be purchased, and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if
the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of Units of Preferred Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of Units of
Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Units of
Preferred Stock 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) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or, upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate,
registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder,
(iii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, and
(iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate.
In the event that the Company is obligated to issue Company Common Stock or other securities of the
Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company
will make all arrangements necessary so that such Company Common Stock, other securities, cash
and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) shall be made by certified or bank check or money order payable to the order of the Rights
Agent.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
12
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first
occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by:
(i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person,
(ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) which
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) which
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
which receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) or to any
Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights, shares of Company
Common Stock or the Company or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined to
be part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall be 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 ensure that the provisions of this
Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights or any other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make or delay in making any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates or Associates or any
transferee or any of them hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Rights Certificate 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 by such registered holder unless
such registered holder shall have (i) completed and executed the certificate following the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such
exercise, (ii) not indicated an affirmative response to clause 1 or 2 thereof, and (iii) provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of
the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange
shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for
cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this
13
Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and
the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any Rights Certificates acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such
cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof
to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company shall, at all times prior to the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
cause to be reserved and kept available, out of its authorized and unissued shares of preferred
stock or its authorized and issued shares of preferred stock held in its treasury, and, after the
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, to the extent reasonably practical, cause to be reserved
and kept available, out of its authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, Company Common
Stock and/or other securities or its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury, the number
of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, Company
Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights. Upon the occurrence of any events resulting
in an increase in the aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock (or other equity securities of
the Company) issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Rights above the number then reserved, the
Company shall make appropriate increases in the number of shares so reserved to the extent
reasonably practicable.
(b) If the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, Company Common Stock and/or other securities) to be issued and delivered upon the exercise
of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or automated quotation system, the
Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after the time that the Rights become
exercisable, all securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quotation
system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts:
(i) as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event and a determination by the Company of the consideration to be
delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights (including in accordance with Section
11(a)(iii) hereof) or, if so required by law, as soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date (such date being the “Registration Date”), to file a registration
statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”), with respect to the securities that may be acquired upon exercise
of the Rights (the “Registration Statement”),
(ii) to cause the Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing,
(iii) to cause the Registration Statement to continue to be effective (and to include a
prospectus complying with the requirements of the Securities Act) until the
14
earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for the
securities covered by the Registration Statement, and (B) the Expiration Date, and
(iv) to take as soon as practicable following the Registration Date such action as may
be required to ensure that any acquisition of securities upon exercise of the Rights
complies with any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed one hundred twenty (120)
days after the Registration Date, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file
such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer
in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not
be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not
have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a
registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any other securities that may
be delivered upon exercise of Rights) shall be, at the time of delivery of the certificates or
depositary receipts for such securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), duly and
validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or other tax or charge imposed in connection
with the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or of any Preferred Stock (or any other
securities or assets, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights; provided,
however, the Company shall not be required to pay any such tax or charge imposed in
connection with the issuance or delivery of Units of Preferred Stock, or any certificates or
depositary receipts for such Units of Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, any other securities, cash or assets, as the case may be) to any Person other than the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing the Rights surrendered for exercise. The
Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Units
of Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any other securities, cash
or assets, as the case may be) to, or in a name other than that of, the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax or charge
being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has
been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate or
depositary receipt for Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) is issued
upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
the Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities) represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes or charges) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are
15
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such securities on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock
(or other securities) transfer books of the Company are open; further provided,
however, that if delivery of Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities, as the case may
be) is delayed pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof, such Persons shall be deemed to have become the
record holders of such Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities) only when such Units (or
other securities) first become deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to securities for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of securities purchasable upon exercise of
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A)
declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into
a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided for herein, including this Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other capital stock, as the case may be,
issuable on such date upon exercise of the Rights, shall be proportionately adjusted so that
the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment
of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred
Stock or other capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time when the transfer books of the Company were
still open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates,
shall become an Acquiring Person, other than pursuant to any transaction set forth in
Section 13(a) hereof, then, immediately upon the occurrence of such event (a “Section
11(a)(ii) Event”), each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein,
including Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of
such Right at the then-current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
16
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
(whether or not such Right was then exercisable), such number of Units of Preferred Stock as
shall equal the result obtained by:
(A) multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the number of Units of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (whether or not such Right was then
exercisable) (such product thereafter being, for all purposes of this Agreement,
other than Section 13 hereof, the “Purchase Price”), and
(B) dividing that product by 50% of the current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Unit of Preferred Stock on the date of such
first occurrence
(such Units of Preferred Stock being the “Adjustment Shares”); provided,
