Exhibit 1
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SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
as Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Entered into on November 17, 1998
to be
Effective as of November 21, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
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1. Certain Definitions........................................................................... 2
2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................................................... 6
3. Issue of Rights Certificates.................................................................. 6
4. Form of Rights Certificates................................................................... 8
5. Countersignature and Registration............................................................. 9
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates...................................... 10
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights................................. 11
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates........................................... 13
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration of Securities..................... 13
10. Capital Stock Record Date..................................................................... 15
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights..................................................................................... 15
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.................................... 24
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.......................... 24
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares....................................................... 26
15. Rights of Action.............................................................................. 28
16. Agreement of Rights Holders................................................................... 28
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder............................................ 29
18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................................................... 29
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Section Page
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19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent..................................... 30
20. Duties of Rights Agent........................................................................ 30
21. Change of Rights Agent........................................................................ 32
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates........................................................... 33
23. Redemption, Exchange and Termination.......................................................... 34
24. Notice of Certain Events...................................................................... 35
25. Notices....................................................................................... 36
26. Supplements and Amendments.................................................................... 37
27. Successors.................................................................................... 38
28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc..................................... 38
29. Benefits of this Agreement.................................................................... 38
30. Severability.................................................................................. 39
31. Governing Law................................................................................. 39
32. Counterparts.................................................................................. 39
33. Descriptive Headings.......................................................................... 39
34. By-laws....................................................................................... 39
EXHIBIT A - RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH
RESPECT TO SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING
PREFERRED SHARES
EXHIBIT B - FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT C - FORM OF SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, entered into this 17th day of November, 1998
to be effective as of November 21, 1998 (the "Agreement"), between SPS
TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), and CHASEMELLON
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Company is party to that certain Rights Agreement
dated as of November 11, 1988 with Mellon Bank (East) N.A. as rights agent (the
"1988 Rights Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the 1988 Rights Agreement will expire on November 21,
1998; and
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to execute this Agreement to
become effective immediately upon the expiration of the 1988 Rights Agreement;
and
WHEREAS, the Company contemplates that, on or prior to
November 21, 1998, it will take all actions necessary or appropriate to ensure
the effectiveness of this Agreement as of such date including, without
limitation, the declaration of a dividend distribution (the date of such
declaration is hereinafter referred to as the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date") of one Right for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company outstanding at the Close of Business on November 21, 1998 (the "Record
Date") (which for these purposes shall include all Common Shares then entitled
to receive dividends) and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p)
hereof) for each Common Share of the Company issued between the Record Date
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the
Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing
the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter
defined) of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in
the form of the Resolution of the Board of Directors attached hereto as Exhibit
A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the
"Rights"); and
WHEREAS, the Rights will be held by the Rights Agent under
this Agreement as trustee for the shareholders of the Company until the
Distribution Date; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has considered
whether approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company and all other pertinent factors; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has concluded
that approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company because the existence of the Rights, inter alia,
will help (i) reduce the risk of coercive two-tiered, front-end loaded or
partial offers that may not offer fair value to all shareholders, (ii) mitigate
market accumulators who through open market and/or private purchases may achieve
a position of substantial influence or control without paying to selling or
remaining shareholders a fair control premium, (iii) deter market accumulators
who are simply interested in putting the Company into "play," (iv) restrict
self-dealing by a substantial shareholder, and (v) preserve the Board of
Directors' bargaining power and flexibility to deal with third-party acquirors
and to otherwise seek to maximize value for all shareholders.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby,
the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or
which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, other
than (X) the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan
of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan, or (Y) an Exempted Person; provided, however, that the term "Acquiring
Person" shall not include any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock on the date of this Agreement or who
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock solely as a result of an acquisition by the Company of shares of
Common Stock, until such time hereafter or thereafter as such Person shall
become the Beneficial Owner (other than by means of a stock dividend or stock
split) of any additional shares of Common Stock; and provided, further, that the
term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person who inadvertently acquired
Beneficial Ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or
otherwise acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock without any
plan or intention to seek control of the Company and without knowledge that such
acquisition would make such Person an Acquiring Person, if, in either case, such
Person promptly divests (without exercising or retaining any power, including
voting, with respect to such shares) a sufficient number of shares of Common
Stock (or securities convertible into Common Stock) so that such Person ceases
to be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock, after notice by the Company that such Person will be deemed by the
Company to be an Acquiring Person unless it makes such divestiture.
