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EXHIBIT 4.1
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Brooktrout Technology, Inc.
and
State Street Bank and Trust Company
as Rights Agent
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Shareholder Rights Agreement
Dated as of September 9, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS..................................................... 1
2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT............................................. 7
3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES............................................. 7
4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.............................................. 9
5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION....................................... 10
6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHT CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR
STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES............................................... 11
7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; EXERCISE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE
OF RIGHTS............................................. 12
8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES...................... 14
9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED STOCK......................... 14
10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE............................................ 16
11. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF
SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS............................................. 16
12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED EXERCISE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES............. 25
13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS
OR EARNING POWER....................................................... 26
14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES................................ 29
15. RIGHTS OF ACTION....................................................... 29
16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS............................................. 30
17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER...................... 31
18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT............................................ 31
19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.............. 32
(i)
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20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT................................................ 32
21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT................................................ 34
22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES.................................... 35
23. REDEMPTION............................................................ 36
24. EXCHANGE.............................................................. 37
25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.............................................. 39
26. NOTICES............................................................... 40
27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS............................................ 40
28. SUCCESSORS............................................................ 41
29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.................. 41
30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT............................................ 42
31. SEVERABILITY.......................................................... 42
32. GOVERNING LAW......................................................... 42
33. COUNTERPARTS.......................................................... 42
34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS.................................................. 42
Exhibit A -- Certificate of Designation of
Series A Junior Participating
Cumulative Preferred Stock
Exhibit B -- Form of Right Certificate
(ii)
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SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Agreement, dated as of September 9, 1998, between Brooktrout
Technology, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and State Street
Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts chartered trust company (the "Rights
Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company desires to provide
shareholders of the Company with the opportunity to benefit from the long-term
prospects and value of the Company and to ensure that shareholders of the
Company receive fair and equal treatment in the event of any proposed takeover
of the Company; and
WHEREAS, on September 9, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one Right (as such term is
hereinafter defined) for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding as of the close of
business on September 10, 1998 (the "Record Date"), and contemplates the
issuance of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued
(whether originally issued or sold from the Company's treasury, except in the
case of treasury shares having associated Rights) between the Record Date and
the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one ten-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Cumulative
Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth on EXHIBIT A hereto, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act as
rights agent hereunder, in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person (as such
term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates (as such
term is hereinafter defined) and Associates (as such term is hereinafter
defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company
then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan or compensation arrangement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
or (iv) any Person holding shares of Common Stock of the Company organized,
appointed or established by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit
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plan or compensation arrangement (the Persons described in clauses (i) through
(iv) above are referred to herein as "Exempt Persons").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition by the Company of Common Stock of the
Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the shares of Common Stock 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 shares (other than pursuant to a
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction) of Common Stock of the
Company and immediately thereafter be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, then such Person shall
be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person."
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, a Person shall not be an
"Acquiring Person" if (i) the Board of Directors of the Company determines that
a Person who would otherwise have been an "Acquiring Person," as defined
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1(a), on the date of this
Agreement became such without intending to become an "Acquiring Person," and, if
the Board of Directors of the Company so requests, such Person shall have taken
or agreed to take such action as the Board of Directors shall have deemed
appropriate (any such Person being referred to herein as an "Inadvertent
Grandfathered Person"), or (ii) the Board of Directors of the Company determines
that a Person (including an Inadvertent Grandfathered Person) who would
otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," has become such without intending to become
an "Acquiring Person," and such Person divests as promptly as practicable (or
within such period of time as the Board of Directors of the Company determines
is reasonable) a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock of the Company so
that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(A) an Inadvertent Grandfathered Person shall become an Acquiring Person if
after the date of this Agreement such Inadvertent Grandfathered Person becomes
the Beneficial Owner of more than the percentage of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock of the Company that such Inadvertent Grandfathered Person
Beneficially Owned as of the date of this Agreement plus an additional 1/2% (the
"Inadvertent Grandfathered Percentage"), (B) in the event any Inadvertent
Grandfathered Person shall sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company after the date of this
Agreement, the Inadvertent Grandfathered Percentage applicable to such
Inadvertent Grandfathered Person shall, subsequent to such sale, transfer or
disposition, mean, with respect to such Inadvertent Grandfathered Person, the
lesser of (x) the Inadvertent Grandfathered Percentage as in effect immediately
prior to such sale, transfer or disposition or (y) the percentage of outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company that such Inadvertent Grandfathered Person
Beneficially Owns immediately following such sale, transfer or disposition plus
an additional 1/2%, and (C) any Inadvertent Grandfathered Person who after the
date of this Agreement becomes the Beneficial Owner of less than 15% of the
shares of Common Stock of the
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Company then outstanding shall cease to be an Inadvertent Grandfathered Person.
Any references in this Agreement to a 15% threshold shall mean, solely with
respect to any Inadvertent Grandfathered Person, the Inadvertent Grandfathered
Percentage applicable to such Inadvertent Grandfathered Person.
(b) "ADJUSTMENT SHARES" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(c) "ADVERSE PERSON" shall mean any Person declared to be
an Adverse Person by the Board of Directors upon a determination of the Board of
Directors that the criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such
Person.
(d) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations (the "Rules") under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that no Person who is a director or officer of the Company shall be
deemed an Affiliate or an Associate of any other director or officer of the
Company solely as a result of his or her position as director or officer of the
Company.
(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, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns (as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the Rules under the Exchange Act,
as in effect on the date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has:
(A) the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time or upon the satisfaction of any conditions or both)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing) (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 the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (1)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; (2) securities issuable
upon exercise of these Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event; or (3) securities issuable
upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or
any of such Person's Affiliates or
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Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Sections 3(a), 11(i) or 22 hereof; or
(B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
security under this clause (B) if the agreement, arrangement
or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from
a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the Rules of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
reportable by such person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(C) the right to dispose of pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) (other than customary arrangements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) (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
pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in clause (B) of Section
1(d)(ii) hereof) or disposing of any securities of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (1) no Person engaged in business as an underwriter of
securities shall be deemed the Beneficial Owner of any securities acquired
through such Person's participation as an underwriter in good faith in a firm
commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty (40) days after the date
of such acquisition, and (2) no Person who is a director or an officer of the
Company shall be deemed, as a result of his or her position as director or
officer of the Company, the Beneficial Owner of any securities of the Company
that are beneficially owned by any other director or officer of the Company.
