AMENDED AND RESTATED
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement ("Agreement"), dated as of
March 25, 1997 between Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York
corporation (the "Rights Agent").
The Company and the Rights Agent have heretofore entered into a
Rights Agreement dated as of June 28, 1988 (as amended, the "Original Rights
Agreement"). In connection therewith, the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (the
"Original Right") for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of
the Company outstanding as of the close of business on July 8, 1988 (the
"Record Date"), and the Board of Directors further authorized and directed
the issuance of one Original Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein)
with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined), with each Original Right having the rights assigned to it under the
Original Rights Agreement. Pursuant to Section 27 of the Original Rights
Agreement, the parties hereto hereby amend and restate the Original Rights
Agreement to read in its entirety in the form hereof. The Board of Directors
of the Company has approved the amendment and restatement such that each
Original Right shall be deemed to be a preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") having the rights assigned to it pursuant to this Agreement. The
Board of Directors has also authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may be adjusted hereafter pursuant to the terms of this Agreement)
with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding
between the date of this Agreement and the earliest to occur of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date. Each
Right shall represent the right to purchase one one-thousandth (1/1000) of a
share of Preferred Stock.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meaning indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, but shall not include an Exempt Person (as such
term is hereinafter defined); provided, however, that if the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that
it beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise
cause such Person to be a "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was
aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had
no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership
under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and such Person, as promptly as
practicable after being advised of such determination divested or
divests himself or itself of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number
of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an
Acquiring Person, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have
become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if a Person would be deemed an
Acquiring Person upon the adoption of this Agreement, such Person will
not be deemed an Acquiring Person for any purposes of this Agreement
unless and until such Person acquires Beneficial Ownership of any
additional shares of Common Stock after the adoption of this Agreement
unless upon the consummation of the acquisition of such additional
shares of Common Stock such Person does not beneficially own 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and (ii) no Person shall
become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of shares
of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and
thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of
Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" unless upon the consummation of the acquisition of such
additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not own 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. For all purposes of
this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made
in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date hereof.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, shall be
deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly
within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling
group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities), 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, (x) securities tendered pursuant to a
tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or (y) securities which such
Person has a right to acquire on the exercise of Rights at any time
prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person; or (B) the
right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security by
reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1)
arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and
regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also
then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso
to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York,
or the State in which the principal office of the Rights Agent is
located, are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date
is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the common stock, par value $1.00, of the Company. "Common Stock"
when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or, in the case of an unincorporated entity, the
equivalent equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other
Person or, if such other Person is a subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(b) hereof.
(i) "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, in each case
including, without limitation, in its fiduciary capacity, or, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any entity or trustee holding Common Stock for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such
plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or
of any Subsidiary of the Company.
(j) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(k) "New York Stock Exchange" shall mean the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc.
(l) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(m) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value, of the Company having the rights and
preferences set forth in the Form of Amended Certificate of Designation
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(n) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
to this Agreement.
(o) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(p) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(q) "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) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such or such earlier date as a majority of the Board
of Directors shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(r) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary
voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or
other persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other
entity that is otherwise controlled by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of
the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of Common Stock) in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents
as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of
(i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth business
day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date of the commencement by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) of,
or of the first public announcement of the intention of such Person (other
than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt
Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating
15% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding (including any such date
which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the
Rights), the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Stock
registered in the names of the holders thereof and not by separate Right
Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of Common Stock. As soon as practicable after the Distribution
Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights
Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on
the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right (subject to
adjustment as provided herein) for each share of Common Stock so held. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) Following the Record Date, the Company sent a copy of a
Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Preferred Stock (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company. As soon as practicable
after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall file with the Securities
and Exchange Commission the full text of this Agreement and a revised summary
thereof, which revised summary shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit
C hereto (the "Revised Summary of Rights"). With respect to certificates for
Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of
the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto (which Summary of Rights shall be deemed amended and restated from
and after the date hereof by the Revised Summary of Rights). Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary
of Rights (which Summary of Rights shall be deemed amended and restated from
and after the date hereof by the Revised Summary of Rights), shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented thereby.
