BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION
and
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
Rights Agent
________________________
Rights Agreement
Dated as of July 29, 1998
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 29, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between Bethlehem Steel Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York
corporation, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on September 28, 1988 (the "1988 Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the
Rights Agreement, dated as of September 28, 1988, as amended, between the
Company and the Rights Agent (the "1988 Agreement") and declared a dividend
distribution of one right (a "1988 Right") for each share of common stock,
par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding
at the close of business on October 18, 1988 (the "1988 Record Date").
Each 1988 Right represented the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preference Stock of the Company;
WHEREAS, on July 29, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company
determined it desirable and in the best interests of the Company and its
stock- holders for the Company to extend the benefits afforded by the 1988
Agreement and to implement such extension by executing this Agreement;
WHEREAS, on July 29, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a
dividend distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share
of Common Stock outstanding upon the close of business on October 18, 1998
(the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock issued (whether as an original
issuance or from the Company's treasury) between the Record Date and the
Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) and in certain other
circumstances provided herein, each Right initially representing the right
to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preference Stock of the Company upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of
the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed
or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan, (v) any such Person who has reported or is required to report such
ownership (but less than 20%) on Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report) or on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report) which Schedule 13D does not
state any intention to or reserve the right to control or influence the
management or policies of the Company or engage in any of the actions
specified in Item 4 of such Schedule (other than the acquisition or
disposition of the Common Stock in the ordinary course), but only to the
extent such Person continues to comply with the provisions of this clause
(v), (vi) any Person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person, whom the
Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith has become such
inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was
unaware that he or it Beneficially Owned a percentage of Common Stock that
would otherwise cause such person to be an Acquiring Person or (B) such
Person was aware of the extent of his or its Beneficial Ownership but had
no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under
this Agreement) and if such Person, either prior to or as promptly as
practicable after being advised of such determination, 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, or
(vii) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%)
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding as a result of a
reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the
repurchase of shares of Common Stock by the Company unless and until such
Person, after becoming aware that such Person has become the Beneficial
Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock, acquires beneficial ownership of additional shares of Common
Stock representing one percent (1%) or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
(A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable
upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after
the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the
"Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with
an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or
dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether
or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding
to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A)
arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not reportable by such Person 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 (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates)
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to
a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph (d)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such
Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting
until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition, and
then only if such securities continue to be owned by such Person at such
expiration of forty days.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New
York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "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.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value
$1.00 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock
of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or
other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of
such Person.
(h) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "Current market price" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(j) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(k) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof.
(l) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(m) "Exchange Act" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1(a) hereof.
(n) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 24 hereof.
(o) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(p) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(q) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership or other entity.
(r) "Preference Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preference Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company,
and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preference Stock authorized to permit the
full exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preference Stock, par
value $1.00 per share, of the Company designated for such purpose
containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior
Participating Preference Stock.
(s) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(b) hereof.
(t) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a)(ii) hereof.
(u) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
WHEREAS clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(v) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23(a) hereof.
(w) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the
WHEREAS clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(x) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof.
(y) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the
meaning set forth in the WHEREAS clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(z) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) (A) hereof.
(aa) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ab) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ac) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ad) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(ae) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person,
any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect
at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially
owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by
such Person.
