EXHIBIT 99.7
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AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
and
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK,
Rights Agent
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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Dated as of March 9, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Number
Section 1. Definitions...................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent...................................8
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates...................................8
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates...................................11
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration............................12
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Right Certificates.......................................13
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights................................................14
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates...........16
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares.............................17
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date................................17
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights........................................18
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares........................................29
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power........................................30
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.....................32
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................34
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders..................................34
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...........35
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.................................36
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Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...37
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent......................................38
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent......................................42
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates..........................43
Section 23. Redemption..................................................44
Section 24. Exchange....................................................45
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events....................................48
Section 26. Notices.....................................................49
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments..................................50
Section 28. Successors..................................................51
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement..................................51
Section 30. Severability................................................51
Section 31. Governing Law...............................................52
Section 32. Counterparts................................................52
Section 33. Descriptive Headings........................................52
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors........52
Signatures..............................................................50
Exhibit A - Form of Articles Supplementary
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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Agreement, dated as of March 9, 1998, between Avalon Properties, Inc.,
a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and First Union National Bank, as rights
agent (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
March 9, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase
one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms
and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, the Final Expiration Date and the
Merger Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person other (x) than an Exempt
Person and (y) other than Xxxxx & Steers Capital Management, Inc. and its
affiliates to the extent of its ownership of Common Shares on the date hereof
and (z) other than Bay or any of its Affiliates or Associates solely by reason
of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 9, 1998, by and between
the Company and Bay (the "Merger Agreement"), the Stock Option Agreement, dated
as of March 9, 1998, by and between the Company, as issuer, and Bay (the "Option
Agreement"), or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement or the Option Agreement, who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which,
by reducing the number of Common Shares of the Company outstanding, increases
the proportionate number of Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by
such Person to 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding;
provided, however, that, if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then
such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith
that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient
number of Common Shares of the Company so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"
for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.
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(c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.
(d) "Bay" shall mean Bay Apartment Communities, Inc., a Maryland
corporation.
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of Securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, Securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered Securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
Security if the agree-
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ment, arrangement or understanding to vote such Security (1) arises solely
from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance
with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange
Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday,
or a day on which banking institutions in North Carolina are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(g) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Charlotte, North Carolina time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such
date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina
time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(h) "closing price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(a)
hereof.
(i) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(j) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
(k) "current per share market price" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(d) hereof.
(l) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(m) "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(n) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(o) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
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(p) "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan.
(q) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(r) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System.
(s) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(t) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Articles Supplementary
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(u) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4
hereof.
(v) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second
paragraph hereof.
(w) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(x) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
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(y) "Relevant Director" shall mean (i) with respect to any time prior
to the date set forth in Section 8.1(c) of the Merger Agreement, a member of the
Board of Directors of the Company who is not an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person or a representative or nominee of an
Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, who is not an officer of
the Company and who either (a) was a member of the Board of Directors of the
Company prior to March 9, 1998 or (b) subsequently became a member of the Board
of Directors of the Company and whose election or nomination for election is
approved or recommended by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Company, which majority includes a majority of the Relevant Directors then on
the Board of Directors of the Company and (ii) with respect to any other time, a
member of the Board of Directors of the Company who is not an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or a representative or
nominee of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate and who is
not an officer of the Company.
(z) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
hereof.
(aa) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(bb) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble hereof.
(cc) "Security" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)
hereof.
(dd) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
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(ee) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(ff) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(gg) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution
Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares of the Company) in accordance
with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
provided that no such action may be taken by the Board of Directors of the
Company to determine a later date unless, at the time of such action, there are
then in office not less than two Relevant Directors and such action is approved
by a majority of the Relevant Directors then in office) after the date of the
commencement by any Person other than an Exempt Person of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person other than an Exempt Person
to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which
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would result in any Person other than an Exempt Person becoming the Beneficial
Owner of Common Shares of the Company aggregating 10% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares of the Company (including any such date which is after
the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights, the earlier
of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the
Rights will be represented (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by
the certificates for Common Shares of the Company registered in the names of the
holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right
Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to
receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Shares of the Company. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent
will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of Common Shares of the Company as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), representing one Right for each Common Share so held. As
of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares of the
Company as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for
Common Shares of the Company outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date,
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the Rights will be represented by such certificates registered in the names of
the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earliest of the Redemption Date,
the Exchange Date, the Final Expiration Date or the Merger Date), the surrender
for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares of the Company outstanding on
the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Shares of the Company represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares of the Company which become
outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares of the
Company referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record
Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date,
the Exchange Date, the Final Expiration Date or the Merger Date shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them substantially
the following legend:
This certificate also represents and entitles the holder hereof to certain
rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Avalon Properties, Inc.