(f) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., Boston, Massachusetts time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such
date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Boston, Massachusetts time,
on the next succeeding Business Day.
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(h) "COMMON STOCK" when used in reference to the Company
shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company or any
other shares of capital stock of the Company into which such stock shall be
reclassified or changed. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person
other than the Company organized in corporate form shall mean (i) the capital
stock or other equity interest of such Person with the greatest voting power,
(ii) the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or
direct the management of such Person or (iii) if such Person is a Subsidiary of
another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such
first-mentioned Person and which have issued any such outstanding capital stock,
equity securities or equity interest. "Common Stock" when used with reference to
any Person not organized in corporate form shall mean units of beneficial
interest which (x) shall represent the right to participate generally in the
profits and losses of such Person (including without limitation any flow-through
tax benefits resulting from an ownership interest in such Person) and (y) shall
be entitled to exercise the greatest voting power of such Person or, in the case
of a limited partnership, shall have the power to remove or otherwise replace
the general partner or partners.
(i) "CURRENT VALUE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(j) "DEPOSITARY AGENT" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(c) hereof.
(k) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall have the meaning defined in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(l) "EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning defined in
Section 4(a) hereof.
(m) "EXPIRATION DATE" and "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall
have the meanings set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(n) "FAIR MARKET VALUE" of any securities or other
property shall be as determined in accordance with Section 11(d) hereof.
(o) "GROUP" shall have the meaning set forth in clause
(b) of the definition of "Person."
(p) "PERSON" shall mean (a) an individual, a corporation,
a partnership, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a business trust,
a government or political subdivision, any unincorporated organization, or any
other association or entity, and (b) a "group" as that term is used for purposes
of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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(q) "PREFERRED STOCK" shall mean shares of Series A
Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the form of
Certificate of Designation attached hereto as EXHIBIT A.
(r) "PREFERRED STOCK EQUIVALENTS" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(s) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning defined in
Section 13(b) hereof.
(t) "REDEMPTION PRICE" shall have the meaning defined in
Section 23 hereof.
(u) "REGISTERED COMMON STOCK" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(v) "RIGHT CERTIFICATE" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof.
(w) "SECTION 11(a)(ii) EVENT" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(x) "SECTION 11(a)(ii) TRIGGER DATE" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(y) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(z) "SECTION 24(a)(i) EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 24(a)(i) hereof.
(aa) "SECTION 24(a)(ii) EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 24(a)(ii) hereof.
(bb) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(cc) "STOCK ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the date of the
first public announcement (which for purposes of this definition shall include,
without limitation, the issuance of a press release or the filing of a
publicly-available report or other document with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or any other governmental agency) by the Company, acting pursuant to
a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, or an Acquiring
Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(dd) "SUBSIDIARY" shall mean, with reference to any
Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership
interests having ordinary voting power sufficient, in the absence of
contingencies, to elect a majority of the board of directors or other
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persons performing similar functions of such corporation or other entity are at
the time directly or indirectly beneficially owned or otherwise controlled by
such Person either alone or together with one or more Affiliates of such Person.
(ee) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ff) "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or any Section 13 Event.
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 (as
hereinafter defined in Section 3(a)) also be the holders of the Common Stock 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. In the event the
Company appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the
Rights Agent and any Co-Rights Agents shall be as the Company shall determine.
The Company shall give ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent
of the appointment of one or more Co-Rights Agents and the respective duties of
the Rights Agent and any such Co-Rights Agents. The Rights Agent shall have no
duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of
any such Co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) From the date hereof until the earliest of (i) the
Close of Business on the tenth calendar day after the Stock Acquisition Date,
(ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later calendar
day, if any, as the Board of Directors of the Company may determine in its sole
discretion) after the date a tender or exchange offer by any Person, other than
an Exempt Person, is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule
14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act, or any successor rule, if, upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding or (iii) the determination by
the Board of Directors of the Company, pursuant to the criteria set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person (including any
such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of
the Rights) (the earliest of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for the Common Stock of
the Company registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock of the
Company (which certificates for Common Stock of the Company shall be deemed also
to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying shares of Common Stock of the Company. As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will, at the Company's expense send, by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock of the Company as of the Close of Business
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on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of
the Company, one or more certificates, in substantially the form of EXHIBIT B
hereto (the "Right Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common
Stock of the Company so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the
event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock of
the Company has been made pursuant to Section 11(o) hereof, the Company may make
the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates, so that
Right Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and
cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Right Certificates.
(b) With respect to certificates for the Common Stock of
the Company issued prior to the Close of Business on the Record Date, the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock of the Company on or
until the Distribution Date (or the earlier redemption, expiration or
termination of the Rights), and the registered holders of the Common Stock of
the Company also shall be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until
the Distribution Date (or the earlier redemption, expiration or termination of
the Rights), the transfer of any of the certificates for the Common Stock of the
Company outstanding prior to the date of this Agreement shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock of the Company
represented by such certificate.
(c) Certificates for the Common Stock of the Company
issued after the Record Date, but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date
or the redemption, expiration or termination of the Rights, shall be deemed also
to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear a legend, substantially in the
form set forth below:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in a Shareholder Rights
Agreement between Brooktrout Technology, Inc. and State Street
Bank and Trust Company, as Rights Agent, dated as of September
9, 1998, as amended, restated, renewed or extended from time
to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is
on file at the principal offices of Brooktrout Technology,
Inc. and the stock transfer administration office of the
Rights Agent. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. Brooktrout Technology, Inc. may redeem the Rights
at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, subject to
adjustment, under the terms of the Rights Agreement.