however, that the Purchase Price and the number of Units of Preferred Stock so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall, following the Section 11(a)(ii) Event, be subject
to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with this Section 11. From and after the
occurrence of a Section 13(a) Event, any Rights that have not theretofore been exercised
pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in connection with
Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) The Company, by the vote of the Board of Directors, may at its option substitute
for a Unit of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), shares of Company Common Stock or fractions thereof having a
current market price (as determined by Section 11(d) hereof) equal to the current market
price of a Unit of Preferred Stock on the date of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event. In the event
that the number of shares of Preferred Stock (or, if the Company shall have determined to
substitute shares of Company Common Stock for Units of Preferred Stock pursuant to the
preceding sentence, Company Common Stock) which are authorized by the Company’s
Certificate of Incorporation, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law:
(A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable
upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”) over (2) the Purchase
Price (such excess being the “Spread”), and
(B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to Section 7(e)), make adequate provision to substitute, in whole or in
part, for such Adjustment Shares, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
shares of Company Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including,
without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock (such other
shares being “common stock equivalents”)), (4) debt securities
17
of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing,
having an aggregate value which, when added to the value of the Units of Preferred
Stock actually issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in such Purchase
Price), where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors,
after receiving advice from a nationally recognized investment banking firm;
provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty days following the
later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company’s right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (such thirty day period, as
it may be extended hereunder, being referred to herein as the “Substitution Period,”
and the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the “Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger
Date”), then, subject to Section 24 hereof, the Company shall be obligated (to the
extent permitted by applicable law) to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right
and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Units of Preferred Stock (to the extent
available) and then, if necessary, shares (or fractions of shares, at the discretion of the
Board of Directors) of Company Common Stock and cash, or a combination thereof, which Units
of Preferred Stock, shares (or fractions of shares) of Company Common Stock and/or cash
shall have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors determines in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Preferred Stock or Company
Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then the
Substitution Period may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety days
after the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder
approval for the authorization of such additional shares.
To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to
the second and/or third sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such
second sentence and to determine the value thereof. If any such suspension occurs, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at the time such suspension is
no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of a Unit of
Preferred Stock or share of Company Common Stock shall be the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Unit of Preferred Stock or share of Company
Common Stock, as the case may be, on the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date and the value of
any common stock equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as a Unit of Preferred
Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or
warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a
period expiring within forty-five calendar days after such record date) shares of Preferred Stock
(or shares having substantially the same rights, privileges and preferences as shares of
18
Preferred Stock (“Equivalent Preferred Stock”)) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share
of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible
into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying:
(i) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date, by
(ii) a fraction, (A) the numerator of which shall be the sum of the number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock
and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion
price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market
price, and (B) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock
and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which
the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible).
In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may
be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary 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 a distribution to all holders of shares of
Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger
in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash
(other than a regular periodic cash dividend paid out of funds legally available therefor), assets
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in
stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights, options 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:
(i) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date, by
(ii) a fraction, (A) the numerator of which shall be the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
19
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes) of the cash, assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights, options or warrants
distributable in respect of a share of Preferred Stock and (B) the denominator of which
shall be such current market price per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event
that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase
Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current market
price” per share of Company Common Stock or Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to
be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such shares for the thirty
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date; provided, however,
if prior to the expiration of such requisite thirty Trading Day period the issuer announces
either (A) a dividend or distribution on such shares payable in such shares or securities
convertible into such shares (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such shares, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution
or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, as the case may
be, shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty Trading Day
period, then, and in each such case, the “current market price” shall be properly
adjusted to take into account such event. The closing price for each day shall be:
(x) the last sale price, regular way, or, in the 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 on the principal national securities exchange on which
such shares are listed or admitted to trading, or
(y) if such shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the
high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) or such other system then in use, or
(z) if on any such date such shares 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 such shares selected by the Board of Directors.
If on any such date no market maker is making a market in such shares, or if such shares are
not publicly held or so listed or traded, “current market price” per share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. The term “Trading Day” shall mean, if such shares are
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which such shares are listed or admitted to
trading is open
20
for the transaction of business or, if such shares are not so listed or admitted, a Business
Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current market price”
per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth for Company
Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the penultimate sentence
thereof). If the current market price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in
the manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded
in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the “current market
price” per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal
to (A) 100 (as such amount may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits,
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to Company Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by (B) the current market price per share of Company
Common Stock. If neither Company Common Stock nor Preferred Stock is publicly held or so
listed or traded, “current market price” per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean
the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the “current market
price” of a Unit of Preferred Stock shall be equal to (A) the current market price of
one share of Preferred Stock divided by (B) 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall
be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments 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-thousandth of a share of Company Common Stock or Common Stock or other share
or one one hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made
no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment and (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or 13(a) hereof, the
holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital
stock other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to
the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l)
and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the
number of Units of Preferred Stock (or other securities or amount of cash or combination thereof)
that may be acquired from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to
further adjustment as provided herein.