and First Union National Bank, as rights agent, dated as of March 9, 1998
(the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of Avalon Properties, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) will be represented by separate certificates and will no longer
be represented by this certificate. Avalon Properties, Inc. will mail to
the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without
charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any
Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) who becomes an Acquiring Person
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the
Company represented by such
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certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender
for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares of the
Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights
associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be deemed cancelled and
retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
associated with the Common Shares of the Company which are no longer
outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the
event that prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the redemption,
expiration or termination of the Rights, any shares of Common Stock are retired
and canceled in connection with the conversion of such shares to Excess Stock
pursuant to Article IX of the Company's Charter, then the associated Rights
shall be deemed to be similarly retired and canceled.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or automated
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 11 and 22 hereof, the
Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the
price per
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one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"),
but the number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase
Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the individual who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any individual who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such individual was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the
Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certifi-
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xxxxx, the number of Rights represented on its face by each of the Right
Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the
earliest of the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, the Final Expiration Date or
the Merger Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right
Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may
be transferred, split up, combined, or exchanged for another Right Certificate
or Right Certificates entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of
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loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to
them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights
Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the
Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company
will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights represented thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in
part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on March 9, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24 hereof (the "Exchange Date"), or (iv) the time
immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement)
(the "Merger Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $120, and
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.
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(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent of the Preferred Shares
with such depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent
to comply with such request; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof; (iii) promptly after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder; and (iv) when appropriate,
after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights represented thereby, a new Right Certificate
representing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of
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such Right Certificate or to such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to
the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and, in such
case, shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its
authorized and unissued Preferred Shares the number of Preferred Shares that
will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in
accordance with Section 7 hereof. The Company covenants and agrees that it will
take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares.
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The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate representing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender)
or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate representing such Rights was duly surrendered
and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date
upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such
Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise
of the Rights represented thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not
be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights
shall be exercisable,
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including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the
time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares
of stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of stock which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Shares
transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall
-18-
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of stock of the Company issuable upon exercise
of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void, and any holder of such Rights
shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of
this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the
transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
-19-
thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and
any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be
void and cancelled without any action on the part of the Company.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares of
the Company issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares of the Company for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the
event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares of the
Company, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would
otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or
fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred
Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share
market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred
Shares or fraction thereof.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or Securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share
(or having a conversion price per share, if a Security convertible into
Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current
-20-
per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible Securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by a majority of the
Relevant Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed; and, in the event that such rights, options or warrants
are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
-21-
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by a
majority of the Relevant Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of
which shall be such then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and, in the
event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security") on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the
30 consecutive Trading Days immediately
-22-
prior to such date; provided, however, that, in the event that the current per
share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on
such Security payable in shares of such Security or Securities convertible into
such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per
share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market
price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security
selected by a majority of the Relevant Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of busi-
-23-
ness, or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares
shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Shares of the Company as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If
neither the Common Shares of the Company nor the Preferred Shares are publicly
held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the
fair value per share as determined in good faith by a majority of the Relevant
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or Security as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii)
the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
-24-
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c) hereof, inclusive, and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
-25-
(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates representing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates representing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed
-26-
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates
issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares and other stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
-27-
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it, in its sole discretion, shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or
warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof, hereafter made by the Company to
holders of the Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares of the Company payable in Common Shares of the
Company, or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
Common Shares of the Company (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment
of dividends in Common Shares of the Company) into a greater or lesser number of
Common Shares of the Company, then, in any such case, (A) the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper
exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such
event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had
-28-
issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n)
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such
a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section
25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such a
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person
