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Exhibit 99.3
THE NEW D&B CORPORATION
and
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
as Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of August 15, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions .......................................................... 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent .................................................. 7
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates .................................................. 8
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates ................................................... 11
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration ............................................ 11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates ....................................... 12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights ................ 13
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates ........................... 15
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock .................................... 16
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date ................................................. 18
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares and Number of Rights 19
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares .................. 33
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earnings Power ....... 34
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares ..................................... 40
Section 15. Rights of Action ............................................................ 42
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders .................................................. 43
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder ........................... 43
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent ................................................. 44
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent ................... 45
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent ...................................................... 46
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent ...................................................... 49
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates .......................................... 51
Section 23. Redemption .................................................................. 51
Section 24. Exchange .................................................................... 52
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events .................................................... 54
Section 26. Notices ..................................................................... 55
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments .................................................. 56
Section 28. Successors .................................................................. 57
Section 29. Benefits of this Rights Agreement ........................................... 57
Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors ........................ 57
Section 31. Severability ................................................................ 58
Section 32. Governing Law ............................................................... 58
Section 33. Counterparts ................................................................ 58
Section 34. Descriptive Headings ........................................................ 59
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Rights Agreement, dated as of August 15, 2000 (as amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Rights Agreement")
between The New D&B Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of
Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the close
of business (as defined below) on September 8, 2000 (the "Record Date") each
Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to
adjustment) of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and the Board of Directors
has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to
adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each share of Common Stock that
shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the
Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of
Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior
to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Rights
Agreement, the following terms have the meaning indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more
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of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include an
Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter defined); provided, however,
that if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith
that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" becomes the
Beneficial Owner of a number of shares of Common Stock such that the
Person would otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person" inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that
it beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise
cause such Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was
aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no
actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under
this Rights Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, then such Person shall not be deemed
to be or to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this
Rights Agreement unless and until such Person shall have failed to divest
itself, as soon as practicable (as determined, in good faith, by the Board
of Directors of the Company), of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer
otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(i) the sole stockholder of the Company at the time of the adoption of
this Rights Agreement will not be deemed an Acquiring Person for any
purposes of this Rights Agreement prior to the distribution by such Person
of the Company's outstanding Common Stock to the stockholders of such
Person and (ii) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result
of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by
reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, provided, however, that if a
Person shall become
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the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and
thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common
Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by
the Company on the outstanding Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or
pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), then
such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" unless upon the
consummation of the acquisition of such additional shares of Common Stock
such Person does not beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding. For all purposes of this Rights Agreement, any
calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any
particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person
is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as
in effect on the date hereof.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Rights Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, shall be
deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly
within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the
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General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on
the date of this Rights Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon
the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants
or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (x)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by
or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase,
(y) securities which such Person has a right to acquire on the
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person or (z) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights from and after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person
if such 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 ("original Rights") or pursuant
to Section 11(i) or Section 11(n) with respect to an adjustment to
original Rights; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security by reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding
if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security
(1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent
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solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act
and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (iii) which
are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person
with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other
than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling
group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to
the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of such securities of the Company; provided, however, that
no Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt
Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person's status or
authority as such, to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of or to "beneficially own" any securities
that are "beneficially owned" (as defined in this Section 1(c)),
including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt
Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an
Exempt Person.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New Jersey,
or the State in which the principal office of the Rights Agent is located,
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not
a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
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(f) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the common stock, par value $.01, of the Company (but shall not
include the Series Common Stock, par value $.01 of the Company). "Common
Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall
mean the capital stock (or, in the case of an unincorporated entity, the
equivalent equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other
Person or, if such other Person is a subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3 hereof.
(h) "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(b) hereof.
(i) "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, in each case including,
without limitation, in its fiduciary capacity, or, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity or
trustee holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan
or for the purpose of funding any such plan or funding other employee
benefits for employees of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company.
(j) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "New York Stock Exchange" shall mean the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, and shall
include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
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(n) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company having the
rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation
attached to this Rights Agreement as Exhibit A.