21
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon
each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and
(c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Units of Preferred
Stock (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a Unit) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the
number of Units of Preferred Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y)
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii)
dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment
of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price, to
adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the number of Units of Preferred Stock
that may be acquired upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the
adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Units of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to
the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing (x) the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the (y) Purchase Price in effect immediately after
adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to
adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the
Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued,
shall be at least ten days later than the date of such public announcement. If Rights Certificates
have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the
additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at
the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution
and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment,
and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates to be so
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may
bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Units of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and
thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per Unit and the number of Units of
Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below
the par or stated value, if any, of the number of Units of Preferred Stock or other shares of
capital stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action
which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
22
Company may validly and legally issue such fully paid and nonassessable number of Units of
Preferred Stock or other 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 issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such
record date of that number of Units of Preferred Stock and shares of other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Units
of Preferred Stock and shares of 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
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled
to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required
by this Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors
shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current
market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter
made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock, shall not be taxable to such holders or
shall reduce the taxes payable by such holders.
(n) The Company shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any
other Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell
or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of
transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if:
(x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially 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, sale or transfer, the Person which constitutes, or would constitute, the
“Principal Party” for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have
distributed or otherwise transferred to its stockholders or other persons holding an
equity interest in such Person Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its
Affiliates and Associates.
23
(o) After the Distribution Date, the Company shall not, except as permitted by Section 23,
Section 24 or Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time
such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Company
shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i)
declare a dividend on the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock payable in shares of Company
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights
associated with each share of Company Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered
thereafter prior to the Distribution Date or in accordance with Section 22 hereof, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of
Company Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying:
(x) the number of Rights associated with each share of Company Common Stock
immediately prior to such event, by
(y) a fraction, (A) the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares
of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event
and (B) the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Company
Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an
adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly
prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting
for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Company Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to
each holder of a certificate representing shares of Company Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 26 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such
certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity of such adjustment or the force or
effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event that, following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, directly
or indirectly, either:
(x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other
than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
24
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger,
(y) any Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the
Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of
the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any other property, or
(z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries
shall sell or otherwise transfer) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any of
its wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), in one or more transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
(any such event being a “Section 13 Event”), then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights which have become void as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof
at the then-current Purchase Price, in accordance with this Agreement and in lieu of Units
of Preferred Stock or shares of Company Common Stock, such number of validly authorized and
issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party, which shares shall not be subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of
call or first refusal, transfer restrictions or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to
the result obtained by:
(A) multiplying (x) the then-current Purchase Price by (y) the number of Units
of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying (x) the number of
such Units for which a Right was exercisable hereunder immediately prior to such
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such first occurrence), and
(B) dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event, shall be the “Purchase Price” for all purposes of this Agreement)
by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Section 13 Event;
provided, however, that the Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in
accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and the number of shares of Common Stock of such
Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further
adjustment as
25
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof to reflect any events occurring in
respect of the Common Stock of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such Section 13
Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue
of such Section 13 Event, 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 in all respects, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11
hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
authorization and reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock in
accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions of this Agreement shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of
Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights;
(v) such Principal Party shall take such steps as may be necessary to assure that, upon
the subsequent occurrence of any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of
the assets, recapitalization, reclassification of shares, reorganization or other
extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase
Price, such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would have
been entitled to receive had it, at the time of such transaction, owned the shares of Common
Stock of the Principal Party purchasable upon the exercise of a Right, and such Principal
Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock)
as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the
terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property; and
(vi) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no further effect following
the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) “Principal Party” shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence
of Section 13(a) hereof, (A) the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which
shares of Company Common Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there
is more than one such issuer, the issuer of Common Stock that has the highest aggregate
current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) and (B) if no securities
are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation, or, if
there is more than one such Person, the Person the
26
Common Stock of which has the highest aggregate current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence of
Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the largest portion of the
assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions,
or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same
portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions or if the Person receiving the largest portion of the assets, cash flow or
earning power cannot be determined, whichever Person the Common Stock of which has the
highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof);
provided, however, that in any such case:
(1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been
continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under Section 12 of the
Exchange Act (“Registered Common Stock”) or such Person is not a corporation, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common
Stock outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person;
(2) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is
not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person but
is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person which has Registered Common Stock
outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to the ultimate parent entity of such
first-mentioned Person;
(3) if such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and
one or more of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal
Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Registered Common
Stock having the highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof); and
(4) if such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and
none of such other Persons have Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal
Party” shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the
greatest stockholders equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a corporation, shall
refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the entity having the greatest net assets.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless
the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which
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 such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the
terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that the
Principal Party, as soon as practicable after the date of such Section 13 Event, at its own
expense, shall:
27
(i) (A) file on an appropriate form a registration statement under the Securities Act
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (B)
use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after filing and remain effective (and to include a prospectus complying with
the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and (C) take all such
action as may be required to enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights and to assure that any acquisition of such securities upon the
exercise of the Rights complies with any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws,
including but not limited to the registration or qualification of such securities under all
requisite securities and “blue sky” laws of the various states and the listing of such
securities on such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal
Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to a transaction referred to in this
Section 13 has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its certificate of
incorporation or by-laws or other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would
have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue, in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of Common
Stock or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current market
price per share (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) or securities exercisable for, or
convertible into, Common Stock or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than
such then current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13) or
(ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provisions in connection with the issuance
of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of this Section 13; then, in
such event, the Company shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company
and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been
cancelled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the
applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of the proposed transaction.