Brooktrout Technology, Inc. will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on
the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of
a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances,
Rights issued to
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or held by Acquiring Persons, Adverse Persons or any
Affiliates or Associates thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement), and any subsequent holder of such Rights, may
become null and void. The Rights shall not be exercisable, and
shall be void so long as held, by a holder in any jurisdiction
where the requisite qualification, if any, to the issuance to
such holder, or the exercise by such holder, of the Rights in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or be
obtainable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock of the Company represented by such certificates
shall be evidenced by such certificates alone until the Distribution Date (or
the earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the Rights), and the
transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock of the Company represented by such
certificates. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any shares of
Common Stock of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock of the Company shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock of the Company
which are no longer outstanding. The failure to print the foregoing legend on
any such certificate representing Common Stock of the Company or any defect
therein shall not affect in any manner whatsoever the application or
interpretation of the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase shares and of assignment and certificate to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall each be substantially in the form of 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, rule or regulation or with any rule or
regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be
listed, or to conform to customary usage. The Right Certificates shall be in a
machine printable format and in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Rights
Agent. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date, shall
show the date of countersignature, and on their face shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (the
"Exercise Price"), but the number of such shares and the Exercise Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a)
or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by (i) an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate of an
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Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
regarding the transferred Rights, the shares of Common Stock of the Company
associated with such Rights or the Company or (B) a transfer which the Board of
Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section
7(e) hereof, and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6, Section 11
or Section 22 upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other
Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall have deleted therefrom the
second sentence of the existing legend on such Right Certificate and in
substitution therefor shall contain the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or an Associate of
an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). This Right Certificate and
the Rights represented hereby may become null and void under
certain circumstances as specified in Section 7(e) of the
Rights Agreement.
The Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes
aware of the existence and identity of any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or
any Associate or Affiliate thereof. The Company shall instruct the Rights Agent
in writing of the Rights which should be so legended. The failure to print the
foregoing legend on any such Right Certificate or any defect therein shall not
affect in any manner whatsoever the application or interpretation of the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of
the Company by its Chairman of the Board of Directors, or its President or any
Vice President and by its Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or by its Clerk
or any Assistant Clerk, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall
have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be
attested to by the Clerk or any Assistant Clerk of the Company, either manually
or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and shall not be
valid for any purpose unless so countersigned, and such countersignature upon
any Right Certificate shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that
such Right Certificate has been duly countersigned as
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required hereunder. 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 an authorized
signatory of the Rights Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with the
same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates
had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificates may
be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the
execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to
sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent
will keep or cause to be kept, at one of its offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Right Certificates upon exercise or transfer,
books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder.
Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the
Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the
Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section
7(e) and 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 Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or following a Triggering Event, preferred stock,
cash, property, debt securities, Common Stock of the Company or any combination
thereof) as the Right Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase and at the same Exercise Price. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall
make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender
the Right Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged, with the form of assignment and certificate duly executed, at the
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the
registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall
have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested. The Company may require payment by the registered holder of a Right
Certificate, of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be
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imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Right Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and 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 execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; EXERCISE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder
of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of
election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Exercise
Price for the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercised, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the
Close of Business on the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement (the
"Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii) or (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date"). Except as set forth in
Section 7(e) hereof and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
any Person who prior to the Distribution Date becomes a record holder of shares
of Common Stock of the Company may exercise all of the rights of a registered
holder of a Right Certificate with respect to the Rights associated with such
shares of Common Stock of the Company in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement, as of the date such Person becomes a record holder of shares of
Common Stock of the Company.
(b) The Exercise Price for each one ten-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
seventy-nine dollars ($79.00), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful
money of the United States of America in accordance with Section 7(c) below.
(c) As promptly as practicable following the Distribution
Date, the Company shall deposit with a corporation, trust, bank or similar
institution in good standing organized under the laws of the United States or
any State of the United States, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by a federal or state authority (such institution is hereinafter
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referred to as the "Depositary Agent"), certificates representing the shares of
Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights and the Company
shall cause such Depositary Agent to enter into an agreement pursuant to which
the Depositary Agent shall issue receipts representing interests in the shares
of Preferred Stock so deposited. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the
certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, accompanied by payment of
the Exercise Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax (as determined by the Rights Agent) by certified check
or bank draft payable to the order of the Company or by money order, the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) requisition
from the Depositary Agent (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
Depositary Agent) depository receipts or certificates for the number of one ten-
thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby
irrevocably authorizes the Depositary Agent to comply with all such requests,
(ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any,
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. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash or distribute other
property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The
payment of the Exercise Price may be made by certified or bank check payable to
the order of the Company, or by money order or wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the account of the Company (provided that notice of such wire
transfer shall be given by the holder of the related Right to the Rights Agent).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered
holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to
the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
Section 13 Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person
(or of any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person)
who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes
such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of
any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
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Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights, the shares of Common Stock of the Company associated with
such Rights or the Company, or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of
the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall be
null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have
any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates
or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with
respect to an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any Affiliates or Associates
of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any transferee of any of them
hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Right Certificates to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause
to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock or any authorized and issued shares of Preferred Stock held in
its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding and exercisable Rights. Upon the
occurrence of any events resulting in an increase in the aggregate number of
shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Rights in
excess of the number then reserved, the Company shall make appropriate increases
in the number of shares so reserved.