(o) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(p) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
to this Rights Agreement.
(q) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(r) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(s) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such or such earlier date as a majority of the Board of
Directors shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(t) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary
voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or
other persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other
entity that is otherwise controlled by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may
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deem necessary or desirable upon ten (10) days prior notice to the Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be
liable for the acts or omissions of any such Co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the close of
business on the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or
(ii) the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by action
of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than an Exempt
Person) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of such Person
(other than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt Person)
becoming the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating 15% or more
of the Common Stock then outstanding (including any such date which is after the
date of this Rights Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights), the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders
thereof and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute,
the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent
(and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right (subject
to adjustment as
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provided herein) for each share of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Preferred
Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as
of the close of business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or
any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for
Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the
holders thereof together with the Summary of Rights. Until the Distribution Date
(or, if earlier, the Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any
certificate for Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented thereby.
Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
issued or disposed of (including, without limitation, upon disposition of Common
Stock out of treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Stock out of
authorized but unissued shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances
provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates issued
for Common Stock (including, without limitation, upon transfer of outstanding
Common Stock, disposition of Common Stock out of treasury stock or issuance or
reissuance of Common Stock out of authorized but unissued shares) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
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Distribution Date and the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on,
written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between The Dun &
Bradstreet Corporation (formerly known as The New D&B Corporation)
and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., dated as of August 15, 2000 (as
the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at
the principal executive offices of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation.
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 Dun & Bradstreet
Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of
the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights owned by or transferred to any Person who
is or becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) and certain transferees thereof will become null and void
and will no longer be transferable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate, except as otherwise provided
herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or
otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed
canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any
Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer outstanding.
Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), the omission of a legend shall
not affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights Agreement or the rights
of any holder of the Rights.
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Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on the
reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Rights
Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any
rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of the
New York Stock Exchange or of any other stock exchange or automated quotation
system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at
the Purchase Price (as determined pursuant to Section 7), but the number of such
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and the Purchase Price shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of the
Board of Directors, the President, any of the Vice Presidents, the Treasurer or
the Controller of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall
have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and
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delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who
signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company;
and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person
who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this 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 an office or agency designated for such purpose, books for
registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books
shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right
Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, at any time after the close
of business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the close of business on the
Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office or agency of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right
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Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, at any time
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case
of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory
to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the
Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender
to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become
exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as
otherwise provided herein, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in
part upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the
office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with
payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be)
as to which the Rights are exercised, at any time which is both after the
Distribution Date and prior to the time (the "Expiration Date") that is the
earliest of (i) the close of business on August 15, 2010 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed
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as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price shall be initially $125 for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. The Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock or other securities or property to be acquired upon exercise of
a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections
11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section 7.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right
Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price
for the shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, in cash or by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of shares of Preferred Stock to
be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent
appointed by the Company depositary receipts representing interests in such
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Stock represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash
to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section
14 hereof, (iii)
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promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the
same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to
or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered
holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights
evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the
exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to
the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized
assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Rights Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the
occurrence of any purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6
hereof or this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment or election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as the
Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for
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cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire,
any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than
upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock. (a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept
available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock or any
shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares of
Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other
securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or listed on any other national
securities exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts
to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares
reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or listed on any other exchange or quotation system upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the
Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of
shares of Preferred Stock (and following the time that a Person first becomes an
Acquiring Person, shares of
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Common Stock and other securities) upon the exercise of Rights, to register and
qualify such shares of Preferred Stock (and following the time that a Person
first becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities)
under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws
(to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration
statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such
filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier
of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities
and the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of
time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare
and file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to
become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Rights Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until
a registration statement under the Securities Act (if required) shall have been
declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the time that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common
Stock and other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time
of delivery of the certificates therefor (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any shares of Preferred Stock (or shares of
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Common Stock or other securities) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other securities) in a name other
than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates or depositary
receipts for Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock or other securities)
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by that holder of such Right Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of
Preferred Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company
are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day
on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to
the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock for which the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote or
to receive dividends or other distributions, and