(e) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur, any
Rights which theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be
exercisable only in the manner and for the securities described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the
Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which
evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of issuing such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
Persons to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to such
fraction of the market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this
28
Section 14(a), the 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 of the Rights for any day shall be:
(x) the last sale price, regular way, or, in the 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 on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are
listed or admitted to trading, or
(y) if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then
in use, or
(z) 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.
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 shall be used and such
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive
for all purposes.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock)
upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence such fractional shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share
of Preferred Stock); provided, however, that in lieu of fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may provide for the issuance of depositary receipts pursuant to Section 7(c) hereof.
In lieu of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the then current market price of a share of Preferred Stock on the day of exercise, determined
in accordance with Section 11(d) hereof.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Company Common Stock
upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Company Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Company Common Stock, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as
herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one (1)
share of Company Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one
share of Company Common Stock shall be the closing price per share of Company Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
29
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right to
receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as
permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement,
other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to Section 18 hereof, are vested in
the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
the registered holders of certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock); and any
registered holder of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of a certificate
representing shares of Company Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the
holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of a certificate
representing shares of Company Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company or any
other Person to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced
by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement.
Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for
any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations
hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the
same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a
Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of Company Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry
books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate
forms and certificates duly executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem
and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Company Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the
Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Company Common Stock certificate made by any Person other than the
Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or any other Person as a result of
its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary
or permanent injunction or other order, decree, judgment or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative
30
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any
such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as promptly as practicable.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such,
of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose
the holder of the number of shares of Preferred Stock 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 Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights
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, except as provided in Section 25 hereof,
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders, or to receive dividends or
subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Section 17 shall also
apply to holders, as such, of Rights prior to the issuance of Rights Certificates.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable fees and disbursements of its counsel, incurred in
connection with the execution and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company shall indemnify the Rights Agent for, and hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement or the exercise or performance
of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable costs and expenses of
defending against a claim of liability hereunder.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any
action taken or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Preferred Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document reasonably believed
by it to be genuine and to have been signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust or stockholder services businesses of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under
31
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any document or any further act on the part
of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In
case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of
the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt
the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and
in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and
obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the
Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem
it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of
any Acquiring Person and the determination of current market price) be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or omitting any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be specified herein) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or omitted in good faith by it
under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or
recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be
32
required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates),
but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be responsible for the validity of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or for the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it
be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or failure by the Company to satisfy
conditions contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible
for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that
would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company shall perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed,
executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the performance by the Rights Agent of its duties
under 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, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and shall not be liable for any action taken, or
omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent
may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or have a pecuniary
interest 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 Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it
or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents.
(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 or in the
exercise of its rights hereunder if the Rights Agent shall have reasonable grounds for believing
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
33
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or
transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as
the case may be, has either not been completed, not signed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty days’ prior notice in
writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent for the Company Common Stock or Preferred
Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the Distribution
Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty days’ prior notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent for the
Company Common Stock or Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such removal
occurs after the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail.
If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the
Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty 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 Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or any state of the
United States in good standing, shall be authorized under applicable laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer or stockholder service powers and shall be subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authorities and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights
Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation
described in clause (a). After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent
without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the
successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor
Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Company Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and, if such
appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue
new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors
to reflect any adjustment or change made in accordance with the provisions of this
34
Agreement in the Purchase Price or the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property that may be acquired under the Rights Certificates.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares by the Company of Company
Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Company Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of
stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement granted or awarded as of the Distribution
Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of any other securities hereinafter issued by
the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection
with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall
be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) Subject to Section 31 hereof, the Company may, at its option, by action of the Board of
Directors, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior
to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the Record Date) or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then-outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being the “Redemption Price”). The Company may, at its option, by action of the
Board of Directors, pay the Redemption Price either in shares of Company Common Stock (based on the
current market price, as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the shares of Company Common Stock at
the time of redemption) or cash or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board
of Directors and the redemption of the Rights shall be effective at such time and on the basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors may in its sole discretion establish.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company’s right of
redemption has expired.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the
Rights as provided in Section 23(a) above (or at such later time as the Board of Directors may
establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. The Company
shall promptly give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the
then-outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder’s last address as
it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the transfer agent for the Company Common Stock, provided,
however, that the 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
35
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.
(c) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to the
Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights in
accordance with this Agreement, and (ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to the registered
holders of the Rights as 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 of the
Company Common Stock, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights and Rights Certificates shall be
null and void without any further action by the Company.