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(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from
and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares of Preferred
Stock issued or reserved for issuance to be listed, upon official notice of
issuance, upon the principal national securities exchange, if any, upon which
the Common Stock of the Company is listed or, if the principal market for the
Common Stock of the Company is not on any national securities exchange, to be
eligible for quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or any successor thereto or other
comparable quotation system.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file,
as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii)
cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus that at all times meets the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no
longer exercisable for such securities or (B) the Expiration Date. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, and which will ensure
compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in
connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily
suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date
determined in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon such suspension,
the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of
the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, in each case with prompt
written notice to the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding any such provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock
delivered upon the exercise of the Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates or depositary receipts for such shares (subject to payment of the
Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will
pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and
charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any certificates for shares of Preferred Stock 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 in respect of the issuance or
delivery of securities in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Right Certificates evidencing Rights
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surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for securities
in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any
Rights until 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 satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Stock (including any fraction of a share of Preferred
Stock) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to
have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock represented
thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Exercise 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 Stock 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 Stock
transfer books of the Company are open; and further PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if
delivery of shares of Preferred Stock is delayed pursuant to Section 9(c), such
Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares of
Preferred Stock only when such shares first become deliverable. Prior to the
exercise of the Right evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall
not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to
shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation,
the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise
any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Exercise Price, the number and kind of 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
Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
Stock into a smaller number of shares or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger
in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e)
hereof, the Exercise Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which,
if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at
a time when the Preferred Stock 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,
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subdivision, combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of a
Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital
stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of a Right. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to,
any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to the provisions of Section 24
hereof, in the event
(A) any Person, alone or together with
its Affiliates and Associates, shall become an Acquiring
Person, or
(B) the Board of Directors of the
Company, by majority vote, shall declare any Person to be an
Adverse Person, after (x) a determination that such Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, has
become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company and (y) a determination
by the Board of Directors, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including such consultation, if any, with such
persons as such directors shall deem appropriate, that (a)
such Beneficial Ownership by such Person is intended to cause,
is reasonably likely to cause or will cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned
by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take
action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions
which would provide such Person with short-term financial gain
under circumstances where the Board of Directors determines
that the best long-term interests of the Company and its
shareholders, but for the actions and possible actions of such
Person, would not be served by taking such action or entering
into such transactions or series of transactions at that time
or (b) such Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably
likely to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not
limited to, impairment of relationships with customers or
impairment of the Company's ability to maintain its
competitive position) on the business or prospects of the
Company. No delay or failure by the Board of Directors to
declare a Person to be an Adverse Person shall in any way
waive or otherwise affect the power of the Board of Directors
subsequently to declare a Person to be an Adverse Person. In
the event that the Board of Directors should at any time
determine, upon reasonable inquiry and investigation,
including consultation with such Persons as the Board of
Directors shall deem appropriate, that such Person has not met
or complied with any condition specified by the Board of
Directors, the Board of Directors may at any time thereafter
declare such Person to be an Adverse Person pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii)(B),
then, and in each such case, promptly following any such occurrence (a
"Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), proper provision shall be made so that each
holder of a Right, except
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as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Exercise Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of shares of
Preferred Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the then number of
one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, whether or not such Right was then exercisable, and
dividing that product by (y) 50% of the Fair Market Value per one
ten-thousandth of a share of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)) on the date of the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event (such number of shares being referred to as the "Adjustment
Shares").
(iii) In lieu of issuing any shares of
Preferred Stock in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
the Company, acting by or pursuant to a resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Company, may, and in the event that
the number of shares of Preferred Stock which are authorized
by the Company's Articles of Organization but not outstanding
or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company, acting by or pursuant
to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company,
shall: (A) determine the excess of (X) the Fair Market Value
of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value") over (Y) the Exercise Price attributable
to each Right (such excess being referred to as the "Spread")
and (B) with respect to all or a portion of each Right
(subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the
applicable Exercise Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Exercise Price, (3) Preferred Stock Equivalents which the
Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same
value as shares of Common Stock of the Company, (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets of the Company or
(6) any combination of the foregoing which, when added to any
shares of Preferred Stock issued upon such exercise, has an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors
of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right
of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of
(x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and
without requiring payment of the Exercise Price, shares of
Preferred Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate
value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that
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sufficient additional shares of Preferred Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
the 30-day period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may
seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, being
referred to herein as the "Substitution Period"). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to
Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability
of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period
in order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or
to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value
thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended
and a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of the Preferred Stock shall be the Fair Market Value
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
the Preferred Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and
the value of any Preferred Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to
have the same value as the Preferred Stock on such date.
(b) If the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after
such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or securities
having the same or more favorable rights, privileges and preferences as the
shares of Preferred Stock ("Preferred Stock Equivalents")) or securities
convertible into Preferred Stock or Preferred Stock Equivalents at a price per
share of Preferred Stock or per share of Preferred Stock Equivalents (or having
a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or
Preferred Stock Equivalents) less than the Fair Market Value (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock and/or Preferred Stock Equivalents to be offered (and the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such Fair Market Value and the denominator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and Preferred
Stock Equivalents 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 a Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of a Right. In case such subscription price may
be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall
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be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be the Fair
Market Value thereof determined in accordance with Section 11(d) hereof. Shares
of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Exercise Price shall
be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) If the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), of evidences of
indebtedness, cash (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of the
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend
payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Stock) or convertible securities, subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), the Exercise Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the Fair Market Value (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock on
such record date, less the Fair Market Value (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so
to be distributed or of such convertible securities, subscription rights or
warrants applicable to one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be the Fair Market Value (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of a Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of stock
of the Company issuable upon exercise of a 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 Exercise Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Exercise Price which would be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) For the purpose of this Agreement, the "Fair Market
Value" of any share of Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any other stock or any
Right or other security or any other property shall be determined as provided in
this Section 11(d).
(i) In the case of a publicly-traded stock or
other security, the Fair Market Value on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share
of such stock or per unit of such other security for the 30
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the
event that the Fair Market Value per share of any share of
stock is determined during a period following the announcement
by the issuer of such stock of (x) a dividend or distribution
on such stock payable in shares of such stock or securities
convertible into shares of such stock or (y) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such stock, and prior to
the expiration of the 30 Trading Day period after the ex-
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dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record
date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
then, and in each such case, the Fair Market Value shall be
properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading.