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(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in
effect on the date hereof (the "Exchange Act").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for payment, purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or
(C) 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 Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section
11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights;
(ii) that such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including
without limitation 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
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an oral or written agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) that 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), for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
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revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company,
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean
5:00 P.M., New York, New York, on such date; provided, however, that if such
date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York, New York time, on
the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Share" shall mean the shares of Common
Stock, par value $.50 per share, of the Company and, to the extent that there
are not a sufficient number of Common Shares authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, shares of any other class or series of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms
of the Common Shares, except that "Common Share" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the shares of capital stock of such
Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "Continuing Director" shall mean any member of
the Board of Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the
Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate and (i) who was a member of the Board immediately prior
to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) whose nomination for election or election
to the Board was (x) subsequent to the date of this Agreement and (y)
recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors. In all cases
where action of the Board of Directors requires, under the terms of this
Agreement, the concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in
office at the time, such action shall not be deemed to have been taken unless
there are Continuing Directors in office at the time.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3 hereof.
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(i) "Exempted Person" shall mean (i) the group known
as "GAMCO Investors/Gabelli Funds, Inc." as identified in Amendment No. 27 to
the Schedule 13D filed by such group on June 25, 1997, unless and until such
group or any Person in such group, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such group or any Person in such group, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 30%
or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, and (ii) the group known as
"Tinicum Enterprises/Tinicum Investors" as identified in Amendment No. 14 to the
Schedule 13D filed by such group on January 27, 1997, and as such group may be
reconstituted from time to time by Affiliates and Associates of Persons in such
group, unless and until such group or any Person in such group, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such group or any Person in such group, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of more than 20% of the Common Shares then outstanding. The
purchaser, assignee or transferee of the Common Stock of an Exempted Person
shall not be an Exempted Person.
(j) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(a).
(k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership or other entity.
(l) "Preferred Share" shall mean a share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Shares, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company
and, to the extent that there is not a sufficient number of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Shares authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, shares of any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares.
(m) "Preferred Share Fraction" shall mean one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.
(n) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(o) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described
in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(p) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first
date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
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(q) "Subsidiary" shall have the meaning ascribed to
such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act.
(r) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(s) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section
11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in this
Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations under, the
Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and rules as amended from
time to time and any successor provisions thereto.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.
(a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to
act as agent for the Company and trustee for the beneficial owners of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Shares) 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.
(b) On the Record Date, the Company will deliver a
Rights Certificate to the Rights Agent, registered in the name of the Rights
Agent as trustee for the beneficial owners of the Rights represented thereby,
for that number of Rights equal to the number of Common Shares issued and
outstanding on the Record Date, and the Rights Agent shall hold the Rights
represented thereby in trust for the beneficial owners in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on
the tenth Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date involving an Acquiring
Person that has become such, or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business
Day (or such later date as the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of at
least a majority of Continuing Directors in office at the time, may from time to
time fix by resolution prior to the Distribution Date that would otherwise have
occurred) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any person (other
than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations
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under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would become
an Acquiring Person (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) beneficial interests in the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall be deemed also to be
certificates for beneficial interests in the Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights and beneficial interests therein will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for
each Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the
event that an adjustment to the number of Rights per Common Share has been made
pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights
Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding
adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates. Upon the
distribution of the Rights Certificates as provided in this subsection (a), the
trust created hereby shall cease.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record
Date, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the
form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Shares outstanding
as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in the
Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Shares and the
registered holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of
the beneficial interests in the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing Common Shares in respect
of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with such Common Shares. Certificates issued after the Record
Date upon the transfer of Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall
bear the legend set forth in subsection (c).
(c) Except as provided in Section 22 hereof, Rights
shall be issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued (whether
originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record
Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date.
Certificates representing such Common Shares shall also be
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deemed to be certificates for beneficial interests in the associated Rights, and
shall bear the following legend:
"This certificate also evidences a beneficial interest in and
entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between SPS Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent") entered
into on November 17, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), as the same may be
amended from time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and beneficial interests therein will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the registered
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect
on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void."