(af) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ag) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(ah) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(ai) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders
of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the 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 Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earliest of (i) the close of business on the
tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the
Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business
on the Record Date) or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day
(or such later date as the Board shall determine prior to any person
becoming an Acquiring Person) after the date that a tender or exchange
offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published
or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 (a) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such
Person would become an Acquiring Person (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by
the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the
holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be
deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a
transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution
Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid
mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business
on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more right certificates, in substantially
the form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one
Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as
provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights
per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof,
at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall
make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with
Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole
numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as
practicable following the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Summary of
Rights") to any holder of Rights who may so request from time to time prior
to the Expiration Date. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the
registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders
of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or
the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7(a) hereof), the
transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect
of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of
Common Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the
Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such
shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights,
and shall bear the following legend (or the legend required under the 1988
Agreement):
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between
Bethlehem Steel Corporation (the "Company") and the Rights Agent
thereunder (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal offices of the 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. The Company will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in
effect on the date of mailing, without charge, promptly after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued
to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on
behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become
null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend (or the
legend required under the 1988 Agreement), until the earlier of (i) the
Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock shall also
be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any
of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each
be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have
such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation
made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the
Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
one-hundredth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a),
Section 11(i) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially
owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently
with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant
to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or
to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a
transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part
of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or
effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued
pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in
this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly,
this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section
7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of
the Company by its Chairman, its President or any Vice President, either
manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be
valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the
Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to
be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent
and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and
delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the
person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf
of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign
such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will
keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as
the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates
issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights
evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of
each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e)
and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights
Certificates representing Rights that may have been exchanged pursuant to
Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder
to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference
Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stocks, other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or
Certificates surrendered then entitles such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with
respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until
the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights
Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates
or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14
and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled
thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as
so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and
cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will
execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights
Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of
the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, at any time after the
Distribution Date the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may
exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein
including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth
in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or
in part upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election
to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed,
to the Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-hundredths of a
share (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the
earlier of (i) 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on October 18, 2008, or such
later date as may be established by the Board of Directors prior to the
expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be extended by the Board,
the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed or exchanged as provided in Section 23 and Section 24 hereof (the
earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
share of Preference Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall
initially be $60, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance
with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the
certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each
Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share
of Preference Stock (or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as
the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to
any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent
of the shares of Preference Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent
is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the
total number of shares of Preference Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preference Stock as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the shares of Preference Stock represented by such
receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to
be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof,
(iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the
same to be delivered to or, upon the order of the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any,
to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate.
The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant
to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank
check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock)
of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so
that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event
that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preference Stock will be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon
the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to
or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration)
from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring
Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or
(B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined
is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary
purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and
void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable
efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b)
hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of
Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless
such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side
of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or
any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled
by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The
Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement,
and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the
Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to
be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preference Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out
of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its
treasury), the number of shares of Preference Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
that, as provided in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,
will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preference Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by
the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance
with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on
an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as
of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B)
the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such
action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the
securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a
period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in
clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability
of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and
permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall
issue 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 has been rescinded. In addition, if the Company
shall determine that a registration statement is required following the
Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability
of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has been declared
effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained,
the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law, or a
registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a
share of Preference Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized
and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will
pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and
charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the
Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a
Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered
for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid
(any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preference Stock Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preference Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may
be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed
to have become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preference
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered
and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was
made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is
a date upon which the Preference Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed,
such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares
(fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preference Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights
shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to
receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings
of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of
shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preference Stock
payable in shares of Preference Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preference Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preference Stock into a
smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preference Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the 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 Preference Stock or capital stock, as the
case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate
number and kind of shares of Preference Stock or capital stock, as the case
may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preference Stock transfer books of the Company
were open, such holders would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment
under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to,
and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person shall at any time after
the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless
the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a
transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of
shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined
by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not
officers of the Company and who are not representatives, nominees,
Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person, after receiving advice
from one or more investment banking firms, to be (a) at a price that is
fair to stockholders and not inadequate (taking into account all factors
which such members of the Board deem relevant, including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realized maximum value)