(d) 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 or
repurchase by any of them of Company Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Company, upon resolution of the Board of Directors, may, at its option, at any time
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, exchange all or part of the
then-outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) for Units of Preferred Stock or shares of Company Common Stock (at
the election of the Board of Directors) at an exchange ratio of one Unit of Preferred Stock or one
share of Company Common Stock, as the case may be, per Right, as appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being 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
an Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of shares of Company Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Company
Common Stock then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of a Section 13(a) Event, any Rights
that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be
exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section
24(a). The exchange of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights
pursuant to Section 24(a), 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 Units of Preferred Stock or shares of Company Common Stock, as the
case may be, equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly provide 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 shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of
the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
36
exchange shall state the method by which the exchange of Units of Preferred Stock or shares of
Company Common Stock, as the case may be, 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 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that the number of Units of Preferred Stock or shares of Company Common
Stock, as the case may be, which are authorized by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation but
not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are
not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24,
then the Company, at the election of the Board of Directors, shall take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional shares of Preferred Stock or Company Common Stock, as the case
may be, for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Units of Preferred Stock or
fractions of shares of Company Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Units or fractional shares. In lieu of issuing fractional Units or fractional shares, the Company
may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exchanged as
herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one Unit of Preferred Stock or one share of
Company Common Stock, as the case may be, on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date:
(i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock
or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular
periodic cash dividend paid out of funds legally available therefor),
(ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or
to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options,
(iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock),
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a
wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), 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 more
than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its
wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), or
37
(v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company,
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which
shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by
the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice
shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty
(20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior
to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier; provided,
however, no such notice shall be required pursuant to this Section 25, if any wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company effects a consolidation or merger with or into, or effects a sale or
other transfer of assets, cash flow or earnings power to, any other wholly owned Subsidiary of the
Company.
(b) In case any Triggering Event shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as
soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible
and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall
specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13 hereof, as the case may be, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph (a) to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer also to Company Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities of the Company.
Section 26. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for hereunder
shall, unless otherwise stated herein, be in writing and mailed or sent or delivered, if to the
Company, at its address at:
Sourcefire, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
and if to the Rights Agent, at its address at:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Co.
00 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
00 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 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 Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the
holder of certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
38
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date, and subject
to the other provisions of this Section 27, the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion,
and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of certificates representing Rights or
shares of Company Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company may, in its
sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order:
(i) to cure any ambiguity,
(ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or
(iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person);
provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to
lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) subject to Section 31 hereof, a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then
redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting,
enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person).
Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the
Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Company Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for
the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their
respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
(a) For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Company
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the
particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Company Common Stock of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the
Exchange Act Regulations as in effect on the date hereof. Except as otherwise specifically
provided herein, the Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer
this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted
39
to the Board of Directors or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power (i) to
interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) to make all determinations deemed necessary or
advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination
whether to redeem or not redeem the rights or to amend this Agreement and whether any proposed
amendment adversely affects the interest of the holders of Rights Certificates). 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 of Directors in good
faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors or any member thereof
to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
(b) The Three-Year Independent Director Evaluation Committee (the “TIDE Committee”)
(as described below) of the Board of Directors shall review and evaluate this Agreement in order to
consider whether the maintenance of this Agreement continues to be in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders, at least once every three years. Following each such review, the
TIDE Committee will communicate its conclusions to the full Board of Directors, including any
recommendation in light thereof as to whether this Agreement should be modified or the Rights
should be redeemed.
(c) The members of the TIDE Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and
comprised of members of the Board of Directors who are not officers, employees or Affiliates of the
Company. The TIDE Committee shall have the power to set its own agenda and to retain, at the
expense of the Company, independent legal, accounting or other professional consultants selected by
the TIDE Committee, for any matters relating to the purpose of the TIDE Committee. The Company
shall cause its employees to make themselves available to cooperate with the TIDE Committee for any
matters related to its purpose. The TIDE Committee shall have the authority to review all
information of the Company and to consider any and all factors they deem relevant to an evaluation
of whether to maintain or modify the Agreement or redeem the Rights.
Section 30. Requests for Copies of this Agreement. The Company will mail a copy of
this Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a
written request therefor by any person.
Section 31. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed
to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of shares of Company
Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered
holders of shares of Company Common Stock).
Section 32. 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
40
invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors determines in
its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely
affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement and the Rights shall not then be redeemable, the
right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the date of such determination by the
Board of Directors.
Section 33. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate
issued hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed entirely in such State.
Section 34. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed (including by facsimile) in
one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 35. Descriptive Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for
descriptive purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
41
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, all as
of the date first above written.
SOURCEFIRE, INC. | ||||||
By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
|
||||||
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |||||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST CO. | ||||||
By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | |||||
|
||||||
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | |||||
Title: | Vice President | |||||
42
EXHIBIT A
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. | Rights |
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT REFERRED TO
BELOW). THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE
TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), WHETHER
CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND
VOID.
Rights Certificate
SOURCEFIRE, INC.