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, beneficial
interests in the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of beneficial
interests in the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates
shall also constitute the transfer of beneficial interests in the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of
election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof)
shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have
such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates whenever
distributed, shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
Preferred Share Fractions as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth
therein (such exercise price per Preferred Share Fraction, the "Purchase
Price"), but
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the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right
and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section
3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights that the Company knows are
beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
such Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan, agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of an oral or
written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary
purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate
issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this
sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible by the Company and the Rights
Agent) the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement."
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on
behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the
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execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company
to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
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 its principal office or offices designated as
the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates, the Certificate number and the date of each
of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights 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 Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Preferred Share
Fractions (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be, as the Rights Certificate or
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder or former holder in the case
of a transfer to purchase). Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split
up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the principal 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 Rights
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) 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 Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent
of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably
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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 Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will
execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
(a) Subject to subsection (e), the registered holder
of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price (except as
provided in Section 11(q) hereof) with respect to the total number of Preferred
Share Fractions (or Common Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as
the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable
(except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof), at or prior to the earlier of (i)
the Close of Business on November 21, 2008 (the "Stated Expiration Date"), or
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or terminated as provided in
Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the
"Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Share
Fraction pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $250.00, and
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and
13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with subsection (c).
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction (or Common Shares, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) and Section 14(b) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such Shares)
certificates for the total number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit some or all of the
total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder
with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary
receipts representing such number of Preferred Share Fractions as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the
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transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made, (x) in cash or by certified
bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company, or (y) if the
Company so permits, by action of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors
in office at the time, by delivery of a certificate or certificates (with
appropriate stock powers executed in blank attached thereto) evidencing a number
of Common Shares equal to the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the Trading
Day immediately preceding the date of such exercise. In the event that the
Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company (including Common
Shares), pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the
order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder, 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, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently
with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan,
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of
an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this
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Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure
that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied
with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other
Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an
Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by 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 Rights Certificate purchased
or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock;
Registration of Securities.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will
cause to be reserved and kept available for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding Rights as many of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued Common Shares and/or other securities or out of its authorized and
issued shares held in its treasury), which together shall at all times after the
Distribution Date be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any
national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
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shares and other securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i)
file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first
occurrence of 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 is required by law
following the Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement or
statements under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"), with respect to the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form or
forms, (ii) cause such registration statement or statements to become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement or statements to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date
of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may
be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
subsection (c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file
such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction 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 Preferred Shares
(and, following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) delivered
upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for
such shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and, with respect to Preferred Shares,
Common Shares or other shares of capital stock, 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 that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of Preferred Share Fractions
(or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that
may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to
a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Preferred Share
Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) in respect
of a name other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for
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exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of Preferred Share
Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) 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
Rights 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. Capital Stock Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares
or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such
Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may
be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the applicable transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall
be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or
otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business
Day on which the applicable transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights 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 Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares
and other securities 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 any security of the
Company payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of
shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of
the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section
7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock,
as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the adjusted Purchase Price, the aggregate number and
kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock, as the case may be, that, if such
Right had been
-15-
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Share
transfer books were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior
to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than an
Exempted Person or the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan), alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall,
at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring
Person, unless the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a
Section 13 Event, then proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a
Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof on or after the Distribution
Date at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of Preferred Share Fractions, such number of
Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred
Share Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which,
following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50%
of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
Common Share on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the
"Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of Common
Shares that are authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall: (A) determine the excess of the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over the Purchase
Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make
adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
Common Shares of the same or a different class or other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, preferred shares or units of preferred
shares that the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of at least a majority
of the Continuing Directors in office at the time, has deemed (based, among
other things, on the dividend and liquidation rights of such preferred shares)
to have substantially the same economic value as Common Shares (such preferred
shares, hereinafter referred to as "common share equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the
-16-
Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors in office at the time, after considering the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the 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
Purchase Price, Common Shares (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, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time, shall determine in good faith that
it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (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 shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such period, as it may be extended, 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 shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and 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. The
Company shall make a public announcement when the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, and again when such suspension is no longer in
effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per Common Share on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of
any "common share equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the
Common Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for
the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of any security of
the Company entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Shares
(or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or per
equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator
-17-
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of
the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
with the concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in
office at the time, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Company, the Rights Agent and
the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of
the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be
in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Shares (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company),
assets (other than a regular quarterly dividend referred to above or dividend
payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per Preferred Share on such record date, less the then fair market value
(as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, with the
concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the
time, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so
to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Preferred Share. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per
-18-
Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing
prices per Common Share for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such
term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market
price" per Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per Common Share for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days
immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current market price per Common Share is determined during a period following
the announcement by the issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Share payable in Common Shares or securities
convertible into Common Shares (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Common Shares, and prior to the
expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day
period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market price" shall
be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price
for each Trading 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 Common Shares are not listed
or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Shares
are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Common Shares are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in
use, or, if on any such date the Common Shares are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Shares selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making
a market in the Common Shares, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business or, if the Common Shares are not listed
or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If
the Common Shares are not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current
market price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of at
least a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the time, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the "current market price" per Preferred Share shall be determined in
the same manner as set forth above for the Common Shares in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current market
price per Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner provided above or
if the Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner
described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per
Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Shares occurring
after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per
Common Share. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly
held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per Preferred Share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for
all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of
a Preferred Share Fraction shall be equal to the "current market price" of one
Preferred Share divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding,
no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment
would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a
Common Share or one-millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this subsection (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 that mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter
exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other
than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable
upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred
Share Fractions purchasable from time to
-20-
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its
election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase
Price as a result of the calculations made in subsections (b) and (c), each
Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of Preferred Share Fractions (calculated to the nearest one-millionth of
a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Share
Fractions covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of Preferred Share Fractions 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 Preferred Share
Fractions 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
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase
Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company
shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. The record date for the adjustment may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates 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 Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
-21-
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price or the number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction
and the number of Preferred Share Fractions that were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated or par value, if
any, of the number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue such number of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Share Fractions at
such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall
require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a
record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after
such record date the number of Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities of
the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase
Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company
shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument
evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares (fractional or
otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company (with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time) shall determine to be advisable in
order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv)
stock dividends, or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in
this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred
Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall
not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other
Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than
a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell
-22-
or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other person or persons
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in
effect that 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 the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Shares into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with
each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior
to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number
of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) In the event that the Rights become exercisable
following a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company, by action of at least majority
of the Continuing Directors in office at the time, may permit the Rights,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, to be exercised for 50% of the Common Shares (or
cash or other securities or assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares
pursuant to subsection (a)(iii)) that would otherwise be purchasable under
subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the Company of the Rights
so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights exercised
under this subsection (q) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and
shall be cancelled.
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Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares, a copy of such
certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights
Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing Common Shares) in accordance with Section 25 hereof.
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and
on any adjustment therein contained.
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 complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the
Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger, (y) any person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company
in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate
with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in
connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding
Common Shares 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
or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or
otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons
(other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) 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 or subsection (d), shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradeable Common
Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject
to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such shares for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that
-24-
product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by (B) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per Common Share of such Principal Party on the date of
consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter
be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction
as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13
Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described
in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person that is
the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued,
the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (z) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person that
is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Shares of such
Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer
to such other Person, and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate
market value.
-25-
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Shares that have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any Section 13 event, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration
statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times, meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights
historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable solely in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) In the event that the Rights become exercisable
under subsection (a), the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, with the
concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the
time, may agree with the Principal Party that the Principal Party shall permit
the Rights to be exercised for 50% of the Common Shares of the Principal Party
that would otherwise be purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of
the surrender to the Principal Party, as the successor to the Company under
subsection (a) (ii), of the Rights so exercised and without other payment of the
Purchase Price. Rights exercised under this subsection (d) shall be deemed to
have been exercised in full and shall be cancelled.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in
Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence
fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction
-26-
of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this subsection
(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the
Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the
Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares, except in each case for
fractions which are integral multiples of Preferred Share Fractions. In lieu of
fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of Preferred Shares
Fractions, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of a Preferred Share Fraction.