and (b) otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders; then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided
below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price'' for
each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current
Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares,
the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of
Common Stock which are authorized by the Company's certificate of
incorporation, but that are not outstanding or reserved for issuance for
purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, are not sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine
the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value") and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to
Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price,
(3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including,
without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preference stock, such
as the Preference Stock, which the Board of Directors of the Company has
deemed to have the essentially same value or economic rights as shares of
Common Stock (such shares of preference stock being referred to as "Common
Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets,
or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having 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 of
the Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided,
however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the
date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a)
expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of
the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value
equal to the Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term
"Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the
Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors of the Company determines 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,
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 action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third
sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek
such stockholder approval for such authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant
to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of
any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, 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 each
Adjustment Share shall be the current market price per share of the Common
Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit
value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to the same value as
the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preference Stock
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preference Stock (or
shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of
Preference Stock ("Equivalent Preference Stock")) or securities convertible
into Preference Stock or Equivalent Preference Stock at a price per share
of Preference Stock or per share of Equivalent Preference Stock (or having
a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preference
Stock or Equivalent Preference Stock) less than the current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preference
Stock 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 Preference Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of shares of Preference Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preference Stock
and/or Equivalent Preference Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered)
would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preference Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preference Stock
and/or Equivalent Preference Stock to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid by
delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than
cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding
on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preference
Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall
be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event
that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preference Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation) of cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preference Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preference Stock) or
evidences of indebtedness, or of subscription rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preference Stock
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 cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of
such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preference
Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preference Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common
Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to
such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on
any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days
immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that
the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during
a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of
(A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of
such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day Period, as set
forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be
properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each 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 shares of
Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted
price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or
such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
market in the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the
Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The
term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
Current Market Price per share of Preference Stock shall be determined in
the same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of
this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current
Market Price per share of Preference Stock cannot be determined in the
manner provided above or if the Preference Stock is not publicly held or
listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d),
the Current Market Price per share of Preference Stock shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date
of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preference Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the
Preference Stock 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 and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
Current Market Price of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock
shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share of Preference Stock
divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment
would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under
this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest
ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or one-millionth
of a share of Preference Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the
first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years
from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii)
the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right
thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital
stock other than Preference Stock, thereafter the number of such other
shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to
the Preference Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h),
(i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14
hereof with respect to the Preference 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-hundredths of a share of Preference 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-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock
(calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x)
the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately
prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the
product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of
any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights
outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference
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 Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be
at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If
Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the
date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company,
new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the
adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the
holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in
the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase
Price per one one-hundredth of a share and the number of one one-hundredths
of a share which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference 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 such number of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock at such adjusted Purchase
Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that
an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date
for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence
of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such
record date the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon
such exercise over and above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preference 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
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in
the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by
this Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the
Board of Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order
that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preference Stock, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preference Stock at less than the
Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of
Preference Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Preference Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preference Stock shall not
be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at
any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary
to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale, the 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 and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or
Section 26 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at
the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action
will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i)
declare a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common
Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with each share
of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but
prior to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that
the number of Rights thereafter associated with each 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.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and
Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate
setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting
for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each
transfer agent for the Preference Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of
such certificate, and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with
Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on
any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the
Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall
consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger
and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions
each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such
case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as
provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable
shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter
defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal
or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one
one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing
that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event,
shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common
Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section
13 Event, (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) the term "Company"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being
specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply
only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of
Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights, and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company
are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation;
and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in
any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time
and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period
registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which
is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person, and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of
which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the
greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall
have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which
have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the
terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation,
merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the
Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under
the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date,
(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to
enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights, including but not limited to the registration or
qualification of such securities under all requisite securities laws of
jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such securities on
such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) will deliver to holders of the Rights
historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a
Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall
thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock which complies with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
(or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the
price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less
than the price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of
Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer, and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is
the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by
this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional
Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For
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 of the Rights for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-
the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights, selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market
maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preference Stock (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock) upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Preference Stock (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock).