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 securities 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 such security is listed or admitted to
trading; or, if not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price (or, if
not so quoted, the average of the last quoted 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 no bids for such security are quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
such security selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a
market in such security, the Fair Market Value of such
security on such date shall be determined reasonably and with
utmost good faith to the holders of the Rights by the Board of
Directors of the Company, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if at the
time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person, the Fair Market Value of such security on such
date shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company, which determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. The term "Trading Day"
shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which such security is listed or admitted to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such
security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) If a security is not publicly held or not so
listed or traded, "Fair Market Value" shall mean the fair
value per share of stock or per other unit of such security,
determined reasonably and with utmost good faith to the
holders of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the
Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if at the time of such
determination there is an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person, the Fair Market Value of such security on such date
shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company, which determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
for the purposes of making any adjustment provided for by
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Fair Market
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Value of a share of Preferred Stock shall not be less than the
product of the then Fair Market Value of a share of Common
Stock multiplied by the higher of the then Dividend Multiple
or Vote Multiple (as both of such terms are defined in the
Certificate of Designation attached as Exhibit A hereto)
applicable to the Preferred Stock and shall not exceed 105% of
the product of the then Fair Market Value of a share of Common
Stock multiplied by the higher of the then Dividend Multiple
or Vote Multiple applicable to the Preferred Stock.
(iii) In the case of property other than
securities, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined
reasonably and with utmost good faith to the holders of Rights
by the Board of Directors of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that if at the time of such determination there is an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, the Fair Market Value
of such property on such date shall be determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company, which determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding upon the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Exercise 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-millionth of a share of Common Stock of
the Company or hundred-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be, or to such other figure as the Board of Directors of the Company may deem
appropriate. 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 (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of any provision of Section 11(a) or
Section 13(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 Stock, 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 Stock contained in Section 11(a), (b), (c), (d), (e),
(g) through (k) and (m), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13
and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to
any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities or amount of
cash or combination thereof) purchasable from time to time hereunder upon
exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
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(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election
as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price as a
result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding
immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the
right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, that number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
hundred-millionth) as the Board of Directors of the Company determines is
appropriate to preserve the economic value of the Rights, including, by way of
example, that number obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right may be
exercisable immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Exercise Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Exercise Price and (ii)
dividing the product so obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately
after such adjustment of the Exercise Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Exercise Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon
the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one ten-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the
nearest one- millionth) obtained by dividing the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Exercise Price by the Exercise Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Exercise 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 Exercise Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at
the option of the Company, the adjusted Exercise Price) 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
Exercise Price or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
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Exercise Price per share and the number of shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder without prejudice to any adjustment
or change.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Exercise Price below the then stated value, if any, of
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may,
in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock
at such adjusted Exercise Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require
that an adjustment in the Exercise 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 the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of
any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the Fair Market Value, issuance
wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, stock
dividends or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in
this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred
Stock, shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not,
at any time after the Distribution Date and so long as the Rights have not been
redeemed pursuant to Section 23 hereof or exchanged pursuant to Section 24
hereof, (i) consolidate with (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction that complies with the proviso at the end of this sentence), (ii)
merge with or into, or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell
or transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, to any other Person or Persons
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with the proviso at the end of this
sentence) if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger
or sale there are any rights, warrants or other instruments outstanding or
agreements or arrangements in
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effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights, or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale the shareholders of a
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for the
purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this Section 11(n) shall not affect the ability of any
Subsidiary of the Company to consolidate with, or merge with or into, or sell or
transfer assets or earning power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company. The
Company further covenants and agrees that after the Distribution Date it will
not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any
Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is
reasonably foreseeable that such action will substantially diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(o) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, in the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on
the outstanding Common Stock of the Company payable in shares of Common Stock of
the Company or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of Common Stock of the Company)
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock of the Company, then
in any such case (A) the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be
determined by multiplying the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding immediately after
such event, and (B) each share of Common Stock of the Company outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each share of Common Stock of the Company outstanding immediately
prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for
in this Section 11(o) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is
declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is
effected.
(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall
only result in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so
exercised and shall not otherwise affect the rights of holders of Right
Certificates under this Rights Agreement, including rights to purchase
securities of the Principal Party following a Section 13 Event which has
occurred or may thereafter occur, as set forth in Section 13 hereof. Upon
exercise of a Right Certificate under Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall
return such Right Certificate duly marked to indicate that such exercise has
occurred.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED EXERCISE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
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accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with
each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock of the Company
a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder
of a Right Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of
a certificate representing shares of Common Stock of the Company) in accordance
with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on
any such certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have
received such certificate.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which is not prohibited by Section 11(n) hereof), and the Company
shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or
merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
which is not prohibited by the proviso at the end of the first sentence of
Section 11(n) hereof) 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 shares of
Common Stock of the Company shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the
Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or
a series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or
more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken
as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions, each of which is not
prohibited by the proviso at the end of the first sentence of Section 11(n)
hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Exercise Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of freely
tradeable Common Stock of the Principal Party (as hereinafter defined in Section
13(b)), free and clear of rights of call or first refusal, liens, encumbrances,
transfer restrictions or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, and dividing
that product by (2) 50% of the Fair Market Value (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date
of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of
such consolidation, merger, sale, mortgage or transfer, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply to such Principal
Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited
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to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock to
permit exercise of all outstanding Rights in accordance with this Section 13(a)
and the making of payments in cash and/or other securities in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person
that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock
of the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if
there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of Common Stock that has
the highest aggregate Fair Market Value (determined pursuant to Section
11(d)), and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the
other party to the merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than
one such Person, the Person the Common Stock of which has the highest
aggregate Fair Market Value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is
the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each
Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the
same portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions or if the Person receiving the largest
portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever
Person the Common Stock of which has the highest aggregate Fair Market
Value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d));
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act ("Registered Common
Stock") or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or
indirect Subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person who has Registered Common
Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) if
the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is
not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another
Person but is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person which has
Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to the
ultimate parent entity of such first-mentioned Person; (3) if the Common Stock
of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a
corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than
one Person, and one or more of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock
outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such other Persons is
the issuer of the Registered Common Stock having the highest aggregate Fair
Market Value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)); and (4) if the Common Stock
of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a
corporation, and such Person is directly or
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indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and none of such other Persons
has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the greatest
stockholders' equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a corporation,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the entity
having the greatest net assets.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto (x) the Principal
Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock,
which have not been issued or reserved for issuance, to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13, and (y) the Company and
each Principal Party and each other Person who may become a Principal Party as a
result of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms
set forth in Section 13(a) and (b) and further providing that, as soon as
practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets mentioned in Section 13(a), the Principal Party at its own expense will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement
under the Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, cause
such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus that at all times meets the requirements
of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate;
(iii) list (or continue the listing of) the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a
national securities exchange or to meet the eligibility requirements
for quotation on NASDAQ; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates
which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to
a transaction referred to in this Section 13 has a provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or other
instrument governing its affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of Common
Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then current Fair Market Value
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) or securities exercisable for, or
convertible into, Common Stock of such Principal Party at less
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than such Fair Market Value, or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or
similar provisions in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of this Section 13, then, in such
event, the Company shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in
question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or
that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable
provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of the proposed transaction.