For purposes of this subsection (b), the current market value of one Preferred
Share Fraction shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share Fraction (as
determined pursuant to section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional
Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one Common Share. For purposes of this subsection (c), the
current market value of one Common Share shall be the closing price of one
Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
-27-
(d) The holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in
a Right by the acceptance thereof expressly waives his right to receive any
fractional Rights or any fractional Common 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 are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights or beneficial interests
therein, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights or
beneficial interests therein would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right by accepting the same consents and
agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other such holder
that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, beneficial
interests in the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof,
the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
-28-
(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 a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or
ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental,
regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule,
regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
Preferred Share Fractions or any other securities of the Company (including the
Common Shares) that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a 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 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time
to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable 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
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.
(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
Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
-29-
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons.
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 stock transfer 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, however, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency and trust created by this Agreement, any of
the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any
such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in
the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent
shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates or beneficial interests in the Rights, by their acceptance
thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the written 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;
-30-
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under
this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring
Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or established
by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or 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 negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct;
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by
reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement
or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to
its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only;
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be 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 Rights 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
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 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 Rights Certificates after actual notice
of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common
Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as
to whether any Common Shares or Preferred Shares 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;
-31-
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and
directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of
the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and 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;
(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 and none of such actions shall constitute
a breach of trust. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity;
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of
the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either
itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not
be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof;
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the
Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise
of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it; and
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting
with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Company and
to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Rights
-32-
Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares, by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (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 Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized, doing
business and in good standing under the laws of the United States or of any
state, having a principal office in the State of New York or the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, that is authorized by law to exercise corporate trust and stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and that has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined
capital and surplus adequate in the judgment of at least a majority of
Continuing Directors in office at the time to assure the performance of its
duties hereunder and the protection of the interests of the Company and the
holders of Rights or beneficial interests therein, 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 Shares and Preferred Shares and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Common
Shares. 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 Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance, sale or delivery of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued, sold or
delivered pursuant to the exercise of
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stock options, stock appreciation rights, grants or awards outstanding on the
Distribution Date under any benefit plan or arrangement for employees or
directors, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
outstanding on the Record Date or hereinafter 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 Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however,
that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption, Exchange and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the
tenth day following a Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date
shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth
day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Stated Expiration Date, redeem all
but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01
per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price")
and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common
Shares (based on the "current market price", as defined in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof, of the Common Shares at the time of redemption) or cash; provided,
however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes redemption of the
Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this
proviso, then such authorization shall not be effective without the concurrence
of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the time: (i)
such authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a change
(resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the directors
in office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a
participant in such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of
such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action that would
result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or that would cause the
occurrence of a Triggering Event. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right
of redemption hereunder has expired.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights in accordance
with subsection (a) above,
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evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent 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 ordering the redemption of the Rights in accordance
with subsection (a) above, 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 all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Shares. Any notice that 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.
(c) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may at
its option, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors in office at the time, at any time after a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
elect to exchange all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interest
of holders of Rights generally in the event that after the Distribution Date an
event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 11(a)(i)
shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such exchange ratio, as
adjusted from time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
(ii) Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company electing to exchange the Rights in accordance
with subsection (c)(i) above, without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter
represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the Exchange Ratio. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors electing
to exchange the Rights in accordance with subsection (c)(i) above, the Company
shall give notice thereof (specifying the steps to be taken to receive shares of
Common Stock in exchange for Rights) to the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights outstanding immediately prior thereto by mailing such notice in
accordance with Section 25.
Section 24. 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 Shares or to make any other distribution to
the holders of Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders
of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
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purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% 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 Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25 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 Preferred Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
(i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a
Right, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 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,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Shares shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
SPS Technologies, Inc.