has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person other than an Exempt Person, (b) any Person
other than an Exempt Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with
and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of
the Common Shares of the Company shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other
property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning
-29-
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person
other than an Exempt Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall
be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price
equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and
dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such
issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares of the Company thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless, prior thereto, the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such
-30-
transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities
outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the
consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section
13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or
other transfers.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which represent fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the "current market value" of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The "closing price" for any day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, 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, if on any
-31-
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 a majority of the Relevant Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
a majority of the Relevant Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which represent fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
may, at the election of the Company, be represented by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
-32-
(c) The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of the Right, expressly
waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares of the Company); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares of the
Company), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares of
the Company), may, on such holder's own behalf and for such holder's own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's
right to exercise the Rights represented by such Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement, and will be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
-33-
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares of the Company;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights represented thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or sub-
-34-
scription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights represented by such
Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder, and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, and its
directors, officers, employees and agents for, and to hold each of them harmless
against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent or such other
indemnified party, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent or such
other indemnified party in connection with the acceptance and administration of
this Agreement, or the exercise or performance of its duties hereunder,
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in
the premises.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with,
its administration of this Agreement or the exercise or performance of its
duties hereunder in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the
Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
-35-
The indemnity provided in this Section 18 shall survive the expiration
of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall
be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution
or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties
hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned;
and, in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and, in all such cases, such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been counter-
-36-
signed, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its
prior name or in its changed name; and, in all such cases, such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the written advice or 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
written advice or opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by a person reasonably believed by the
Rights Agent to be any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of
the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
-37-
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of any provision of this Agreement or the execution and delivery
hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of
the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount
thereof) provided for in this Agreement, or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to
the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that
such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued,
be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
-38-
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable
for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions
from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing
any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this
Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such
omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date
any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such
officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to
taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the
Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
-39-
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided that the Rights Agent was not grossly negligent
in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) The Rights Agent undertakes only the express duties and
obligations imposed on it by this Agreement and no implied duties or obligations
shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent.
(k) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no
event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential
loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits).
(l) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing
-40-
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares of the Company or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares of
the Company or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall
resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company
shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal
or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by
the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right
Certificate (which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Right
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of North Carolina
(or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is
authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of North
Carolina), in good standing, having an office in the State of North Carolina,
which is authorized under such laws to
-41-
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision
or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares
of the Company or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates representing Rights in such
form as may be approved by a majority of the Relevant Directors of the Company
to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind
or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right, appro-
-42-
priately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); provided that,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 23(a), the
Board of Directors of the Company may not take any action pursuant to this
Section 23(a) unless (i) at the time of the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company approving such redemption, there are then in office not less than
two Relevant Directors and (ii) such action is approved by a majority of the
Relevant Directors then in office. The redemption of the Rights by the Board of
Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole
discretion, may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice
of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares of the Company. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the
-43-
Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase
for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set
forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection
with the purchase of Common Shares of the Company prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the Company at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share of the Company per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company
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 50% or more of (i) the aggregate
voting power of the Company's voting securities or (ii) the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares of the Company
equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
exchange; pro-
-44-
vided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a
notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares of the Company for Rights will
be effected, and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based
on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares of
the Company issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares of the Company for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the
event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares of the
Company, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share of the Company that
would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred
Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one
Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current
per share market price of one Common Share of the Company as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
-45-
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares of the Company or to distribute certificates which represent fractional
Common Shares of the Company. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares of the
Company, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares of the Company
would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Common Share of the Company. For the purposes of
this paragraph (d), the "current market value" of a whole Common Share of the
Company shall be the closing price of a Common Share of the Company (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24.