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, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(o)
hereof, or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. If
the Company elects not to issue such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay,
in lieu of such fractional Rights, 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 Fair Market Value
of a whole Right, as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples
of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company may 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 Fair Market Value of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the Fair Market Value of
one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to
Sections 18 and 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock of the Company); and any
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registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Stock 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 Stock of the Company), may, in such registered holder's own
behalf and for such registered 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, his right to exercise the Right evidenced by such
Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement. Holders of Rights shall be
entitled to recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys'
fees, incurred by them in any action to enforce the provisions of this
Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, each Right will be
transferable only simultaneously and together with the transfer of shares of
Common Stock 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 office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;
(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f), the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated certificate representing
Common Stock of the Company) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of
the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Right Certificates or the associated certificate representing
Common Stock of the Company made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and, subject to the last sentence of Section
7(e), neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice
to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as the result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligations; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company must use
its best efforts to have any such order, decree
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or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. 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 shares of Preferred
Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any
Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent such
compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights
Agent 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
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly
or indirectly. The provisions of this Section 18(a) shall survive the expiration
of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur
no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate representing Common Stock of the Company, Preferred
Stock, or 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 in good faith
and without negligence to be genuine and to be signed and executed by the proper
Person or Persons.
(c) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for
consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any
consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder.
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Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust or shareholder services business of the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent
under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further
act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor 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.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent
shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations expressly 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
selected by it (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of
such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person and the determination of "Fair Market Value") 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 shall be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be the
Chairman of the Board of
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Directors, a Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, a Vice
President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Clerk or an Assistant
Clerk of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent. Any such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder 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 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 7(e) hereof)
or any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 11, 13 or 23(c)
hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or
the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right
Certificates after receipt of a certificate describing any such adjustment
furnished in accordance with Section 12 hereof), nor shall it be responsible for
any determination by the Board of Directors of the Company of the Fair Market
Value of the Rights or Preferred Stock pursuant to the provisions of Section 14
hereof; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation
or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock
of the Company or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock of the Company or
Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder and
certificates delivered pursuant to any provision hereof from any person believed
by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board of Directors, any Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, a Vice President, the Clerk,
an Assistant Clerk, the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and
is authorized to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection
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with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to
be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer. 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 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.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, 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
the 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.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the
Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise
of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered
to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the
form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has
either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause (1) or
clause (2) thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with
respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the
Company.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company by first class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
(with or without cause), effective immediately or on a specified date, by
written notice given to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case
may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock of the Company and
Preferred Stock, and by giving notice to the holders of the Right Certificates
by any means reasonably determined by the Company to inform such holders of such
removal (including
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without limitation, by including such information in one or more of the
Company's reports to shareholders or reports or filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission). If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the incumbent Rights Agent or the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts or the State of New York (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 Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the State of New York), in
good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or
corporate trust 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 $100,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a
corporation described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock of the Company and the Preferred
Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Exercise Price per share and the number or kind or
class of shares of stock or other securities or property purchasable under the
Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock of
the Company following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or
expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of
Common Stock of the Company so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that (i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued
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if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and
(ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustments shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $0.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
dividend declared or paid on the Common Stock of the Company in shares of Common
Stock of the Company or any subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock of the Company or similar event occurring after the date of this
Agreement (such redemption price, as adjusted from time to time, being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The Rights may be redeemed
only until the earliest to occur of (i) the time at which any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, (ii) the declaration by the Board of Directors that any Person
is an Adverse Person or (iii) the Final Expiration Date.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights in accordance with Section
23 hereof, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.
Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the
redemption of the Rights in accordance with Section 23 hereof, the Company shall
give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to the Rights Agent and to all such
holders 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 Stock 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. 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 redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor
any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value
any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in
this Section 23 or Section 24 hereof or in connection with the purchase of
shares of Common Stock of the Company prior to the Distribution Date.
(c) The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, shares of Common Stock of the Company (based on the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock of the Company as of the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company.
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Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time on or after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, exchange all or part of the then outstanding
and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) for shares of Common Stock of the Company at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock 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 "Section 24(a)(i) 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 the Common Stock of the Company.