Certificates issued for Common Stock (including, without
limitation, upon transfer of outstanding Common Stock, disposition of Common
Stock out of treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Stock out of
authorized but unissued shares) after the date hereof but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expira-
tion Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise
affixed to them, the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain rights as set forth in an Amended and
Restated Rights Agreement between Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, dated as of
March 25, 1997 as the same may be amended from time to
time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
which is on file at the principal executive offices of
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company. Under certain circumstances, as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances,
as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights owned by or
transferred to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain
transferees thereof will become null and void and will no
longer be transferable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate, except as otherwise provided
herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or
otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be
deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer
outstanding.
Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), the omission of a legend shall
not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of
any holder of the Rights.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase shares 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 the New York Stock Exchange or of any other stock exchange or automated
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 11, 13 and 22
hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be
set forth therein at the price per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any of the
Vice Presidents, the Treasurer or the Controller of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign
such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at an office or agency designated for such purpose, books
for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder.
Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of
the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of
the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Sections 7(e), 11(a)(ii) and 14 hereof, at any
time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the
close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expi-
ration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Thereupon
the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto
a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, at any
time after the Distribution Date and prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in
case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the
Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered
holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become
exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as
otherwise provided herein, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or
in part upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at
the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are exercised, at any time
which is both after the Distribution Date and prior to the earliest of (i)
the close of business on March 25, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii)
the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof
(the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price shall be initially $400 for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of
a Right. The Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock or other securities or property to be acquired upon
exercise of a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of
the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section
7.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right
Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase
Price for the shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, in cash or by
certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from
any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of
shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B)
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing
interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with
the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to
comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when
appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order
of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered
holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights
evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to
the exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights
Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of
any purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or
this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and
signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment or election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered
for such transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of
the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to
any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the
Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise
thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to
the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such
cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of
destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
or any shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares
of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and
other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or listed on any other
national securities exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted
to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or listed on any other exchange or
quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the
Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance
of shares of Preferred Stock (and following the time that a Person first
becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities)
upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such shares of Preferred
Stock (and following the time that a Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities) under the Securities Act
and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws (to the extent
exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement
and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing
and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier of
the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities
and the Final Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a
period of time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in
order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act
and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such
jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until a registration statement
under the Securities Act (if required) shall have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of
Common Stock and other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates therefor (subject to payment of
the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid
and nonassessable shares.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock
or other securities) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect
of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or
the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other securities) in a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates or
depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other
securities) upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by that holder of such Right
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of the shares of Preferred Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such
Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of
such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock transfer
books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become
the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of
the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
holder of Preferred Stock for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or
other distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares and
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this
Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and
kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised
after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number
and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, the holder
would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event
that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, then (A) the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, whether or not such
Right was then exercisable, and (B) each holder of a Right, except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Subsection
11(a)(iii), hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise at a price equal to the Purchase Price (as so
adjusted), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in
lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common
Stock (or at the option of the Company, such number of one one-
thousandths of shares of Preferred Stock) as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y)
50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's
Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the
date such Person became an Acquiring Person; provided, however,
that the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be subject to
further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f)
hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, however, from and after the time (the "invalidation
time") when any Person first becomes an Acquiring Person, any
Rights that are beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring Person (or
any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person), (y) a
transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or
Associate) who becomes a transferee after the invalidation time or
(z) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or
Associate) who became a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the invalidation time pursuant to either (I) a transfer from the
Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities or to any
Person with whom it has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer
which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of
avoiding the provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent
transferees of such Persons, shall be void without any further
action and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any provision
of this Agreement. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied
with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right
Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. From and after
the invalidation time, no Right Certificate shall be issued
pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents Rights
that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this
paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent
that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the
provisions of this paragraph shall be cancelled. From and after
the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any
Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in
accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section
11(a)(ii).