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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
and Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare and pay a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares
of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section
11(a), the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification or at the time of the record date for such
dividend, as the case may be, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be
entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer
books of the Company were open, the holder would have owned upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon
the exercise
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of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Rights Agreement, in the
event that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, then (A) the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, whether or not such
Right was then exercisable, and (B) each holder of a Right, except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Section
11(a)(iii), hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise at a price equal to the Purchase Price (as so adjusted), in
accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement and in lieu of
shares of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock (or
at the option of the Company, such number of one one-thousandths of
shares of Preferred Stock) as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Company's Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such
Person became an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that the
Purchase Price (as so adjusted) and the number of shares of Common
Stock so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be
subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with
Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Rights
Agreement to the contrary, however, from and after the time (the
"invalidation time") when any Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, any Rights that are
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beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or
Associate of any Acquiring Person), (y) a transferee of any
Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a
transferee after the invalidation time or (z) a transferee of any
Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) who became a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the invalidation time
pursuant to either (I) a transfer from the Acquiring Person to
holders of its equity securities or to any Person with whom it has
any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (II) a transfer which the Board of Directors
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has the purpose or effect of avoiding the provisions of this
paragraph, and subsequent transferees of such Persons, shall be void
without any further action and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights
under any provision of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall use
all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any
holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its
failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. From
and after the invalidation time, no Right Certificate shall be
issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents
Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of
this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights
Agent that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant
to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. From and
after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof,
any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to
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this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in
accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section
11(a)(ii).
(iii) The Company may at its option substitute for a share of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with
the foregoing subparagraph (ii) such number or fractions of shares
of Preferred Stock having an aggregate current market value equal to
the current per share market price of a share of Common Stock. In
the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii), the Board of Directors shall, with respect to
such deficiency, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any
material agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party
(A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) (the "Current Value") over (2) the then
current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of shares of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the time that the Acquiring Person
became such (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to
each Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)), make adequate provision to substitute for the
shares of Common Stock issuable in accordance with subparagraph (ii)
upon exercise of the Right and payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in such Purchase Price, (3) shares
of Preferred Stock or other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and
liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the shares
of Common Stock, are
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deemed in good faith by the Board of Directors to have substantially
the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such shares of
preferred stock and shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock
are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock equivalents"), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination
of the foregoing, having a value which, when added to the value of
the shares of Common Stock actually issued upon exercise of such
Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the Current Value
(less the amount of any reduction in such Purchase Price), where
such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors
upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected in good faith by the Board of Directors; provided, however,
if the Company shall not make adequate provision to deliver value
pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
date that the Acquiring Person became such (the "Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to
the extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements
then in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of such
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available),
and then, if necessary, such number or fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. If, upon the date any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith that it is
likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then,
if the Board of Directors so elects, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
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Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for
the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day
period, as it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action
need be taken pursuant to the second and/or third sentence of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last sentence of this Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such second
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the
current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i)) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or
fractional value of any "Common Stock equivalent" shall be deemed to
equal the current per share market price of the Common Stock. The
Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to,
establish procedures to allocate the right to receive shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights
pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling
them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares
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having similar rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock
("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per share of Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred shares (or having a conversion price per
share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or
equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market
price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent
preferred shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares
of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the 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 Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to
be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may
be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of
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Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred shares owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or
warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price
to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share
market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the
portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or
of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of
Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such current per
share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the
Preferred Stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
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event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall
again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of any
computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of any
security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term
is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security
is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of
such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable
in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or
(B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and
prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for
such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current
per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the
current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case
no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading
or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or,
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if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then
in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by
the Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a
day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, if the Preferred
Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method set
forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly traded
but the Common Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market
price" of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be the
current per share market price of the Common Stock as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) multiplied by one thousand (appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring
after the date hereof). If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred
Stock is publicly traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the
fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors
of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All
calculations under
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this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or share of Common Stock or
other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date
of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration
Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than the
Preferred Stock, thereafter the Purchase Price and the number of such
other shares so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent
as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock
contained in Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(e), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m)
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to
the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right
to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further
adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding
immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to
the nearest one ten-