This certifies that , or registered assigns, is the registered holder of
the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject
to the terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement dated as of October 30, 2008, as amended from
time to time (the “Rights Agreement”) (terms defined therein being used herein with the same
meaning unless otherwise defined herein), between Sourcefire, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Co., as Rights Agent (which term shall include
any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Company at any time
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, at the office of the Rights Agent,
one one-hundredth of a fully paid and nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company at the Purchase
Price initially of $30.00 per one one-hundredth share of Preferred Stock (each such one
one-hundredth of a share being a “Unit”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Election to Purchase and related certificate duly executed. The number of
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number and kind of shares which may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) and the Purchase Price per Unit set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of , 20___, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such
date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any
such Acquiring Person or (ii) under certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, a
direct or indirect transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, including a
transferee of any person who, after such transfer, becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof
A-1
shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section
11(a)(ii) Event.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced hereby may
entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase capital stock of an entity other than the Company
or receive common stock, cash or other assets, all as provided in the Rights Agreement.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening
of certain events, including a Triggering Event.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement,
which terms and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and
to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the
Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the
temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set
forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office
of the Rights Agent and are available from the Rights Agent upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights
equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be
entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for
the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate
may be redeemed by the Company under certain circumstances at its option at a redemption price of
$.001 per Right (as such amount may be adjusted pursuant to the Rights Agreement), at any time
prior to the earlier of the Close of Business on (i) the tenth business day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date,
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the Record Date) and (ii) the Final
Expiration Date. In addition, subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for Units of Preferred Stock or shares of the Common Stock of the
Company. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing any such
exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not
subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive the
shares issuable upon such exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or
Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of
a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company be evidenced by
A-2
depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Stock or of any other securities which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement
or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate
action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends of subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have
been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company. Dated as of
___, 20___
SOURCEFIRE, INC. |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Countersigned:
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST CO.,
as Rights Agent
as Rights Agent
By: |
||||
Name: | ||||
Title: |
A-3
(Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate)
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
transfer the Rights Certificate.)
transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto:
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights
Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ___, ___ | ||
Signature | ||
Signature Guaranteed: |
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes in (1) and (2) that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on
behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ___, ___ | ||
Signature | ||
Signature Guaranteed: |
A-4
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the name as
written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Signatures must be guaranteed by an approved eligible financial institution acceptable to the
Rights Agent in its sole discretion or by a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion
Program, the Stock Exchange Medallion Program or the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the Company will deem the
Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case
of an Assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange
for this Rights Certificate.
A-5
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if the registered holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
(To be executed if the registered holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: Sourcefire, Inc.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented
by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other person or other property which
may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such Units (or
such other securities) be issued in the name of and delivered to:
(Please print name and address)
(Please insert social security or other identifying number).
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a
new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and
delivered to: (Please print name and address)
(Please insert social security or other identifying number).
Dated:
__, ____
Signature | ||
Signature Guaranteed: |
A-6
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes in (1) and (2) that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or
on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate thereof (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Dated:
__, ____
Signature | ||
Signature Guaranteed: |
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must conform to the name
as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Signatures must be guaranteed by an approved eligible financial institution acceptable to the
Rights Agent in its sole discretion or by a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion
Program, the Stock Exchange Medallion Program or the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the Company will deem the
Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and the election
to purchase will not be honored.
A-7
EXHIBIT B
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF
(AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT),
WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER,
MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF
(AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT),
WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER,
MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
SUMMARY OF
RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On October 29, 2008, the Board of
Directors of Sourcefire, Inc. (the “Company”) authorized and
declared a dividend of one right (“Right”) for each outstanding share of its Common Stock, par
value $.001 per share (the “Company Common Stock”), to stockholders of record at the close of
business on November 14, 2008 (the “Record Date”), and authorized the issuance of one Right for
each share of Company Common Stock issued by the Company (except as otherwise provided in the
Rights Agreement, as defined below) between the Record Date and the Distribution Date (as defined
below). Each Right entitles the registered holder, subject to the terms of the Rights Agreement
(as defined below), to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), at a
purchase price of $30.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The purchase price is payable by
certified or bank check or money order payable to the order of the Rights Agent (as defined below).
The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement between the Company
and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Co., as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”), dated as of
October 30, 2008, as amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”).
The Rights Agreement (which includes the Certificate of Designation attached as Exhibit C
thereto) has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.1 to a
Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated , 2008. Copies of the Rights Agreement and the
Certificate of Designation are available free of charge from the Company. This summary description
of the Rights Agreement, the Rights and the Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of the Rights Agreement and the
Certificate of Designation, including the definitions therein of certain terms, which Rights
Agreement and Certificate of Designation are incorporated herein by reference.