(iii) The Company may at its option substitute for a share of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance
with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) such number or fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock having an aggregate current market value
equal to the current per share market price of a share of Common
Stock. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued
to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Board of Directors shall, to the
extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then
in effect to which the Company is a party (A) determine the excess
of (1) the value of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of a Right in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) (the "Current Value") over (2) the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of shares of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to the time that the Acquiring Person became such (such excess, the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)), make
adequate provision to substitute for the shares of Common Stock
issuable in accordance with subparagraph (ii) upon exercise of the
Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) shares of Preferred Stock or
other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock which,
by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights
substantially comparable to those of the shares of Common Stock,
are deemed in good faith by the Board of Directors to have
substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such
shares of preferred stock and shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having a value
which, when added to the value of the shares of Common Stock
actually issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any
reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has
been determined by the Board of Directors upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good
faith by the Board of Directors; provided, however, if the Company
shall not make adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to
clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the date that
the Acquiring Person became such (the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the
extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then
in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and then,
if necessary, such number or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock
(to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which
shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.
If, upon the date any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board
of Directors shall determine in good faith that it is likely that
sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized
for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then, if the
Board of Directors so elects, 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 stockholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day
period, as it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some
action need be taken pursuant to the second and/or third sentence
of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject
to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last sentence of this Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such second
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the
current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i)) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share
or fractional value of any "Common Stock equivalent" shall be
deemed to equal the current per share market price of the Common
Stock. The Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be
required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive
shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among
holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares
having similar rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock
("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per share of
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Sec-
tion 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of
Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent
preferred shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number
of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the con-
vertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock
and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price
may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent. Shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares owned
by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in
the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or
a dividend payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior
to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, less the fair
market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or
warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator
of which shall be such current per share market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Stock; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares
of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the
Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of
any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of any
security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term
is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by
the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible
into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of 30
Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share
market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current
market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price
for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction report-
ing system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then
in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading
Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open
for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, if the
Preferred Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market price"
of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method
set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly
traded but the Common Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be
the current per share market price of the Common Stock as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) multiplied by one thousand (appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transac-
tion occurring after the date hereof). If neither the Common Stock nor
the Preferred Stock is publicly traded, "current per share market price"
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be
carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent
or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or
share of Common Stock or other share or security as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of
(i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise
any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other
than the Preferred Stock, thereafter the Purchase Price and the number
of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as
nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(e), 11(h),
11(i) and 11(m) and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14
hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to
any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right
to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further
adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase
Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(calculated to the nearest one ten- thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths
of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to such 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 Pur-
chase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the
Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall
be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to
the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price
in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to
adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the
adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to
be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price
is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be
distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement
for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders
of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the
public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase
Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Stock or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in
the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of
Preferred Stock or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date
for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right
exercised after such record date of the Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due
xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase
Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall
determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision
of the Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly
for cash or Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock or issuance of
rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b),
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall
not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend payable in
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of Common Stock, then in
any such case, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common
Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter
associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such
event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence
of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence
of such event.
(o) The Company agrees that, after the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as permitted by
Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take)
any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 25 hereof (if so required under Section 25 hereof).
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate
and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earnings Power. (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
any Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall merge with
and into any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or any Person shall merge with and into the Company and the Company
shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or of
the Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell
or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or
otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company
or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries), then upon the first
occurrence of such event, proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each
holder of record of a Right (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable (whether or not such Right was then
exercisable) immediately prior to the time that any Person first became an
Acquiring Person (each as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant to
Sections 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m)), in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as defined herein) not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the time that
any Person first became an Acquiring Person (as subsequently adjusted
thereafter pursuant to Sections 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and
11(m)) and (2) dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided that the Purchase Price and
the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party issuable upon
exercise of each Right shall be further adjusted as provided in Section 11(f)
of this Agreement to reflect any events occurring in respect of such
Principal Party after the date of the such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party;
and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of Common
Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
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 the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of
any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common
Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant
to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be
necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with
the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (i) or (ii)
of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is
the issuer of the securities into which the shares of Common Stock are
converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one
such issuer, the issuer the shares of Common Stock of which have the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (B) if no
securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the
merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than
one such Person, the Person the shares of Common Stock of which have the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the
Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the
merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company
if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (iii) of the
first sentence in Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each
Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the
same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred or if the
Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons as is the issuer of
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or
has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or
indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has
been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of
more than one Person, and the Common Stocks of all of such persons have been
so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such
Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market
value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or
indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not
owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in
clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners having an
interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a
Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in
each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such
interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the
Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements
of Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance
with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this
Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant
to Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable
after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal
Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date, and similarly comply
with applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or
admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock
Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause the
Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be
reported by such other system then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under
the Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or
preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party
subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
(d) In case the Principal Party has provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or
other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have
the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to
holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section
13, shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then
current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock of
such Principal Party at less than such then current market price, or (ii)
providing for any special payment, tax or similar provision in connection
with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the
provisions of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with
each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction
unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the
provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been cancelled,
waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so
that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after a Person first becomes an Acquiring Person enter into any
transaction of the type contemplated by (i) - (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof
if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer of other transaction, the
stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
Principal Party for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its
Affiliates or Associates or (z) the form or nature of organization of the
Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights (except prior to the
Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11(n) hereof). In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights
would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading
on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in
use or, if on any 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 Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of
Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by de-
positary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company
and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide
that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock. For the purposes
of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a share of Preferred Stock
shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of
such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share
of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on his
own behalf and for his own benefit, may enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, such Common
Stock) in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations
of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right,
by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person
in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any nota-
tions of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the Common
Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of
any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the
Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in this Agreement), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance
with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) The Company agrees
to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered
by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its
reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify
the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability
arising therefrom, directly or indirectly.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to
be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or ac-
knowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of
counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
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 stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or
any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of
the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such
Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to
any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or
suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed
by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any
Vice President, the Treasurer, the Controller or the Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance
upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and
any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or wilful
misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in
the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are
and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery
hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except
its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this
Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for
any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights
becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof)
provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 and 24, or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right
Certificates after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to
Section 12, describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any
act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or other
securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or other
securities will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as
may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or
performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder
from any person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Chief Financial
Officer or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers
for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in
acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the
Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the
option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the
date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission
shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after
the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application,
unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier
date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written
instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be
taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights
or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with
or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as
though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein
shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for
the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not
be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct
of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting
from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable
care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the
form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify
the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate
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 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or
certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed
to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or
certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or
be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of
a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State thereof,
which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or
state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent
a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After appointment,
the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights,
duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time
held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the
effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof
in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the
Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such forms as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following
the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common Stock
so issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options, (ii) under
any employee plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a
contractual obligation of the Company in each case existing prior to the
Distribution Date, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at any time prior to such time as any Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (the redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the current market price of
the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 (or
at such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the
effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such
notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days
after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the
Rights (or such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the
effectiveness of such redemption), the Company shall mail a notice of
redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors
of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person first becomes
an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and
exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have not become
effective or that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such amount per Right being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be
empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than an
Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating 50% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. From and after the
occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that
theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall
thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be
exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a). The exchange of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board
of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only
right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number
of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such
holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give
public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. The Company shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of the Rights so exchanged at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be
effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata
based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder
of Rights.
(c) The Company may at its option and, in the event that there
shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or
authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated in
accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall substitute to the extent
of such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be
issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or
fractions thereof (or equivalent preferred shares as such term is defined in
Section 11(b)) such that the current per share market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one share of Preferred Stock (or
equivalent preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) as of the date of such exchange).
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock
Acquisition Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any
class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution
to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or
warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred
Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision or combination of
outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, or (v) to declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the
Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such liquidation, dissolution or
winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be
fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by
the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be
the earlier.
(b) In case any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13
shall occur then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution
Date, the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof,
a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such
event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) and Section 13 hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
000 Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xx. 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Tenders and Exchanges Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Except as otherwise
provided in this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable,
the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent
shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights.
At any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 27, the Company may, 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 to (i) cure any
ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii)
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) change or supplement
the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary
or desirable; provided that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and no
such amendment may cause the rights again to become redeemable or cause the
Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this
sentence. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which decreases the
Redemption Price. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate
officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment
is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall
execute such supplement or amendment.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders
of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common
Stock).
Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company 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, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the
Rights or to amend this 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 of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement or applicable to this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and
shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts
to be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and
shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the
provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above
written.