Jenkintown Plaza
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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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 Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
Commerce Court, 3rd Floor
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Administration Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date to the holder of certificates representing Common
Shares) 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 26. Supplements and Amendments. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement may be
amended in any respect or terminated in its entirety by the Company at any time
prior to the Rights Dividend Declaration Date by action of the Board of
Directors of the Company with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time. After the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date, subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and
after the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this
Section 26, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder
(which lengthening or shortening, following the first occurrence of an event set
forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of the first proviso to Section 23(a) hereof,
shall require the concurrence of at least a majority of such Continuing
Directors in office at the time), or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
that shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates; provided, this Agreement may not be 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/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate
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officer of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is
in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 26,
but otherwise notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made that (i) changes the
Redemption Price or the number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right is
exercisable, (ii) reduces the Purchase Price, or (iii) shortens the Stated
Expiration Date. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the beneficial
owners of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of
Common Shares.
Section 27. 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 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common
Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (where
specifically provided for herein, with the concurrence of at least a majority of
Continuing Directors in office at the time) shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board (where specifically provided for herein, with
the concurrence of at least a majority of the Continuing Directors in office at
the time) 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 or supplement the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board
(where specifically provided for herein, with the concurrence of at least a
majority of the Continuing Directors in office at the time) in good faith, shall
(x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board or
the Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Shares).
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Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable for any purpose or under
any set of circumstances or as applied to any Person, such invalid, void or
unenforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction shall continue in effect
to the maximum extent possible for all other purposes, under all other
circumstances and as applied to all other Persons; and 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, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time, determines in its good faith
judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely
affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set
forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the
Close of Business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by
the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office at the time.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction
applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
jurisdiction.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
Section 34. By-laws. To effectuate this Agreement, the Company
is, as of the effective date hereof, amending Section 2.5 and Section 4.9 of its
By-laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.2 of such By-laws.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxx
Title: Vice President
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES,
L.L.C.
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President
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EXHIBIT A
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
ESTABLISHING AND DESIGNATING
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED
SHARES AS A SERIES OF THE SERIES PREFERRED STOCK
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly vested in
the Board of Directors of SPS Technologies, Inc. (the "Corporation") by Article
Five of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors
hereby fixes and determines the voting rights, designations, preferences,
qualifications, privileges, limitations, restrictions, options, conversion
rights and other special or relative rights of a series of the Series Preferred
Stock, par value $1.00 per share, which shall consist of 150,000 shares and
shall be designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares (the
"Series A Preferred Shares").
Special Terms of the Series A Preferred Shares
Section 1. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) The rate of dividends payable per share of Series
A Preferred Shares on the first day of January, April, July and October in each
year or such other quarterly payment date as shall be specified by the Board of
Directors (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 the Series A Preferred
Shares, shall be (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $5.00
or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in cash, based upon the fair market value at
the time the non-cash dividend or other distribution is declared or paid as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) 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, $.50 par value, of the Corporation
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 the Series A Preferred Shares. Dividends
on the Series A Preferred Shares shall be paid out of funds legally available
for such purpose. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after November
21, 1998 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares
of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amounts to which holders of
Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under
clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying each such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
on outstanding Series A Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issue of such Series A Preferred Shares, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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.
Section 2. Voting Rights. In addition to any other voting
rights required by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the
following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, each Series A Preferred Share shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of
the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series
A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) In the event that dividends upon the Series A
Preferred Shares shall be in arrears to an amount equal to six full quarterly
dividends thereon, the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares shall become
entitled to the extent hereinafter provided to vote noncumulatively at all
elections of directors of the Corporation, and to receive notice of all
shareholders' meetings to be held for such purpose. At such meetings, to the
extent that directors are being elected, the holders of such Series A Preferred
Shares voting as a class shall be entitled solely to elect two members of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation; and all other directors of the
Corporation shall be elected by the other shareholders of the Corporation
entitled to vote in the election of directors. Such voting rights of the holders
of such Series A Preferred Shares shall continue until all accumulated and
unpaid dividends thereon shall have been paid or funds sufficient therefor set
aside, whereupon all such voting
A-2
rights of the holders of shares of such series shall cease, subject to being
again revived from time to time upon the reoccurrence of the conditions above
described as giving rise thereto.