In lieu of fractional shares of Preference Stock that are not integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock, the Company
may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preference Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market
value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock shall be one
one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of Preference Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock
upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of
Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value
of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share of
Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section ll(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this
Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights
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
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company
to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such
Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or
any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy
at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against
actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person
subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates
are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates
fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and
of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership
or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated 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,
subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to
be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability
to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such
order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock or any other securities
of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the
Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the
Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from
time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify
the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability,
or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on
the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights
Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim
of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon
any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common 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
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated,
or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust, stock transfer or other
stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part
of any of the parties hereto; but only if such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions
of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall
succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of the
successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall
be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates
shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such
Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided
in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following
terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who
may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent
as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance
with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any
Acquiring Person and the determination of Current Market Price) be proved
or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman, any Vice Chairman, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason
of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or
in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to
its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements
and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility
in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery
hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect
of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by
the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in
any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of Section 11, Section 13 or Section 24
hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require
any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such
adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
shares of Common Stock or Preference Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common
Stock or Preference Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged
and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances
as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or
performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder
from the Chairman, any Vice Chairman, the President, any Vice President,
the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for
any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any 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,
however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk
or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered
to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to
the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be,
has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further
action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first
consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under
this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the
Company, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preference
Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such registration occurs
after the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' 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 and Preference Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs after the
Distribution Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise
become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the
Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it
has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights
Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (i) a legal business
entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
one of the States, in good standing, having an office in the States of New
York or Pennsylvania, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer or stockholder services powers and which
has (together with its affiliates) at the time of its appointment as Rights
Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (ii) an
affiliate of a legal business entity described in clause (i) of this
sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and
deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the
purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights
Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preference Stock,
and, if such appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a notice
thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary,
the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect
any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the
Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares
of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption
or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares
of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options
or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other
case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that
(i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on
the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price
being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not
be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section ll(a)(ii) Event
until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired.
The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of
Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price, as defined in Section
ll(d)(i) hereof, 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
of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which
shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action
and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and
the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the
Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall
give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the
then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each
holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights
Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common 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 will state the method
by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 23(a) hereof,
in the event that a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company is
elected by stockholder action by written consent, or is comprised of
persons elected at a meeting of stockholders who were not nominated by the
Board of Directors of the Company in office immediately prior to such
meeting, then for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days following
the effectiveness of such election the Rights shall not be redeemed or
redeemable if such redemption is or would be reasonably likely to have the
purpose or effect of allowing any Person to become an Acquiring Person or
otherwise facilitating the occurrence of a Triggering Event or a
transaction with an Acquiring Person.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange
all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not
include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) for Common Stock at an exchange ration 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
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall
not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding
Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner
of 50% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection
(a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only
right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number
of shares of 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 promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by
which the exchange of the Common 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 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the
Company, at its option, may substitute Preference Stock (or Equivalent
Preference Stock, as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11
hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preference Stock (or Equivalent Preference
Stock) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect
stock splits, stock dividends and other similar transactions after the date
hereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares
of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of
the Rights.
(e) 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. In lieu of such fractional shares of
Common Stock, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
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. For the
purposes of this subsection (e), the current market value of a whole share
of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) (i) hereof) for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any
class to the holders of Preference Stock or to make any other distribution
to the holders of Preference Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to
offer to the holders of Preference Stock rights or warrants to subscribe
for or to purchase any additional shares of Preference Stock or shares of
stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to
effect any reclassification of its Preference Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Preference Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or
with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any
sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of
related transactions, of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of
the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v)
to effect the liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, then,
in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record
date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take
place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of
Preference Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be
so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at
least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of
the shares of Preference Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case
of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by
the holders of the shares of Preference Stock whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section
ll(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall
as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the
event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section
ll(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preference Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock
and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
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
Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxx 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 Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address
of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company
so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common
Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to
cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions
herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to
change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person);
provided, this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen any
time period hereunder, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a
time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the
Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the
rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery
of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of
Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of
Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this
Agreement may not be amended at a time when the Rights are not redeemable.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. 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 Exchange Act.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and
powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of
this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or
advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions
with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good
faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board or any directors on the Board to any liability to the
holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common
Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement;
but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of
the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction
or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of
the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or
restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its
good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement
would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right
of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall
not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date
of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State
applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
State, except that the rights and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be
governed by the laws of the State of New York.
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 as of the day and year first above written.
BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION
By /s/ X. X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: X. X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent
By /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President
Exhibit A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 18, 2008 UNLESS EXTENDED PRIOR
THERETO BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF
THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY
THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND
THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION
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 July
29, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Bethlehem Steel Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of
New York, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the
Company at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on October 18,
2008 (unless such date is extended prior thereto by the Board of Directors)
at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, non-
assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preference Stock (the
"Preference Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $60 per one one-
hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase
and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased
upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share
set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of October 18, 1998,
based on the Preference Stock as constituted at such date. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event
(as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights
be exercised so that only whole shares of Preference Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring
_________________
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such
transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder
hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the
occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of shares of Preference Stock or other securities, which
may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening
of certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions
and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part
hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of
the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary
suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights
Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the Company and are
also available upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing
Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preference Stock as the Rights evidenced by
the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have
entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender
hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of
whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of
the close of business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition
Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. In addition, under certain
circumstances following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Common Stock, or shares
of preference stock of the Company having essentially the same value or
economic rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board
of Directors of the Company authorizing any such exchange, and without any
further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not
subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable
holders to receive the shares issuable upon such exchange. The foregoing
notwithstanding, the Rights generally may not be redeemed for one hundred
eighty (180) days following a change in a majority of the Board as a result
of a proxy contest.
No fractional shares of Preference Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preference
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. The Company, at its election, may
require that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Preferred Stock would be issued.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preference Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in
the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder
hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give consent to or withhold
consent from 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 Rights Certificate shall have
been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _______________________, _____
ATTEST: BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION
____________________ By ___________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent
By ____________________________
Authorized Signature
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________________________
______________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ___________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
____________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest
therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
__________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on
the books of within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________________, ___
____________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person
(as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person.
Date: ___________________, ______ ________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ___________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares
of Preference Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares
be issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
___________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Date: _________________, ________
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [
] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person
(as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person.
Date: _________________, _____ __________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this
Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
Exhibit B
[FORM OF]
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERENCE STOCK
On July 29, 1998, the Board of Directors of Bethlehem Steel
Corporation ("Bethlehem") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of Bethlehem Common Stock to stockholders of record
at the close of business on October 18, 1998 (the "Record Date"). Each
Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from Bethlehem a unit
consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior
Participating Preference Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preference
Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $60 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement
(the "Rights Agreement") between Bethlehem and First Chicago Trust Company
of New York, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified
in the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and
a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or
more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition
Date"), other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company or
certain actions by institutional or certain other stockholders, or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as the Board shall determine prior to any
person becoming an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of a tender
offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group becoming an
Acquiring Person.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with
such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued
after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any
certificates for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, Bethlehem reserves the
right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined
below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised
so that only whole shares of Preference Stock will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on October 18, 2008, unless
such date is extended or the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by
Bethlehem as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the
separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock
issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person except
pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which at
least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not
officers of Bethlehem and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates
or Associates of an Acquiring Person determine to be fair and not
inadequate to, and to otherwise be in the best interests of, Bethlehem and
its stockholders, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of Bethlehem) having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person
will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the
occurrence of the events set forth above until such time as the Rights are
no longer redeemable by Bethlehem as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $60 per Right, each Right
not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following
an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to
purchase $120 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted
above) for $60. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of
$15 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to
purchase 8 shares of Common Stock for $60.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) Bethlehem engages in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which Bethlehem is not the surviving corporation (other than
with an entity which acquired the shares pursuant to an offer described in
the second preceding paragraph), (ii) Bethlehem engages in a merger or
other business combination transaction in which Bethlehem is the surviving
corporation and the Common Stock of Bethlehem is changed or exchanged, or
(iii) 50% or more of Bethlehem's assets, cashflow or earning power is sold
or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have previously
been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal
to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior
to the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole
or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-
hundredth of a share of Preference Stock (or of a share of a class or
series of Bethlehem's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
Bethlehem may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the $.01 redemption price. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Rights
generally may not be redeemed for one hundred eighty (180) days following a
change in a majority of the Board of Directors as a result of a proxy
contest.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of Bethlehem, including, without
1imitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the
distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to
Bethlehem, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize
taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Common
Stock (or other consideration) of Bethlehem or for common stock of the
acquiring company or in the event of the redemption of the Rights as set
forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of Bethlehem prior to the Distribution Date. After
the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which
do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights, or to shorten
or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement. The foregoing
notwithstanding, no amendment may be made at such time as the Rights are
not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form
8-A. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from
Bethlehem. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