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thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x)
the number of one one-thousandths of a share purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right immediately prior to such adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price
in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price pursuant to Sections 11(b) or 11(c) hereof to adjust
the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment
of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of
record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that
number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained
by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment
of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after
adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public
announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount
of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date
Right
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Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be
distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for
the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for
herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase
Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Preferred
Stock or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the
opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly
and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock
or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for
a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of
such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after
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such record date of the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase
Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the
Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Purchase Price,
in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as
and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be
advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Stock, issuance (wholly for cash) of any shares of Preferred Stock at less
than the current market price, issuance (wholly for cash) of Preferred
Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to
holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) Anything in this Rights Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that at any time after the date of this
Rights Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i)
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or
(ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
payable in Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Common Stock, then in any such case, the
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number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then
outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter, shall be proportionately
adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each
share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator
of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(o) The Company agrees that, after the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as permitted by
Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any
action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable
that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock
or the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25
hereof (if so required under Section 25 hereof). The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
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Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earnings Power. (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after any
Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall merge with and into
any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or any
Person shall merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or of the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries), then upon the first occurrence of such event, proper provision
shall be made so that: (A) each holder of record of a Right (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable (whether or not such Right was
then exercisable) immediately prior to the time that any Person first became an
Acquiring Person (each as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant to Sections
11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m)), in accordance with the terms of
this Rights Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common
Stock of the Principal Party (as defined herein) not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was
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exercisable immediately prior to the time that any Person first became an
Acquiring Person (as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant to Sections
11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m)) and (2) dividing that product by
50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the date of
consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided that the
Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party
issuable upon exercise of each Right shall be further adjusted as provided in
Section 11(f) of this Rights Agreement to reflect any events occurring in
respect of such Principal Party after the date of the such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Rights
Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such
Principal Party; and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of
Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Stock
of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this
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Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but
not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit
the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for
such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (i) or (ii) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is
the issuer of the securities into which the shares of Common Stock
are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more
than one such issuer, the issuer the shares of Common Stock of which
have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or
(B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other
party to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if
there is more than one such Person, the Person the shares of Common
Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the
merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the
merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person
resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (iii) of the
first sentence in Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if
each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions
receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the
assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such
Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value of shares outstanding;
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provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or has
not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2)
if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
and the Common Stocks of all of such persons have been so registered, the term
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture
formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the
same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to
each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by
the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and
the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in
this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the
total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the Company
and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and delivered to
the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements of Sections 13(a)
and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance with their terms and
that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets shall not result in
a default by the Principal Party under this Rights Agreement as the same shall
have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to Sections 13(a) and (b)
hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement
pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
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(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form,
use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act)
until the Expiration Date, and similarly comply with applicable state
securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the Principal
Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or admit to
trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or
such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party
shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange
or a national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities
receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by such other system
then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the
Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive
rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject to
purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
(d) In case the Principal Party has a provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other
instrument governing its affairs, which provision
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would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than
to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section
13, shares of Common Stock or Common Stock equivalents of such Principal Party
at less than the then current market price per share thereof (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible
into, Common Stock or Common Stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less
than such then current market price, or (ii) providing for any special payment,
tax or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of
such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13, then, in such
event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not
consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such
Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will
have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of
the proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after a Person first becomes an Acquiring Person enter into any transaction of
the type contemplated by (i) - (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof if (x) at the time
of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other
transaction there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13(b) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any
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of its Affiliates or Associates or (z) the form or nature of organization of the
Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights (except prior to the
Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11(n) hereof) or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any 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
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a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of Preferred Stock in integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it;
provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are
not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock. For the
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a share of Preferred
Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such
fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of
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Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock (as
determined in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise or exchange of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Rights Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on his own behalf and for his own
benefit, may enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, such Common Stock) in the manner provided in such Right
Certificate and in this Rights 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 Rights Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Rights Agreement.