At any time when such right to elect directors separately as a
class shall have so vested, the Corporation may, and upon the written request of
the holders of record of not less than 20% of the then outstanding total number
of shares of all the Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect
directors in such circumstances shall, call a special meeting of holders of such
Series A Preferred Shares for the election of directors. In the case of such a
written request, such special meeting shall be held within 90 days after the
delivery of such request, and, in either case, at the place and upon the notice
provided by law and in the By-laws of the Corporation; provided, that the
Corporation shall not be required to call such a special meeting if such request
is received less than 120 days before the date fixed for the next ensuing annual
or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation. Upon the mailing of the
notice of such special meeting to the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares,
or, if no such meeting be held, then upon the mailing of the notice of the next
annual or special meeting of shareholders for the election of directors, the
number of directors of the Corporation shall, ipso facto, be increased to the
extent, but only to the extent, necessary to provide sufficient vacancies to
enable the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares to elect the two directors
hereinabove provided for, and all such vacancies shall be filled only by vote of
the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares as hereinabove provided. Whenever
the number of directors of the Corporation shall have been increased, the number
as so increased may thereafter be further increased or decreased in such manner
as may be permitted by the By-laws and without the vote of the holders of Series
A Preferred Shares, provided that no such action shall impair the right of the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares to elect and to be represented by two
directors as herein provided.
So long as the holders of Series A Preferred Shares are
entitled hereunder to voting rights, any vacancy in the Board of Directors
caused by the death or resignation of any director elected by the holders of
Series A Preferred Shares, shall, until the next meeting of shareholders for the
election of directors, in each case be filled by the remaining director elected
by the holders of Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors
in such circumstances.
Upon termination of the voting rights of the holders of any
series of Series A Preferred Shares the terms of office of all persons who shall
have been elected directors of the Corporation by vote of the holders of Series
A Preferred Shares or by a director elected by such holders shall forthwith
terminate.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the
Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation or by law, the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares and the holders of Common Stock (and the holders of shares of
any other series or class entitled to vote thereon) shall vote together as one
class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
A-3
Section 3. Reacquired Shares. Any Series A Preferred Shares
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued Series
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Series Preferred
Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. In the
event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to
receive the greater of (a) $100.00 per share, plus accrued dividends to the date
of distribution, whether or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common
Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares
were entitled immediately prior to such event pursuant to clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 5. 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 Series
A Preferred Shares 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 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or
any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for
which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount
set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of
shares of Series A Preferred Shares 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 6. No Redemption. The Series A Preferred Shares shall
not be redeemable.
A-4
Section 7. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Shares shall rank
junior to all other series of the Corporation's Series Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 8. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Shares may be
issued in fractions of a share 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 Shares.
A-5
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 21, 2008, OR AFTER EARLIER REDEMPTION BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
---------------------------
*The bracketed portion of the legend shall be inserted only if applicable and
shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
This certifies that _________________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, entered into on November 17, 1998 to be
effective as of November 21, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between SPS
Technologies, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M.
(New York, New York time) on November 21, 2008 at the office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Share, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred
Shares") of the Company, at a purchase price (the "Purchase Price") of $250.00
per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (such fraction, a "Preferred Share
Fraction"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. Except as
provided in Sections 11(q) and 13(d) of the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price
shall be paid in cash or, if the Company permits, by the delivery of Common
Stock, $.50 par value, of the Company (the "Common Shares") having an equivalent
value. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number
of Preferred Share Fractions that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set
forth above, and the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of November 21, 1998, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon the
occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any such Acquiring 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 Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring 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 any such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of Preferred Shares or other securities that may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events.
B-2
This Rights 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 Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights
entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Share
Fractions as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close
of business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such
time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Stated Expiration Date. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors. After a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Board may, at its
option with the concurrence of a majority of Continuing Directors, exchange one
Common Share for each Right.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of a Preferred Share Fraction, which may, as the election of
the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares
or of any other securities of the Company (including Common Shares) that may 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 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
B-3
notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided
in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ____________, 19__
ATTEST SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
_________________________ By:_______________________________
Title:
Countersigned
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
By:______________________
Authorized Signature
B-4
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_________________________________________________________________ this Rights
Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ____________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: _____________________, 19__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-5
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________________, 19__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_______________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the
Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or Common Shares or
such other securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares
be issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_________________________________________________________________
Dated: _____________________, 19__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-7
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ]
are not being exercised by or behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________________, 19__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
B-8
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO
PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES
On October 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of SPS
Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right
for each outstanding share of Common Stock, $.50 par value (each, a "Common
Share") of the Company to shareholders of record at the close of business on
November 21, 1998. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from
the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Company (the "Preferred Shares"), or a combination of securities and assets
of equivalent value, at a Purchase Price of $250.00 per Unit, subject to
adjustment. The Purchase Price may be paid in cash or, if the Company permits,
by delivery of Common Shares having a value at the time of exercise equal to the
Purchase Price. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a
Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent.
Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Share certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate
Rights Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the
Common Shares and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10
business days following a public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be fixed by the Board of Directors), following
the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a
person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. The definition of "Acquiring
Person" excludes the group consisting of GAMCO Investors/Gabelli Funds, Inc. and
their Affiliates and Associates unless and until such group becomes the
beneficial owner of 30% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, and the group
of Tinicum Enterprises/Tinicum Investors and their Affiliates and Associates
unless and until such group becomes the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced
by the Common Share certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Share certificates, (ii) new Common Share certificates issued after
November 21, 1998 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Shares outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on November 21, 2008, unless such date is
extended or the Rights are earlier exchanged or redeemed by the Company as
described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
Except in the circumstances described below, after the
Distribution Date each Right will be exercisable for one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (a "Preferred Share Fraction"). Each Preferred Share Fraction
carries voting and dividend rights that are intended to produce the equivalent
of one Common Share. The voting and dividend rights of the Preferred Shares are
subject to adjustment in the event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations
with respect to the Common Shares of the Company. In lieu of issuing
certificates for Preferred Share Fractions which are less than an integral
multiple of one Preferred Share Fraction, the Company may pay cash at the
current market value of the Preferred Share Fractions.
In the event that at any time following the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right
will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. In lieu of requiring
payment of the Purchase Price upon exercise of the Rights following such event,
the Company may permit the holders simply to surrender the Rights, in which
event they will be entitled to receive Common Shares (and other property, as the
case may be) with a value of 50% of what could be purchased by payment of the
full Purchase Price. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the
occurrence of the event described in the first sentence of this paragraph, all
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in
the transaction giving rise to such event will be null and void. After the
occurrence of the event described in the first sentence of this paragraph, the
Board of Directors may, at its option, with the concurrence of a majority of
Continuing Directors, exchange one Common Share for each Right.
For example, at an exercise price of $250.00 per Right, each
Right not otherwise voided following an event set forth in the preceding
paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $500.00 worth of Common Shares
(or other consideration, as noted above) for $250.00. Assuming that the Common
Shares had a per share value of $50.00 at such time, the holder of each valid
Right would be entitled to purchase ten Common Shares for $250.00.
Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder to surrender each Right in
exchange for stock or cash equivalent to five Common Shares (with a value of
$250.00) without the payment of any consideration other than the surrender of
the Right.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the
C-2
Company is not the surviving corporation, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's
assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except
Rights that previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the acquiring company
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Again,
provision is made to permit surrender of the Rights in exchange for one-half of
the value otherwise purchasable. The events set forth in this paragraph and in
the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of
Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the
Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in
the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) if holders of the Preferred
Shares are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Shares
or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred
Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly dividends) or
of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred or
Common Shares (as applicable) on the last trading date prior to the date of
exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$.01 per Right. That ten day redemption period may be extended by the Board of
Directors, with the concurrence of a majority of Continuing Directors, so long
as the Rights are still redeemable. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem will require the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors. Immediately upon the action of the Board
of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the
concurrence of the Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only
right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Directors" means any member of the Board
of Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board immediately prior to
the date of the Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to
the Board if such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate
or associate of an Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing
entities.
C-3
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Preferred Shares (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common shares of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Following the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, the Rights
Agreement may not be amended to (i) change the Redemption Price or the number of
Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right is exercisable, (ii) reduce the
Purchase Price, or (iii) shorten the Stated Expiration Date. Other than those
provisions relating to the principal economic terms of the Rights, any of the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board (in certain
circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in order to
cure any ambiguity, to make changes that do not adversely affect the interests
of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement will be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the
Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