(e) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 24(a) to the
contrary, the Board of Directors of the Company may not exchange any Rights
pursuant to Section 24(a) unless (i) at the time of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company approving such exchange or other action, there are then
in office not less than two Relevant Directors and (ii) such exchange is
approved by a majority of the Relevant Directors then in office.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
the Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of the
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of the Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of the
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any
-46-
consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer
(or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other
transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other
Person other than an Exempt Person, and other than pursuant to the Merger
Agreement, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares of the
Company payable in Common Shares of the Company or to effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the Common Shares of the Company (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares of
the Company), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of
a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares of the Company and/or Preferred
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for
purposes of such action, and, in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares of the Company and/or
Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
-47-
describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Avalon Properties, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
First Union National Bank
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Shareholder Services
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to
time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Right Certifi-
-48-
xxxxx in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that, from and after such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which
would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights; and provided,
further that no supplement or amendment that changes the rights or duties of the
Rights Agents under this Agreement shall be effective without the consent of the
Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, supplements or amendments shall be made only if (i) at the time of the
action of the Board of Directors of the Company approving such supplement or
amendment, there are then in office not less than two Relevant Directors and
(ii) such supplement or amendment is approved by a majority of the Relevant
Directors then in office.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Shares of the Company) 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 regis-
-49-
tered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
the Common Shares of the Company).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Maryland and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such state.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. (a)
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein and subject to paragraph (b) of
this Section, the Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive
power and authority to administer this
-50-
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted 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. 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 of the Company or by
a majority of the Relevant 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 of the
Company or any member thereof to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement, the concurrence of a majority of the Relevant Directors then in
office shall be required to give effect to any action, calculation,
interpretation or determination made by the Board of Directors of the Company or
the Relevant Directors in the administration of this Agreement and the exercise
of the rights or powers granted to the Board of Directors of the Company, to the
Relevant Directors or to the Company pursuant to this Agreement, and no effect
shall be given to any such action, calculation, interpretation, determination or
exercise of rights or powers unless at least two Relevant Directors are then in
office.
-51-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
Attest:
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
---------------------- ----------------------
Title: Secretary and Chief Title: Chief Executive Officer
Financial Officer
Attest: FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
By /s/ X.X. Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
--------------- --------------------
Title: Quality/Employee Title: Assistant Vice President
Development Associate
Exhibit A
AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
FORM
of
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY for
SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
(Pursuant to Sections 2-105(a)(9)and 2-208(a) of the
Maryland General Corporation Law)
Avalon Properties, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the
Maryland General Corporation Law (hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby
certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:
FIRST: Under a power contained in Section 7.2 of the charter of the
Corporation (the "Charter"), the Board of Directors of the Corporation as
required by Section 2-208(a) of the Maryland General Corporation Law at a
meeting duly called and held on March 8, 1998 classified and designated
1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock as shares of Series C Preferred Stock, with
the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions,
limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms
and conditions of redemption as follows, which upon any restatement of the
Charter shall be made part of Article VII of the Charter, with any necessary or
appropriate changes to the enumeration or lettering of sections or subsections
hereof:
Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Section 1. Designation and Amount. There shall be a series of
Preferred Stock designated as "Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock"
(the "Series C Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the
Series C Preferred Stock shall be 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors and by the filing
of articles supplementary in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation
Law; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series C
Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus
the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding
options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities
issued by the Corporation convertible into Series C Preferred Stock.
A-1
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the
Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares
of Series C Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock,
par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of
any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if
authorized by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March,
June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to
herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock, in an amount per share
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject
to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or
other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common
Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any
share or fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock,
then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause
(b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series C Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided
that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on
the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of
$1 per share on the Series C Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series C Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next
A-2
preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue
of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue
from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to
receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series C
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends
at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata
on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment
of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be
not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
(D) In determining whether a distribution (other than upon voluntary or
involuntary liquidation), by dividend, redemption or other acquisition of
shares or otherwise, is permitted under the Maryland General Corporation
Law, amounts that would be needed, if the Corporation were to be dissolved
at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon
dissolution of holders of Preferred Stock whose preferential rights upon
dissolution are superior to those receiving the distribution shall not be
added to the Corporation's total liabilities.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series C
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per
share to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such
number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the terms of any other
series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, the holders of shares of
Series C Preferred
A-3
Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other stock of the
Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class
on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series C Preferred Stock
shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required
(except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common
Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series C Preferred
Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred
Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for
shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series
C Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock, except in accordance
with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined
by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the
respective Series C classes, shall determine in good
A-4
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective
series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of
the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this
Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series C Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be
reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions
and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Charter, or in any other
articles supplementary creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock
or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series C
Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series C
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series C Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series C
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any
A-5
other property, then in any such case each share of Series C Preferred Stock
shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per
share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to
100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other
property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each
share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of
Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock
shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Rank. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to
all series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. The Charter of the Corporation shall not be
amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the preferences,
voting powers or other rights or restrictions of the Series C Preferred Stock,
as set forth herein, so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series C
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
SECOND: The Shares have been classified and designated by the Board
of Directors under the authority contained in the Charter.
THIRD: These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board
of Directors in the manner and by the vote required by law.