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Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered
at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person
in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof
and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the Common Stock
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for
all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to
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give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in this
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised
or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Rights Agreement and the exercise and performance of its
duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and
to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Rights Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly
or indirectly.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Rights Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
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Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent. (a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Rights
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Rights Agreement, any of the Right Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent
may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such
Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Rights Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name
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or in its changed name and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have
the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Rights Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Rights Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to
any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Rights
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or
suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence
in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of
the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President,
the Treasurer, the Controller or the Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Rights Agreement in reliance upon
such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and
any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or wilful
misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Rights Agreement or
in the Right Certificates (except its
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countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the
Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Rights Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or
in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except
its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach
by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Rights
Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any
change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms
of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided
for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 and 24, or the ascertaining of the existence
of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after
receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12, describing such
change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make
any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of
any shares of Preferred Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to
this Rights Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Preferred Stock or other securities will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered
all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or
performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.
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(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Chief Financial
Officer or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be
liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while
waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for
written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights
Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by
the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after
which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of,
the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified in such application (which date
shall not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of
the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer
shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to
taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission),
the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to
such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or
lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though
it
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were not Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the
Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or
by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of
any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from
any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the
form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the
holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof)
or a transferee 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
Rights Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or
certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail,
and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right Certificates
by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
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otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (A)
a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States
or any State thereof, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or (B) an
affiliate of a corporation described in clause (A) of this sentence. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock or
Preferred Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any
notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall
not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
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Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Rights Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such forms as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Rights Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of
Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options,
(ii) under any employee plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion
or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a
contractual obligation of the Company in each case existing prior to the
Distribution Date, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number
of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at any time prior to such time as any Person first becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(the redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price").
The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis
and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
shares of Common Stock (based on the current market price of the Common Stock at
the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by
the Board of Directors.
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(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 (or at
such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the effectiveness of
such redemption), and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights (or such later time as the Board of
Directors may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), the Company
shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding
Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time after any Person first becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have not become effective or that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such amount per Right being hereinafter
referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board
of Directors shall not be empowered to effect
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such exchange at any time after an Acquiring Person becomes the Beneficial Owner
of shares of Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section
13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to
this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with
Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a). The exchange
of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right
thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares
of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice
of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company
shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of the
Rights so exchanged at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the
shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
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(c) The Company may at its option substitute and, in the event that
there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding
or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated in
accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall substitute to the extent of
such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be
issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or
fraction thereof (or equivalent preferred shares as such term is defined in
Section 11(b)) such that the current per share market price (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) of one share of Preferred Stock (or equivalent
preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current
per share market price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) as of the date of such exchange.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall
at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition
Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders
of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to
offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for
or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of
any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving
only the subdivision or combination of outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (v) to
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to
effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
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proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, or distribution or offering of rights or warrants, or the date
on which such liquidation, dissolution, reclassification, subdivision,
combination, consolidation or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock,
if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case
of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the
date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be
the earlier.
(b) In case any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13
shall occur then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution
Date, the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
and Section 13 hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Rights
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attn: Chief Legal Counsel
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Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of
any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Notices or demands authorized by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by
the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Except as otherwise provided
in this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company
may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Rights Agreement
in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights. At any time
when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as otherwise provided in this
Section 27, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so
directs, supplement or amend this Rights Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights Certificates in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct
or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder, or (iv) change or supplement the provisions hereunder in
any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided that no
such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Rights as such (other than an
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Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and no
such amendment may cause the rights again to become redeemable or cause this
Rights Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this
sentence. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Rights Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which decreases the
Redemption Price. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer
of the Company which states that the supplement or amendment is in compliance
with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such
supplement or amendment; provided that any supplement or amendment that does not
amend Sections 18, 19, 20 or 21 hereof in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent
shall become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not
also executed by the Rights Agent.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Rights Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Rights Agreement. Nothing in this
Rights Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Rights Agreement; but this Rights Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common Stock).
Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Rights Agreement and to exercise the rights and
powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of
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this Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Rights Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or
not redeem the Rights or to amend this Rights Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or
made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Rights Agreement or applicable to this Rights 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 Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and
shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Rights Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Rights 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.