Attest: Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
By /s/ Xxx Xxxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Xxx Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant General Title: Vice President and
Counsel and Chief Financial
Secretary Officer
Attest: First Chicago Trust Company
of New York
By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxx X. X'Xxxxx
-------------------------- -----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. X' Xxxxx
Title: Customer Service MGR. Title: Vice President
Exhibit A
FORM
OF
AMENDED
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES A PARTICIPATING CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK
OF
XXXXXX-XXXXXXX COMPANY
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)
___________________
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company, a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter
called the "Company"), hereby certifies that the following resolutions were
duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company as required by Section
151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at a meeting duly
called and held on March 25, 1997:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and
vested in the Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter called the
"Board of Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date (hereinafter
called the "Certificate of Incorporation"), the Board of Directors on June
28, 1988 adopted a resolution creating a series of shares of Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share, designated as Series A Participating Cumulative
Preferred Stock and filed such designation with the Secretary of State of
Delaware on June 28, 1988, no shares of which have been issued as of March
25, 1997; and the Board of Directors on March 25, 1997 adopted the following
resolution to amend and restate the terms of such Preferred Stock; and be it
further
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board
of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the
Delaware General Corporation Law and the Certificate of Incorporation, the
Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock of the Corporation
heretofore created be, and that the designation thereof and the powers,
designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof are hereby amended and restated as
follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such
series shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock"
(the "Series A Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the
Series A Preferred Stock shall be 400,000. Such number of shares may be in-
creased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that
no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to
a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of
shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights
or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by
the Company convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares
of any series of Preferred Stock of the Company (the "Preferred Stock") (or
any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock
with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock,
in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Company (the "Common Stock") and of any other stock of the Company
ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive,
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last
day of January, April, July, and October in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first
Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10 or (b) subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1000 times the aggregate per share
amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 times the aggregate per share amount
(payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than
a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, declared on the Common Stock
since the immediately preceding Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the
first Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Company
shall at any time after March 25, 1997 declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
(B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in
the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10 per share on the Series A
Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on
such subsequent Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative,
whether or not earned or declared, on outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock from the Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of
issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the
record date for the first 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 Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Dividend
Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue
and be cumulative from such Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at
the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The
Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend
or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60
days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights;
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter
set forth and except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of
Incorporation or required by law, each share of Series A Preferred
Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes on all matters
upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Company are
entitled to vote. In the event the Company shall at any time after
March 25, 1997 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares
of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such
number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the
Certificate of Incorporation or in any other Certificate of
Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock
and any other capital stock of the Company having general voting
rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Company.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided
by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special
voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set
forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not earned or declared, on
shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid
in full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (as to
dividends) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(as to dividends) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except
dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and
all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in
arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as
to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Company
may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares
of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Company ranking junior (as to dividends and upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire
such junior stock;
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a
purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will
result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective
series or classes.
(B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Company to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of stock of the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A)
of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such
time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new
series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the
Board of Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance
set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution
shall be made (A) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any
other stock of the Company ranking junior, upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up, to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per
share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions
thereon, whether or not earned or declared, to the date of such payment,
provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate
amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or
(B) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up with the Series A Preferred Stock, except
distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to
permit payment in full of the Series A liquidation preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the
Company, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in
respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the
holders of such parity shares in the proportion to their respective
liquidation preferences. In the event the Company shall at any time after
March 25, 1997 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case
the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (A)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or
changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then
in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same
time be similarly converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per
share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal
to 1000 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 converted, exchanged or converted. In the
event the Company shall at any time after March 25, 1997 declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding
sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank,
with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to all other
series of Preferred Stock and senior to the Common Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. If any proposed amendment to the
Certificate of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designations)
would alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special
rights given to the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series A
Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock
shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the
affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series A
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, shall be necessary for the
adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock
may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of
all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is
executed on behalf of the Company by its Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer and attested by its Secretary this 25th day of March, 1997.