(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time on or
after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, exchange
all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common
Stock of the Company at an exchange ratio specified in the
following sentence, as appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring
after the date of this Agreement. Subject to the adjustment
described in the foregoing sentence, each Right may be
exchanged for that number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company obtained by dividing the Spread (as defined in Section
11(a)(iii)) by the then Fair Market Value per one ten-
thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock on the earlier of (x)
the date on which any person becomes an Acquiring Person or
(y) the date on which a tender or exchange offer by any Person
(other than an Exempt Person) is first published or sent or
given within the meaning of Rule 14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act
or any successor rule, if upon consummation thereof such
Person would be the Beneficial Owner of more than 15% of the
shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding (such
exchange ratio being referred to herein as the "Section
24(a)(ii) 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
the Common Stock of the Company.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (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 shares of
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Common Stock of the Company equal to the number of such Rights held by such
holder multiplied by the Section 24(a)(i) Exchange Ratio or the Section
24(a)(ii) Exchange Ratio, as applicable. The Company shall promptly give notice
of any such exchange in accordance with Section 26 hereof and shall promptly
mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their
last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the
exchange of the shares of Common Stock 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 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the
Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or Preferred Stock
Equivalent, as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Stock of
the Company exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one ten-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock (or Preferred Stock Equivalent) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in
the voting rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof, so that
the fraction of a share of Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of each share of
Common Stock of the Company shall have the same voting rights as one share of
Common Stock of the Company.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
shares of Common Stock of the Company or Preferred Stock (or Preferred Stock
Equivalents) 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
shares of Common Stock of the Company or Preferred Stock (or Preferred Stock
Equivalent) for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of Common Stock of the Company or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock of the Company. If the Company elects not to
issue such fractional shares of Common Stock of the Company, the Company shall
pay, in lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock of the Company, to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock of the Company would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Fair Market Value of a whole
share of Common Stock of the Company. For the purposes of this paragraph (e),
the Fair Market Value of a whole share of Common Stock of the Company shall be
the closing price of a share of Common Stock 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.
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Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to
the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders
of Preferred Stock (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of earnings
or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of
Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale, mortgage or other
transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale,
mortgage or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
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 a
Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which is not
prohibited by the proviso at the end of the first sentence of Section 11(n)
hereof), (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock of the
Company payable in Common Stock of the Company or to effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the Common Stock of the Company (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock of
the Company) then in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a
Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof,
a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date
on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock of the
Company and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice
shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above
at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of
the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking
of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of
the shares of Common Stock of the Company and/or Preferred Stock, whichever
shall be the earlier; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, no such notice shall be required
pursuant to this Section 25 as a result of any Subsidiary of the Company
effecting a consolidation or merger with or into, or effecting a sale or other
transfer of assets or earnings power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company in
a manner not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.
(b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur,
then, in any such case, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give
to each registered holder of a Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event,
which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of
Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
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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, by facsimile transmission or by nationally-recognized
overnight courier addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the
Rights Agent) as follows:
Brooktrout Technology, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, 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, by facsimile transmission or by
nationally-recognized overnight courier addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
c/o Boston EquiServe, Limited Partnership
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Administration
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 (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing shares of
Common Stock of the Company) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of
Directors of the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement as the Board of Directors of the Company may deem necessary or
desirable without the approval of any holders of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock of the Company. From and after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of
Directors of the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without
the approval of any holder of Right Certificates in order (i) to cure any
ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement
the provisions hereof in any manner which the Board of Directors of the Company
may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person,
Adverse Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that from and after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event this Agreement may not be
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supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person,
Adverse Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person). Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to
the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event amend this Agreement to lower the
threshold set forth in Section 1(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum
of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Stock of the
Company then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other
than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Stock
of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%. Upon
the delivery of such certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company
which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Prior to the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the interests
of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Stock of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision
hereof, the Rights Agent's consent must be obtained regarding any amendment or
supplement pursuant to this Section 27 which alters the Rights Agent's rights or
duties.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of the Company of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall
be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d- 3(d)(1)(i) of the
Rules under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof. The Board of
Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors or to the Company, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including without limitation,
the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii)
make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of
this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or
to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors in
good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights
Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject any
member of the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights
or to any other person.
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Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Stock 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 registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock of the Company).
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from the Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect
of the Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall
be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day
following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of such Commonwealth applicable to
contracts to be made and to be performed entirely within such Commonwealth. The
courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the United States of America
located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "Massachusetts Courts") shall
have exclusive jurisdiction over any litigation arising out of or relating to
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and any Person
commencing or otherwise involved in any such litigation shall waive any
objection to the laying of venue of such litigation in the Massachusetts Courts
and shall not plead or claim in any Massachusetts Court that such litigation
brought therein has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as an instrument under seal and attested, all as of the day and
year first above written.
ATTEST: BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------- -------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: President
ATTEST: STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Rights Agent
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
----------------------------- -------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Administration Manager
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EXHIBIT A
VOTE OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHING
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING CUMULATIVE
PREFERRED STOCK
of
BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Pursuant to Section 26 of Chapter 156B of the General Laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
VOTED, that pursuant to authority conferred upon and vested in the
Board of Directors by the Restated Articles of Organization, as amended (the
"Articles"), of Brooktrout Technology, Inc. (the "Corporation"), the Board of
Directors hereby establishes and designates a series of Preferred Stock of the
Corporation, and hereby fixes and determines the relative rights and preferences
of the shares of such series, in addition to those set forth in the Articles, as
follows:
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock" (the
"Series A Preferred Stock"), and the number of shares constituting such series
shall be 20,000.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) (i) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of preferred stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to
the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of common stock
and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if
declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June,
September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as
a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provisions for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount of
all cash dividends, and 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in
kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend
payable in shares of common stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of
common stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the common stock
since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with
respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. The multiple of
cash and non-cash dividends declared on the common stock to which holders of the
Series A Preferred Stock are entitled, which shall be 10,000 initially but which
shall
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be adjusted from time to time as hereinafter provided, is hereinafter referred
to as the "Dividend Multiple." In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after September 9, 1998 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare or pay any
dividend on common stock payable in shares of common stock, or (ii) 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 Dividend Multiple thereafter applicable to the
determination of the amount of dividends which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive shall be the Dividend Multiple
applicable immediately prior to such event multiplied 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.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this
paragraph (A), the Corporation shall, out of funds legally available for that
purpose, declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as
provided in this paragraph (A) 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 $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless
be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(B) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled
to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix in
accordance with applicable law a record date for the determination of holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than such
number of days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof as may be allowed
by applicable law.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. In addition to any other voting rights
required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
10,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote
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of the stockholders of the Corporation. The number of votes which a holder of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to cast, which shall initially be
10,000 but which may be adjusted from time to time as hereinafter provided, is
hereinafter referred to as the "Vote Multiple." In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any
dividend on common stock payable in shares of common stock, or (ii) 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 Vote Multiple thereafter applicable to the determination
of the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled shall be the Vote Multiple immediately prior
to such event multiplied 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 or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of common stock and
the holders of shares of any other capital stock of this 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 otherwise required by applicable law or as set forth
herein, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights
and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled
to vote with holders of common stock as set forth herein) for taking any
corporate action.
Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever dividends or distributions payable on the Series A
Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until
all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on
shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on
any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
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(iii) except as permitted in subsection 4(A)(iv) below, redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity
stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of any stock ranking on a
parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution
or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in
accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors,
after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective series
and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair
and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subsection (A) of this Section
4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
preferred stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of preferred stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to
the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made (x) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment, plus an amount equal to the greater of (1) $10,000.00 per share or
(2) an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed per share to holders of common stock, or (y) to the holders of stock
ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably
on the Series A Preferred Stock and all other 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 after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on
common stock payable in shares
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of common stock, or (ii) 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 per share
to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event under clause (x) 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.
Neither the consolidation of nor merging of the Corporation with or
into any other corporation or corporations, nor the sale or other transfer of
all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be
a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning
of this Section 6.
Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of common stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 10,000 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,
plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, payable with respect to the Series A
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on common stock payable in
shares of common stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of common stock (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of common stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of common stock, then in each such case the
amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or
change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying
such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of
common stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of common stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
Section 8. REDEMPTION. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not
be redeemable.
Section 9. RANKING. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Articles
or a Certificate of Vote of Directors Establishing a Class of Stock relating to
any other series of preferred stock of the Corporation, the Series A Preferred
Stock shall rank junior to every other series of the Corporation's preferred
stock previously or hereafter authorized, as to the payment of dividends and the
distribution of assets on liquidation, dissolution or winding up and shall rank
senior to the common stock.
Section 10. AMENDMENT. The Articles and this Certificate of Vote of
Directors Establishing a Class of Stock shall not be amended in any manner which
would materially alter
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or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred
Stock so as to affect them adversely (within the meaning of Section 77 of
Chapter 156B of the Massachusetts General Laws) without the affirmative vote of
the holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued
in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one ten-thousandth
(1/10,000th) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction, which shall
entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to
exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to
have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock. In
lieu of fractional shares, the Corporation may elect to make a cash payment as
provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one
ten-thousandth (1/10,000th) of a share or any integral multiple thereof.
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EXHIBIT B
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION IS
GIVEN. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF BROOKTROUT
TECHNOLOGY, INC., AT $0.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE SHAREHOLDER
RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, INC. AND STATE STREET BANK AND
TRUST COMPANY, AS RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 9, 1998 (THE "RIGHTS
AGREEMENT"). UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON, AN ADVERSE PERSON
OR AN ASSOCIATE OR AFFILIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ADVERSE PERSON (AS
SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Right Certificate
BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, 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
Shareholder Rights Agreement dated as of September 9, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement") between Brooktrout Technology, Inc. (the "Company") and State Street
Bank and Trust Company, as Rights Agent (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 the close of business on September 9, 2008 at
the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one ten-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable
share of the Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $79.00 per one
ten-thousandth of a share (the "Exercise Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and
the related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Exercise Price per share set forth above, are
the number and Exercise Price as of _________, based on the Preferred Stock as
constituted at such date.
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Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a Person who, after such transfer,
became an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, such Rights shall become null and void
and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and
after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price and the number
of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
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, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the
Company and the designated office of the Rights Agent and are also available
upon written request to the Company or the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Certificates of like
tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the
Right Certificate or 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
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. If this Right
Certificate shall be exercised in whole or in part pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
of the Rights Agreement, the holder shall be entitled to receive this Right
Certificate duly marked to indicate that such exercise has occurred as set forth
in the Rights Agreement.
Under certain circumstances, subject to the provisions of the Rights
Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company at its option may exchange all
or any part of the Rights evidenced by this Certificate for shares of the
Company's Common Stock or Preferred Stock at an exchange ratio (subject to
adjustment) specified in the Rights Agreement.
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Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Board of Directors of the Company at
its option at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common
Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors).
The Company is not obligated to issue fractional shares of stock upon
the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts).
If the Company elects not to issue such fractional shares, in lieu thereof a
cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may
at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in
the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights
Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
[Corporate Seal] BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Attested:
By _________________________________
Name:
By _______________________________ Title: [Chairman, Vice Chairman,
[Clerk or Assistant Clerk] President or Vice President]
Countersigned:
[________________________________],
as Rights Agent
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__________________________________
Authorized Signatory
Date of countersignature:
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[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: ______________
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate ______ are ______
are not being transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
the undersigned ____ did ____ did not directly or indirectly acquire the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Person.
Dated: ___________, ____ _________________________________
Signature
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To BROOKTROUT TECHNOLOGY, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying taxpayer number: __________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate or if the Rights are being exercised pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, a new Right Certificate for the balance of
such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying taxpayer number: _____________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ___________, ____ _________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed: ______________
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CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate ____ are ____ are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
the undersigned ____ did ____ did not directly or indirectly acquire the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Person.
Dated: ___________, ____ _________________________________
Signature
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
9