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Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Rights Agreement are inserted for convenience only and
shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Rights
Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first
above written.
Attest: [ ] THE NEW D&B CORPORATION
By ___________________________
Name:
Title:
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
By ___________________________
Name:
Title:
63
Exhibit A
FORM
OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
The New D&B Corporation
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)
The New D&B Corporation, a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called
the "Company"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was duly adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Company as required by Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware on August 15, 2000.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested
in the Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Company's
Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date (hereinafter called
the "Certificate of Incorporation"), the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and hereby
states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights,
powers and preferences thereof, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions thereof, as follows:
Section (1) Designation and Amount. The shares of such
series shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock"
(the "Series A Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the
Series A Preferred Stock shall be 500,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that
no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a
number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of
shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or
warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
Company convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
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Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock of the Company (the "Preferred Stock") (or any similar
stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect
to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference
to the holders of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the
"Common Stock") and of any other stock of the Company ranking junior to the
Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of January, April, July, and
October in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Dividend
Payment Date"), commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock (the
"Issue Date"), in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the
greater of (a) $10 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter
set forth, 1000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and
1000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock, declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Dividend Payment Date, since
the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred
Stock. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Issue Date declare
and pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent
Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10 per share on the Series A Preferred
Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such
subsequent Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether
or not earned or declared, on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock
from the Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the
first Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin
to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is
a Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
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Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.
Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than
the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such
shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to
receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights;
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth and except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of
Incorporation or required by law, each share of Series A Preferred
Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes on all matters
upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Company are entitled
to vote. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Issue
Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares
of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of
Incorporation or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a
series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as otherwise
required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and
the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of
the Company having general voting rights shall vote together as one
class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Company.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting
rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent
they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.
(D) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for
the election of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends
(whether or not consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A
Preferred Stock are in default, the number of directors constituting
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be increased by two. In
addition to voting together with the holders of Common Stock for the
election of other directors of the Company, the holders of record of
the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class to the
exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled at said
meeting of stockholders (and at each subsequent annual meeting of
stockholders), unless all
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dividends in arrears on the Series A Preferred Stock have been paid or
declared and set apart for payment prior thereto, to vote for the
election of two directors of the Company, the holders of any Series A
Preferred Stock being entitled to cast a number of votes per share of
Series A Preferred Stock as is specified in paragraph (A) of this
Section 3. Each such additional director shall not be a member of
Class I, Class II or Class III of the Board of Directors of the
Company, but shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders
for the election of directors, or until his successor shall be elected
and shall qualify, or until his right to hold such office terminates
pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3(D). Until the default in
payments of all dividends which permitted the election of said
directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall have been so
elected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3(D) may be removed
at any time, without cause, only by the affirmative vote of the holders
of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time entitled to cas
a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of any
such director at a special meeting of such holders called for that
purpose, and any vacancy thereby created may be filled by the vote of
such holders. If and when such default shall cease to exist, the
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be divested of the
foregoing special voting rights, subject to revesting in the event of
each and every subsequent like default in payments of dividends. Upon
the termination of the foregoing special voting rights, the terms of
office of all persons who may have been elected directors pursuant to
said special voting rights shall forthwith terminate, and the number of
directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be reduced by two.
The voting rights granted by this Section 3(D) shall be in addition to
any other voting rights granted to the holders of the Series A
Preferred Stock in this Section 3.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not earned or declared, on
shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in
full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except
dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears
in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to
the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at
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67
any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any
such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the
Company ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock or
rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock;
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer
made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board
of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as
the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable
treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock
of the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this
Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and
in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to
any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be
made (A) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of
the Company ranking junior, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the
Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not earned or
declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per
share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to
1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares
of Common Stock, or (B) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series A Preferred Stock,
except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the
event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment
in full of the Series A liquidation preference and the liquidation preferences
of all other classes and series of stock of the Company, if any, that rank on a
parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets
available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of
the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in the
proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event the Company
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shall at any time after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination
or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (A) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Neither the merger or consolidation of the Company into or
with another entity nor the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or
with the Company (nor the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company) shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company within the meaning of this Section 6.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or changed
into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such
case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1000 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is converted, exchanged or converted. In the event the Company shall at any time
after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to all other
series of Preferred Stock and senior to the Common Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. If any proposed amendment to the
Certificate of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designations) would
alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given
to the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series A Preferred Stock
adversely, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of
two-thirds
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of the outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as
a class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other
vote as may be required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is
executed on behalf of the Company by its and attested by its Secretary this __th
day of __________, 2000
---------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Attest:
-------------------------------
Secretary
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Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- ____ ___ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 15, 2010 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE
SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO
EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY
OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME
NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
TRANSFERABLE.