The Rights Agreement
Certificates; Distribution Date. Initially, the Rights will attach to all certificates
representing shares of outstanding Company Common Stock, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate
B-1
from the Company Common Stock and the “Distribution Date” will occur upon the earlier of (i)
ten business days following a public announcement (the date of such announcement being the “Stock
Acquisition Date”) that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring
Person”) has acquired or otherwise obtained beneficial ownership (which includes, among other
things, certain derivative or synthetic arrangements having characteristics of a long position in
Company Common Stock) of 15% or more of the then-outstanding shares of Company Common Stock (or, if
the tenth business day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of
business on the Record Date), and (ii) ten business days (or such later date as may be determined
by action of the Board of Directors) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer
that would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. Until the Distribution Date,
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by Company Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with
and only with such Company Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Company Common Stock certificates
issued after the Record Date (also including shares distributed from Treasury) will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of
any certificates representing outstanding Company Common Stock will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Company Common Stock represented by such certificates.
An “Acquiring Person” does not include certain persons specified in the Rights Agreement.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the close of
business on the tenth anniversary of the Rights Agreement unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by
the Company as described below. Under certain circumstances, as provided in the Rights Agreement,
the exercisability of the Rights may be suspended.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to
holders of record of Company Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (and
to each initial holder of certain shares of Company Common Stock issued after the Distribution
Date) and, thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
Flip-In. If a person becomes an Acquiring Person, then each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, Units of Preferred Stock or, at the option of the
Company, shares of Company Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The
exercise price is the purchase price multiplied by the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable
upon exercise of a Right prior to the event described in this paragraph. Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph, all Rights that
are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by
any Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate thereof (or certain transferees of any thereof)
will be null and void.
Flip-Over. If, at any time following the date that any person becomes an Acquiring Person,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction and the Company
is not the surviving corporation, (ii) any person merges with the Company and all or part of the
Company Common Stock is converted or exchanged for securities, cash or property
B-2
of the Company or any other person or (iii) 50% or more of the Company’s assets, cash flow or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have
been voided as described above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
Redemption. At any time until ten business days following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if
the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, until ten business days
following the Record Date), the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $0.001 per Right (subject to adjustment in certain events) payable, at the election
of the Board of Directors, in cash, shares of Company Common Stock or other consideration
considered appropriate by the Board of Directors. Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of
the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price.
Exchange. The Company may, at any time after there is an Acquiring Person, until the time
specified in the Rights Agreement, exchange all or part of the then-outstanding and exercisable
Rights (other than Rights that shall have become null and void) for Units of Preferred Stock or
shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to a one-for-one exchange ratio, subject to adjustment.
No Stockholder Rights; Taxation. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such,
will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to
vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to
stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize
taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Units of Preferred Stock (or
other consideration) or for common stock of the acquiring company or in the event of the redemption
of Rights as set forth above.
Amendment. Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended without the approval
of the holders of the Rights or Company Common Stock at any time prior to the Distribution Date.
After such date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended in order to cure any
ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights
Agreement, or to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights
(excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person); provided, that no amendment
shall be made to lengthen (i) the time period governing redemption at such time as the Rights are
not redeemable or (ii) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights.
Independent Director Review. The Rights Agreement provides that a Three-Year Independent
Director Evaluation Committee (the “TIDE Committee”) of the Board of Directors will review and
evaluate the Rights Agreement in order to consider whether the maintenance of the Rights Agreement
continues to be in the interests of the Company and its stockholders at least once every three
years. The TIDE Committee will be comprised of members of the Board of Directors who are not
officers, employees or Affiliates of the Company.
B-3
Description of Preferred Stock
The Units of Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights will be
nonredeemable.
Each Unit of Preferred Stock will have a minimum preferential quarterly dividend of $0.01 per
Unit or any higher per share dividend declared on the Company Common Stock.
In the event of liquidation, the holder of a Unit of Preferred Stock will receive a preferred
liquidation payment equal to the greater of $1.00 per Unit and the per share amount paid in respect
of a share of the Company Common Stock.
Each Unit of Preferred Stock will have one vote, voting together with the Company Common
Stock.
In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Company
Common Stock are exchanged, each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive the per share
amount paid in respect of each share of Company Common Stock.
The rights of holders of the Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, liquidation and
voting, and in the event of mergers and consolidations, are protected by customary antidilution
provisions.
The economic value of one Unit of Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon the exercise of
each Right should approximate the economic value of one share of Company Common Stock.
B-4
EXHIBIT C
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF THE
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
SOURCEFIRE, INC.
OF THE
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
SOURCEFIRE, INC.