FOURTH: The undersigned President of the Corporation acknowledges these
Articles Supplementary to be the corporate act of the Corporation and, as to all
matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President
acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these
matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is
made under the penalties for perjury.
A-6
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles
Supplementary to be executed under seal in its name and on its behalf by its
President and attested to by its Secretary on this 9th of March, 1998.
------------------------
President
Attest:
---------------------
Secretary
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-
___Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 9, 2008 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUB-
JECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
This certifies that______, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of March 9, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Avalon
Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and First Union
National Bank (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time
after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement)
and prior to 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on March 9, 2008 at the
principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series C
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
(the "Preferred Shares") at a purchase price of $120 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The
number of Rights represented by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof)
set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of March 9, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted
at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon
the exercise of the Rights represented by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.
B-1
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
representing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
represented by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part
for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights represented hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be represented by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a
cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights represented by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-2
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of____, _____.
ATTEST: AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
_________________ By_______________ (SEAL)
Countersigned:
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
By ______________________
Authorized Signature
B-3
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED__________________________hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
___________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______Attorney, to transfer the
within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full
power of substitution.
Dated: ____ , ____
________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
________________
Signature
B-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: AVALON PROPERTIES, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise________Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights represented by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ________ , ___
____________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
B-5
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights represented by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
________________
Signature
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights represented by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On March 8, 1998, the Board of Directors of Avalon Properties, Inc.
(the "Company") authorized a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Company (the "Common Shares"). The dividend is payable on March 9, 1998
(the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record at the close of business on
that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred Shares") at a
price of $120 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"),
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and First Union
National Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day following a public announcement
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other than (x) the
Company, a subsidiary thereof, an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
subsidiary thereof (any of the foregoing, an "Exempt Person") or (y) Xxxxx &
Steers Capital Management, Inc. and its affiliates to the extent of its
ownership of Common Shares on March 9, 1998 or (z) Bay Apartment Communities,
Inc. or any of its affiliates or associates solely by reason of the Agreement
and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 9, 1998, by and between the Company and
Bay (the "Merger Agreement"), the Stock Option Agreement, dated as of March 9,
1998, by and between the Company, as issuer, and Bay (the "Option Agreement"),
or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or
the Option Agreement) (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership
of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) the tenth business day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group (other than an
Exempt Person) of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of
such dates being the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be represented, with
respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record
Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights
attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred
with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued
after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
C-1
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
representing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of
record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution
Date, and such separate Right Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on the earlier of March 9, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date") and
the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares; (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares; or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum
preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred
Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in
the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common
Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 times
the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary
antidilution provisions.
C-2
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction by one other than an Exempt Person or 50% or more of its
consolidated assets or earning power are sold to one other than an Exempt Person
after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be
made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then-current exercise price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder
of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which
will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may cause the
Company to exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group
which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a
class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment). However, the
Rights may not be so exchanged unless (i) at the time of the action by the Board
of Directors approving such exchange, there are then in office not less than two
Relevant Directors (as defined below) and (ii) such exchange is approved by a
majority of the relevant Directors then in office. "Relevant Directors" means
(1) with respect to any time prior to the date set forth in Section 8.1(c) of
the Merger Agreement, a member of the Board of Directors who is not an Acquiring
Person or an affiliate or representative thereof, who is not an officer of the
Company and who either (a) was a member of the Board of Directors prior to March
9, 1998 or (b) subsequently became a member of the Board of Directors and whose
election is approved or recommended by a majority of the Board of Directors,
including a majority of the Relevant Directors then in office and (2) with
respect to any other time, a member of the Board of Directors who is not an
Acquiring Person or an affiliate or representative thereof and who is not an
officer of the Company.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be represented by depositary
receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made
C-3
based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior
to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated
or associated persons becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of
the Company may cause the Company to redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). However, the Board
of Directors may not redeem the Rights unless (i) at the time of the action of
the Board of Directors approving such redemption, these are in office not less
than two Relevant Directors and (ii) such action is approved by a majority of
the Relevant Directors then in office. Immediately upon any redemption of the
Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of
the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the
Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that (i) from
and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests
of the holders of the Rights and (ii) amendments may only be made if (i) at the
time the Board of Directors approves such amendments, there are at least two
Relevant Directors in office and (ii) such amendment is approved by a majority
of the Relevant Directors then in office.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A
dated March 12, 1998. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