Right Certificate
THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
(formerly known as The New D&B 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 August 15, 2000 as the same may be amended from time to
time (the "Rights Agreement"), between The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation
(formerly known as The New D&B Corporation), a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
August 15, 2010 at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid
non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a purchase price of
$125 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
_________ ___, ____ based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property)
which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights and the number of Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events.
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This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company and the above-mentioned office or agency of the Rights Agent. The
Company will mail to the holder of this Right Certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the office or agency of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder
to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights
evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have
entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised
in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another
Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will
be issued upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby
(other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be
entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of
the Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything
contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the
holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement) or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Right certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _____________.
ATTEST: THE DUN & BRADSTREET
CORPORATION (formerly known as The
New D&B Corporation)
By ______________________________ By ______________________________
Countersigned:
_________________________________
as Rights Agent
By ______________________________
Authorized Signature
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfer unto ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and
interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
___________________ Attorney, to transfer said Rights on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________________
_________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer
or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee
medallion program
_______________________________________________________________________________
(To be completed)
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by, were not acquired by the
undersigned from, and are not being assigned to, an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
_________________________________
Signature
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate)
To The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (formerly known as The New D&B Corporation):
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
__________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the
shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) issuable upon the
exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares of
Preferred Stock (or such other securities) be issued in the name of:
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________________
_________________________________
Signature
(Signature must conform to holder specified on Right Certificate)
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by bank, trust company, broker, dealer or
other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee
medallion program.
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
(To be completed)
_______________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by, and were not acquired by the
undersigned from, an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement)
_________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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Exhibit C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS
OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON
(AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL
BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
Shares of Preferred Stock
On August 15, 2000 the Board of Directors of The New D&B Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share of
the Company (the "Common Stock"). The dividend is payable on September 8, 2000
(the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth
of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company at a price of $125 per one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (as the same may be adjusted, the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of August 15, 2000 as the
same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between the
Company and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (with
certain exceptions an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of
15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (ii) 10 business days
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors
prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an
Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention
to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result
in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Stock certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Stock certificate together with a copy of this Summary of Rights.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred
with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), Common Stock certificates will contain
a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right
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Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates
alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on August 15, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is advanced or extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Stock of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock with a conversion price,
less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends or dividends payable in
Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
The Rights are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled, when, as and
if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of the greater
of (a) $10 per share and (b) an amount equal to 1000 times the dividend declared
per share of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to a
minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share (plus any accrued but
unpaid dividends) but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1000 times the
payment made per share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will have
1000 votes, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are
converted or exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to
receive 1000 times the amount received per share of Common Stock. These rights
are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one share of Common Stock.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereupon become void),
will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a Right and payment
of the Purchase Price, that number of shares of Common Stock having a market
value of two times the Purchase Price.
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In the event that, after a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right (other than Rights
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person which will have become void) will
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of
the person with whom the Company has engaged in the foregoing transaction (or
its parent), which number of shares at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the Purchase Price.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock or the occurrence of an event described in
the prior paragraph, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become
void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock,
or a fractional share of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a similar class or
series of the Company's preferred stock having similar rights, preferences and
privileges) of equivalent value, per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last
trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, the
Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may, except
with respect to the redemption price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner.
After the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, except with respect
to the redemption price, amend the Rights in any manner that does not adversely
affect the interests of holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof, as such,
will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
_________ ___, 2000. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by
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reference to the Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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