_______________________________
Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Attest:
______________________
Secretary
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- ____ ___ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 25, 2007 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE
SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY
OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL
BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
Right Certificate
XXXXXX-XXXXXXX COMPANY
This certifies that ___________ or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions
of the Rights Agreement, dated as of March 25, 1997 as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx
Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust
Company of New York (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on March 25, 2007 at
the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or of
its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid
non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a purchase
price of $400 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon exercise hereof)
set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of March 25, 1997 based on the Preferred Stock as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase
Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
other securities or property) which may be purchased upon the exercise of the
Rights and the number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are
subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions
and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part
hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned office or
agency of the Rights Agent. The Company will mail to the holder of this
Right Certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt
of a written request therefor.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the office or agency of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate
or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as
the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the
Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for shares of Preferred Stock or shares of the Company's Common Stock,
par value $1.00 per share.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will
be issued upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced
hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples
of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at 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 Right Certificate, as such, shall be
entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder
of the Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything
contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the
holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted
to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement) or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Right certificate shall have been exercised as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of
the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _____________.
ATTEST: Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
By ________________________ By _____________________
Countersigned:
__________________________,
as Rights Agent
By _______________________
Authorized Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfer unto ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title
and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
___________________ Attorney, to transfer said Rights on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________________
______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company,
broker, dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized
signature guarantee medallion program
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(To be completed)
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by, were not acquired by
the undersigned from, and are not being assigned to, an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
________________________
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate)
To Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
__________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase
the shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) issuable upon
the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares of
Preferred Stock (or such other securities) be issued in the name of:
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivery to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________________
________________________
Signature
(Signature must conform to holder specified on Right Certificate)
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by bank, trust company, broker,
dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature
guarantee medallion program.
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
______________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by, and were not acquired by the
undersigned from, an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as defined in the Rights Agreement)
__________________________
Signature
______________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE
------
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election
to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the
face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form
of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
Exhibit C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES AN ACQUIRING
PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES
THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
REVISED SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
Shares of Preferred Stock
On June 28, 1988 the Board of Directors of Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx
Company (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase
right (an "Original Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par
value $1.00 per share of the Company (the "Common Stock"). The dividend was
paid to the stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 8,
1988. On March 25, 1997 the Board of Directors amended the Original Rights
in their entirety to represent a right (a "Right") to purchase one one-
thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $1.00
par value ("Preferred Stock"), of the Company at a price of $400 (as the same
may be adjusted, the "Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (as the same
may be amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement") dated as of March
25, 1997, between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (with
certain exceptions an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership
of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement
of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of
which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or
more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the earlier of such dates
being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced by such
Common Stock certificate.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), Common Stock
certificates will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration
of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of
Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or
a copy of this Revised Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date,
separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be
mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business
on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will
evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on March 25, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
unless the Final Expiration Date is advanced or extended or unless the Rights
are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described
below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of
Preferred Stock 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 Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of
the Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or
purchase Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the
Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred
Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash
dividends or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights
or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The Rights are also subject to adjustment in the event of a
stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or
subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring,
in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights will not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock will be
entitled, when, as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly
dividend payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 1000 times the dividend declared per share of Common Stock. In
the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the
holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to a minimum preferential
liquidation payment of $100 per share (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends)
but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1000 times the payment made
per share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will have 1000
votes, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock
are converted or exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to
receive 1000 times the amount received per share of Common Stock. These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest
in a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should
approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other
than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereupon
become void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a
Right and payment of the Purchase Price, that number of shares of Common
Stock having a market value of two times the Purchase Price.
In the event that, after a person or group has become an
Acquiring Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right
(other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person which will have
become void) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of
shares of common stock of the person with whom the Company has engaged in the
foregoing transaction (or its parent), which number of shares at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the Purchase Price.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock or the occurrence of an event
described in the prior paragraph, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which
will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock, or a fractional share of Preferred Stock (or of a
share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having similar
rights, preferences and privileges) of equivalent value, per Right (subject
to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at
least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock
will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of
the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the time an Acquiring Person becomes
such, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis
and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company
may, except with respect to the redemption price, amend the Rights in any
manner. After the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, except
with respect to the redemption price, amend the Rights in any manner that
does not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such,
will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement
on Form 8-A/A. 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, as the same may be amended from time to time, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
Execution Copy
______________________________________________________________________________
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx Company
and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
as Rights Agent
Dated as of March 25, 1997
______________________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates . . .
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock . . . . . . . .
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares and Number
of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earnings Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . .
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . .
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 23. Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors . .
Section 31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 32. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