The undersigned officer of Sourcefire, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
That, pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Corporation by
its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the said Board of
Directors, at a duly called meeting held on October 29, 2008, at which a quorum was present and
acted throughout, adopted the following resolution, which resolution remains in full force and
effect on the date hereof, creating a series of Preferred Stock having a par value of $.001 per
share, designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock”), out of the Corporation’s authorized shares of preferred stock
of the par value of $.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”):
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with
the provisions of its Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors does hereby create,
authorize and provide for 300,000 shares of its authorized Preferred Stock to be designated and
issued as the “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,” having the relative rights,
preferences and limitations that are set forth as follows:
1. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any other series
of Preferred Stock or any other shares of stock of the Corporation ranking prior and superior to
the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, each holder
of one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share (a “Unit”) of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of funds legally available for that purpose, (i) quarterly dividends payable in cash on the
last day of February, May, August and November in each year (each such date being a “Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the
first issuance of a Unit of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per Unit
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $0.01 or (b) subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends declared on
shares of the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or,
with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of a Unit of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, and (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, quarterly distributions (payable in kind) on each Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date in an amount per Unit equal to the aggregate per share amount of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, by reclassification or otherwise) declared
on shares of Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with
respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of a Unit of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event that the Corporation shall at any time after
October 30, 2008 (the “Rights Declaration Date”) (i) declare any dividend on outstanding
shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of
Common Stock or (iii) combine outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount to which the holder of a Unit of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock was entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (i) (b) or clause (ii) of
the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction (y) the numerator
of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately after such
event and (z) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on Units of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately after it declares a
dividend or distribution on the shares of Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, by reclassification or
otherwise); provided, however, that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall
have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.01 per Unit on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and shall be cumulative on each outstanding Unit of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the
date of issuance of a Unit of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of
issuance of such Unit is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such Unit shall begin to accrue from the date of issuance of such Unit, or
unless the date of issuance is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled
to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which
events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on Units of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the aggregate amount of all such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such Units shall be allocated pro rata on a
Unit-by-Unit basis among all Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of
Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date
fixed for the payment thereof.
2. Voting Rights. The holders of Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each Unit of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters
submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall, at
any time after the Rights Declaration Date, (i) declare any dividend on outstanding shares of
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock
or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the number of votes per Unit to which holders of Units of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction (y) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and (z) the denominator of which shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of
the Corporation or as required by law, the holders of Units of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
3. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on Units of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided herein are in arrears, thereafter and
until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on outstanding
Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, or make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or
otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of junior stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on, or make any other distributions on, any shares of parity
stock, except dividends paid ratably on Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and
shares of all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the
total amounts to which the holders of such Units and all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any parity stock,
provided, however, that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or
otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any junior stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any Units of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of parity stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of
such Units and shares of parity stock upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative
rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith
will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series and classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or
otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation, unless the Corporation
could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 3, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such
time and in such manner.
4. Reacquired Shares. Any Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and
cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such Units shall, upon their cancellation,
become authorized but unissued shares (or fractions of shares) of Preferred Stock and may be
reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of
the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of junior stock, unless the
holders of Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received, subject to
adjustment as hereinafter provided in paragraph (B), the greater of either (a) $1.00 per Unit plus
an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not earned or
declared, to the date of such payment, or (b) the amount equal to the aggregate per share amount to
be distributed to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of shares of parity
stock, unless simultaneously therewith distributions are made ratably on Units of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and all other shares of such parity stock in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock are entitled
under clause (i)(a) of this sentence and to which the holders of shares of such parity stock are
entitled, in each case upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
(B) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i)
declare any dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine outstanding shares of Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of
Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event pursuant to clause (i)(b) of paragraph (A) of this Section 5 shall be adjusted by multiplying
such amount by a fraction (y) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
that are outstanding immediately after such event and (z) the denominator of which shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
6. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any
consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are
exchanged for or converted into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in
any such case Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged for or converted into an amount per Unit (subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash
and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share
of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after
the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable
in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the immediately preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or conversion of Units of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction (y) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that are
outstanding immediately after such event and (z) the denominator of which shall be the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
7. Redemption. The Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
8. Ranking. The Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the
Preferred Stock and to any other class of Preferred Stock that hereafter may be issued by the
Corporation as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series or class shall provide otherwise.
9. Fractional Shares. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be issued
in Units or other fractions of a share, which Units or other fractions shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder’s Units or other fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
10. Amendment. At any time when any Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock are outstanding, neither the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation nor this
Certificate of Designation shall be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change
the powers, preferences or special rights of the Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or
more of the outstanding Units of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately
as a class.
11. Certain Definitions. As used in this resolution with respect to the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(A) The term “Common Stock” shall mean the class of stock designated as the common stock, par
value $.001 per share, of the Corporation at the date hereof or any other class of stock resulting
from successive changes or reclassification of the common stock.
(B) The term “junior stock” (i) as used in Section 3, shall mean the Common Stock and any
other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation over which the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock has preference or priority as to dividends and (ii) as used in
Section 5, shall mean the Common Stock and any other class or series of capital stock of the
Corporation over which the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock has preference or
priority in any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
(C) The term “parity stock” (i) as used in Section 3, shall mean any class or series of
capital stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized or issued ranking pari passu with the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as to dividends and (ii) as used in Section 5, shall mean
any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking pari passu with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock in any liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Sourcefire, Inc. has caused this Certificate of Designation to be signed
by its Chief Executive Officer this 30th day of October 2008.
SOURCEFIRE, INC. |
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By: | ||||
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |