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EXHIBIT 4
TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
& TRUST COMPANY
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of December 2, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1. Certain Definitions .........................................1
SECTION 2. Appointment of Rights Agent .................................6
SECTION 3. Issue of Rights Certificates ................................6
SECTION 4. Form of Rights Certificates .................................8
SECTION 5. Countersignature and Registration ...........................8
SECTION 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates ................................................9
SECTION 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights......................................................10
SECTION 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates ........12
SECTION 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock ..............12
SECTION 10. Preferred Stock Record Date ................................13
SECTION 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights ...........................................14
SECTION 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares .22
SECTION 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power ..............................................23
SECTION 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares ....................26
SECTION 15. Rights of Action ...........................................27
SECTION 16. Agreement of Rights Holders ................................27
SECTION 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder .........28
SECTION 18. Concerning the Rights Agent ................................28
SECTION 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent ..28
SECTION 20. Duties of Rights Agent .....................................29
SECTION 21. Change of Rights Agent .....................................31
SECTION 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates ........................32
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SECTION 23. Redemption and Termination .................................33
SECTION 24. Notice of Certain Events ...................................33
SECTION 25. Notices ....................................................34
SECTION 26. Supplements and Amendments .................................35
SECTION 27. Successors .................................................36
SECTION 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc...36
SECTION 29. Benefits of this Agreement .................................36
SECTION 30. Severability ...............................................36
SECTION 31. Governing law ..............................................37
SECTION 32. Counterparts ...............................................37
SECTION 33. Descriptive Headings .......................................37
SECTION 34. Exchange ...................................................37
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 2, 1997 (this "Agreement"), between
TransAct Technologies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights
Agent").
WHEREAS, effective December 2, 1997 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a
distribution of one Right (each, a "Right") for each share of Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Company Common Stock") outstanding at
the Close of Business (as defined below) on December 15, 1997 (the "Record
Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may
hereinafter be adjusted pursuant hereto) for each share of Company Common Stock
issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and, except as otherwise provided in Section 22, the
Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the right to purchase upon
the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth one Unit (as
defined below) of Series A Preferred Stock (as defined below);
WHEREAS, the Company desires to set forth certain terms and conditions
governing the Rights; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act as rights
agent hereunder, in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, alone or
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Company Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (x) the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting
in such capacity or (y) any such Person who has become and is such a
Beneficial Owner solely because (A) of a change in the aggregate number of
shares of the Company Common Stock since the last date on which such
Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of any shares of the Company Common
Stock or (B) it acquired such Beneficial Ownership in the good faith
belief that such acquisition would not (x) cause such Beneficial Ownership
to exceed 15% of
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the shares of the Company Common Stock then outstanding and such Person
relied in good faith in computing the percentage of its Beneficial
Ownership on publicly filed reports or documents of the Company which are
inaccurate or out-of-date or (y) otherwise cause a Distribution Date or
the adjustment provided for in Section 11(a)(ii) to occur. Notwithstanding
clause (B) of the prior sentence, if any Person that is not an Acquiring
Person due to such clause (B) does not reduce its percentage of Beneficial
Ownership of the Company Common Stock to 15% or less by the Close of
Business on the fifth Business Day after notice from the Company (the date
of notice being the first day) that such person's Beneficial Ownership of
the Company Common Stock so exceeds 15%, such Person shall at the end of
such five Business Day period, become an Acquiring Person (and such clause
(B) shall no longer apply to such Person). For purposes of this
definition, the determination whether any Person acted in "good faith"
shall be conclusively determined by the Board of Directors of the Company,
acting by a vote of those directors of the Company whose approval would be
required to redeem the rights under Section 23.
(b) "Adjustment Shares" has the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii).
(c) "Adjustment Spread" has the meaning set forth in Section
34(a)(ii).
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations as in
effect on the date hereof.
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own", and shall be deemed to have "Beneficial
Ownership" of, any securities:
(i) of which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is considered to be a "beneficial owner" under Rule 13d-3
of the Exchange Act Regulations as in effect on the date hereof;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", or to have "Beneficial
Ownership" of, any securities under this subparagraph (i) as a
result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
securities if such agreement, arrangement or understanding (A)
arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act
Regulations, and (B) is not reportable by such Person on Schedule
13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
(ii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such other
Person) with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates) has any agreement,
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arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (i) of
this paragraph (c)) or disposing of such securities; or
(iii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
passage of time or upon the satisfaction of conditions) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that under this paragraph (c) a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", or to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made in accordance with Exchange Act Regulations by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities
that may be issued upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (c) securities that may be issued
upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(c) or Section 22 or pursuant to Section 11(i) in connection with
an adjustment made with respect to any such Rights.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., 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.
(h) "Common Stock" of any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or, if
such Person shall have no capital stock, the equity securities or other
equity interest having power to control or direct the management of such
Person.
(i) "Company" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this
Agreement.
(j) "Company Common Stock" has the meaning set forth in the recitals
to this Agreement.
(k) "Continuing Director" shall mean a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who is not an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or a representative or nominee of an
Acquiring Person or of any such
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Affiliate or Associate, and who either (i) was a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company prior to the date hereof or (ii) subsequently
became a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and whose
election or nomination for election is approved or recommended by a vote
of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company, which majority
includes a majority of the Continuing Directors then on the Board of
Directors.
(l) "Current Value" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).
(m) "Depositary Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c).
(n) "Distribution Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
(o) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" has the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b).
(p) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
(q) "Exchange Act Regulations" shall mean the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(r) "Expiration Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).
(s) "Final Expiration Date" has the meaning set forth in Section
7(a).
(t) "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, limited
liability company, firm, corporation, association, trust, unincorporated
organization or other entity, as well as any syndicate or group deemed to
be a person under Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.
(u) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Preferred Stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company having the voting powers,
designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights and qualifications, limitations and restrictions described
in the Certificate of Designations set forth as Exhibit C hereto.
(v) "preferred stock equivalents" has the meaning specified in
Section 11(a)(iii).
(w) "Principal Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 13(b).
(x) "Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).
(y) "Record Date" has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
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(z) "Redemption Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 23(c).
(aa) "Registered Common Stock" has the meaning set forth in Section
13(b)(ii).
(bb) "Registration Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 9(c).
(cc) "Registration Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section
9(a).
(dd) "Right" has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
(ee) "Rights Agent" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement.
(ff) "Rights Certificate" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
(gg) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" has the meaning set forth in
the recitals to this Agreement.
(hh) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11 (a)(ii)(A), (B) or (C).
(ii) "Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date" has the meaning set forth in
Section 11 (a)(iii).
(jj) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(kk) "Section 34(a)(i) Exchange Ratio" has the meaning set forth in
Section 34(a)(i).
(ll) "Section 34(a)(ii) Exchange Ratio" has the meaning set forth in
Section 34(a)(ii).
(mm) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(nn) "Spread" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).
(oo) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (including, without limitation, the filing of any report
pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Company or an
Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(pp) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
other Person of which an amount of voting securities or equity interests
sufficient to elect at least a
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majority of the directors or equivalent governing body of such other
Person is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or
otherwise controlled by such first-mentioned Person.
(qq) "Summary of Rights" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).
(rr) "Trading Day" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i).
(ss) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
(tt) "Unit" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).
SECTION 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. With
the consent of the Rights Agent, the Company may from time to time appoint such
Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
SECTION 3. Issue of Rights Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i) the
Close of Business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date and (ii) the
Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors prior to such time as
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, provided that no such action may be
taken by the Board of Directors to determine a later date unless, at the time of
such action, there are then in office not less than two Continuing Directors and
such action is approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office
and of which the Company will give the Rights Agent prompt written notice) after
the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan maintained by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to
such plan acting in such capacity) is first published or sent or given within
the meaning of Rule 14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act Regulations or any successor
rule, if upon consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier
of (i) and (ii) above being the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for shares of Company Common Stock registered in the names of the
holders of shares of Company Common Stock as of and subsequent to the Record
Date (which certificates for shares of Company Common Stock shall be deemed also
to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying shares of Company Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company).
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send
by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares
of Company Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at
the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more
rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Company Common Stock so
held,
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subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Company Common Stock has been made pursuant to
Section 11(p), at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company may make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in a form which
may be appended to certificates that represent shares of Company Common Stock,
in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares
of Company Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.
(c) Rights shall, without any further action, be issued in respect of all
shares of Company Common Stock which are issued (including any shares of Company
Common Stock held in treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of
the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date. Certificates, representing such
shares of Company Common Stock, issued after the Record Date shall bear the
following legend:
"This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement, dated as of December
2, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), between TransAct Technologies
Incorporated (the "Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
(the "Rights Agent"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal office of the
stock transfer administration office of the Rights Agent. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a
copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void."
With respect to certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock
(whether or not such certificates include the foregoing legend or have appended
to them the Summary of Rights), until the earlier of the Distribution Date and
the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the shares of Company Common
Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates
alone and registered holders of the shares of Company Common Stock shall also be
the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such certificates.
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SECTION 4. Form of Rights Certificates. (a) The Rights Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase, assignment and certificate to be printed on
the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set forth in
Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and
such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or any rule or
regulation thereunder or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on
which the Rights may from time to time be listed or to conform to usage. Subject
to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Units of Preferred
Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein, but the
amount and type of securities, cash or other assets that may be acquired upon
the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant hereto that represents Rights
beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) which becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) which becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and which receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) or to any Person with
whom such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding either the transferred Rights,
shares of Company Common Stock or the Company or (B) a transfer which a majority
of the Continuing Directors has determined to be part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section
7(e), shall, upon the written direction of a majority of the Continuing
Directors, contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the
Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances
specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement."
SECTION 5. Countersignature and Registration. (a) Rights Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, the
President or one of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced
thereon attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The
signature of any one or more of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be
manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile
signatures of the individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the
Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of
them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature of such
Rights Certificates or did not hold such
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offices at the date of such Rights Certificates. No Rights Certificate shall be
entitled to any benefit under this Agreement or be valid for any purpose unless
there appears on such Rights Certificate a countersignature duly executed by the
Rights Agent by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such
countersignature upon any Rights Certificate shall be conclusive evidence, and
the only evidence, that such Rights Certificate has been duly countersigned as
required hereunder.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its office designated for surrender of Rights Certificates
upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the name and address of
each holder of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its
face by each Rights Certificate and the date of each Rights Certificate.
SECTION 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14, at any time after the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of
Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Units
of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and executed
the certificate set forth in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of the Rights
represented by such Rights Certificate or Affiliates or Associates thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request; whereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) If a Rights Certificate shall be mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen,
upon request by the registered holder of the Rights represented thereby and upon
payment to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incident
thereto, there shall be issued, in exchange for and upon cancellation of the
mutilated Rights Certificate, or in substitution for the lost, stolen or
destroyed Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate, in substantially the
form of the prior Rights Certificate, of like tenor and representing the
equivalent number of Rights, but, in the case of loss, theft or destruction,
only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Rights Agent
of such loss, theft or destruction of such Rights
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Certificate and, if requested by the Company or the Rights Agent, indemnity also
satisfactory to it.
SECTION 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth anniversary
hereof (the "Final Expiration Date"), and (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being the
"Expiration Date"), the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may, subject
to the provisions of Sections 7(e) and 9(c) hereof, exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together
with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price (as hereinafter defined) for the
number of Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) for which such surrendered
Rights are then exercisable.
(b) The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a share (each such
one-thousandth of a share being a "Unit") of Preferred Stock upon exercise of
Rights shall be $69.00, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided
in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof (such purchase price, as so adjusted, being the
"Purchase Price"), and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) As promptly as practicable following the occurrence of the
Distribution Date, the Company shall deposit with a corporation in good standing
organized under the laws of the United States or any State of the United States,
which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority (such institution being the "Depositary Agent"), certificates
representing the shares of Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of
the Rights and shall cause such Depositary Agent to enter into an agreement
pursuant to which the Depositary Agent shall issue receipts representing
interests in the shares of Preferred Stock so deposited. Upon receipt of a
Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect
to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price for the Units of Preferred
Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets,
as the case may be) to be purchased thereby as set forth below and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax or evidence satisfactory to the Company of
payment of such tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof,
thereupon promptly (i) requisition from the Depositary Agent depositary receipts
representing such number of Units of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased and
the Company will direct the Depositary Agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14, (iii) after receipt of such
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
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in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after
receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue Company Common Stock, other securities of the Company, pay
cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a), the Company
will make all arrangements necessary so that such Company Common Stock, other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as
such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)) may be made in cash
or by certified or bank check payable to the order of the Company, or by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Company (provided
that notice of such wire transfer shall be given by the holder of the related
Right to the Rights Agent).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and
delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the fifth occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) which becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) which becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and which receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from
the Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity
interests in such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) or to any
Person with whom such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights, shares of Company Common Stock or the Company or (B) a transfer which a
majority of the Continuing Directors has determined to be part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall be null and void without any further
action, and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) are complied with, but shall
have no liability to any holder of Rights or any other Person as a result of its
failure to make any determination under this Section 7(e) or Section 4(b) with
respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Rights Certificate
to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise by such registered holder unless such registered holder
shall have (i) completed and executed the certificate following the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
- 11 -
15
Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of
the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any Rights
Certificates acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company,
or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
SECTION 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock. (a) The Company
shall at all times prior to the Expiration Date cause to be reserved and kept
available, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock, the
number of shares of Preferred Stock that, as provided in this Agreement, will be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights. Upon the
occurrence of any events resulting in an increase in the aggregate number of
shares of Preferred Stock (or other equity securities of the Company) issuable
upon exercise of all outstanding Rights above the number then reserved, the
Company shall make appropriate increases in the number of shares so reserved.
(b) If the shares of Preferred Stock to be issued and delivered upon the
exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the
Company shall during the period from the Distribution Date through the
Expiration Date use its best efforts to cause all securities reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts (i) as soon as practicable
following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and a determination by the
Company in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) of the consideration to be
delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights or, if so required by law,
as soon as practicable following the Distribution Date (such date being the
"Registration Date"), to file a registration statement on an appropriate form
under the Securities Act with respect to the securities that may be acquired
upon exercise of the Rights (the "Registration Statement"), (ii) to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, (iii) to cause the Registration Statement to continue to be effective
(and to include a prospectus complying with the requirements of the Securities
Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for the securities covered by the Registration Statement and (B) the
Expiration Date and (iv) to take as soon as practicable following the
Registration Date such action as may be required to
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16
ensure that any acquisition of securities upon exercise of the Rights complies
with any applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws.
(d) The Company shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure that
all shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, any other securities that may be delivered upon exercise of Rights) shall
be, at the time of delivery of the certificates or depositary receipts for such
securities, duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
non-assessable.
(e) The Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or transfer tax imposed
in connection with the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or upon
the exercise of Rights; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to
pay any such tax imposed in connection with the issuance or delivery of Units of
Preferred Stock, or any certificates or depositary receipts for such Units of
Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any other
securities, cash or assets, as the case may be) to any person other than the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing the Rights surrendered
for exercise. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any
certificates or depositary receipts for Units of Preferred Stock (or, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any other securities, cash or assets, as
the case may be) to, or in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Rights Certificate upon the exercise of any Rights represented thereby until
any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of
such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
SECTION 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Units of Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, other securities) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Units of
Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, other
securities) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and 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 (or, following the occurrence
of a Triggering Event, other securities) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
securities on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business
Day on which the Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, other securities) transfer books of the Company are open; and further
provided, however, that if delivery of Units of Preferred Stock is delayed
pursuant to Section 9(c), such Persons shall be deemed to have become the record
holders of such Units of Preferred Stock only when such Units first become
deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder
of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of
the Company with respect to securities for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
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17
SECTION 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of securities covered
by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock,
(C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of
shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section
11l(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date upon exercise of
the Rights, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any
Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment
of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if
such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date, such holder
would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue
of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an
event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) In the event:
(A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any
Acquiring Person, at any time after the date of this Agreement,
directly or indirectly, shall (1) merge into the Company or
otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination
and Company Common Stock shall remain outstanding and unchanged, (2)
in one transaction or a series of transactions, transfer any assets
to the Company or to any of its Subsidiaries in exchange (in whole
or in part) for shares of Company Common Stock, for other equity
securities of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or for securities
exercisable for or convertible into shares of equity securities of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether Company Common Stock
or otherwise) or otherwise obtain from the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, with or without consideration, any additional shares
of such equity securities or securities exercisable for or
convertible into such equity securities (other than pursuant to a
pro rata distribution to all holders of Company Common Stock), (3)
sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or
otherwise acquire or
- 14 -
18
dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from
or with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee
benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such
capacity, assets (including securities) on terms and conditions less
favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary or plan than those that
could have been obtained in arm's-length negotiations with an
unaffiliated third party, other than pursuant to a transaction set
forth in Section 13(a), (4) sell, purchase, lease, exchange,
mortgage, pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of, in
one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with the
Company or any of the Company's Subsidiaries or any employee benefit
plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
trustee or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such
capacity (other than transactions, if any, consistent with those
engaged in, as of the date hereof, by the Company and such Acquiring
Person or such Associate or Affiliate), assets (including
securities) having an aggregate fair market value of more than
$5,000,000, other than pursuant to a transaction set forth in
Section 13(a), (5) sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage,
pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of, in one
transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan
maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee
or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such capacity, any
material trademark or material service xxxx, other than pursuant to
a transaction set forth in Section 13(a), (6) receive, or any
designee, agent or representative of such Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person shall receive, any
compensation from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than
compensation for full-time employment as a regular employee at rates
in accordance with the Company's (or its Subsidiaries') past
practices, or (7) receive the benefit, directly or indirectly
(except proportionately as a holder of Company Common Stock or as
required by law or governmental regulation), of any loans, advances,
guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits
or other tax advantage provided by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with respect
to such plan acting in such capacity; or
(B) any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, unless the
event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a
transaction set forth in Section 13(a); or
(C) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, there
shall be any reclassification of securities (including any reverse
stock split), or recapitalization of the Company, or any merger or
consolidation of the Company with any of its Subsidiaries or any
other transaction or series of transactions involving the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, other than a transaction or transactions to
which the provisions of Section 13(a) apply (whether or not with or
into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person),
- 15 -
19
which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing by more
than 1% the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any
class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
that is directly or indirectly beneficially owned by any Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person;
then, immediately upon the date of the occurrence of an event described in
Section 11(a)(ii)(A), (B) or (C) (a "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided
below and in Section 7(e)) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of the number of Units of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, such number of Units of
Preferred Stock as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price by the then number of Units of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (such product thereafter being,
for all purposes of this Agreement other than Section 13, the "Purchase
Price"), and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the then current market
price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per Unit of Preferred Stock
on the date of such first occurrence (such Units of Preferred Stock being
the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which are authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section
11(a), the Company, by the vote of a majority of the Continuing Directors,
shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the
Purchase Price (such excess being the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to
each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for such Adjustment
Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Company Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock (such other shares being "preferred stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or
(6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to
the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by a
majority of the Continuing Directors, after receiving advice from a
nationally recognized investment banking firm; provided, however, that if
the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value
pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty days following the later of (x)
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on
which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires
(the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(iii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment
of the Purchase Price, Units of Preferred Stock (to the extent available)
and then, if necessary, cash, which Units of Preferred Stock
- 16 -
20
and/or cash shall have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant
to the first sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e), that such action shall apply uniformly
to all outstanding Rights. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of a Unit of Preferred Stock shall be the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per Unit of Preferred Stock on the
Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date and the value of any preferred stock
equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Preferred Stock
on such date.
(b) 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 to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five
calendar days after such record date) shares of Preferred Stock (or shares
having substantially the same rights, privileges and preferences as shares
of Preferred Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities
convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price
per share of Preferred Stock or per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per share of
Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the sum of the number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price,
and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares
of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to
be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in
good faith by a majority of the Continuing Directors, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company or any
Subsidiary shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase
Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution
to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness,
cash (other than a regular quarterly cash
- 17 -
21
dividend form of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Preferred Stock, but including
any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription
rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined
by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per share of
Preferred Stock on such record date less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by a majority of the Continuing Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holder of the
Rights) of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants distributable in
respect of a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall
be such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per
share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
market price" per share of Company Common Stock or Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such shares for the ten consecutive Trading Days immediately
prior to such date; provided, however, if prior to the expiration of such
requisite ten Trading Day period the issuer announces either (A) a
dividend or distribution on such shares payable in such shares or
securities convertible into such shares (other than the Rights) or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such shares, then,
following the ex-dividend date for such dividend or the record date for
such subdivision, as the case may be, the "current market price" shall be
properly adjusted to take into account such event. The closing price for
each day shall be, if the shares are listed and admitted to trading on a
national securities exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which such shares are listed or
admitted to trading or, if such shares are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the NASDAQ National Market System
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date such shares are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in such shares selected by a majority of the Continuing Directors. If on
any such date no market maker is making a market in such shares, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by a
majority of the Continuing Directors shall be used. If such shares are not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price" per share
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by a
majority of the Continuing Directors, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. The term "Trading Day" shall mean, if such
shares are
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22
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a day
on which the principal national securities exchange on which such shares
are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business
or, if such shares are not so listed or admitted, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for Company Common Stock in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the fourth sentence thereof). If the current
market price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the
manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or
listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section
11(d), the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to Company Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per
share of Company Common Stock. If neither Company Common Stock nor
Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market
price" per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the
holders of the Rights. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current
market price" of a Unit of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "current
market price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 1,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment
in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundredth of a
share of Company Common Stock or Common Stock or other share or
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i)
three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment and (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or 13(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable
upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred
Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j),
(k), (1) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with
respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other
shares.
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23
(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 Units of
Preferred Stock (or other securities or amount of cash or combination
thereof) that may be acquired 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 Units of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a Unit) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of
Units of Preferred Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the
Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of Units of Preferred Stock that may be acquired
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the
adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
Units 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 ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase
Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the
Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its
election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for
the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to
be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is
adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been
issued, shall be at least ten days later than the date of such public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or,
at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such
holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates to be so distributed
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for
herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the
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24
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Unit and the number of Units of
Preferred Stock which were expressed in the Initial Rights Certificates
issued hereunder without prejudice to any such adjustment or change.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value of the number of Units of
Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall
take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue such
fully paid and non-assessable number of Units of Preferred Stock at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
(1) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for
a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of
such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such
record date of that number of Units of Preferred Stock and shares of other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the number of Units of Preferred Stock and shares
of other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon
such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such
adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such
holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's
right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or
securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price,
in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as
and to the extent that in their good faith judgment a majority of the
Continuing Directors shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly
for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market
price, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Stock, shall not be taxable to such
holders or shall reduce the taxes payable by such holders.
(n) The Company shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date,
(i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)), (ii) merge
with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with
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25
Section 11(o)), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to
sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of transactions, assets
or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person
or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one
or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o)), if (x) at
the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there
are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior
to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the Person which constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal
Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) shall have distributed or otherwise
transferred to its shareholders or other persons holding an equity
interest in such Person Rights previously owned by such Person or any of
its Affiliates and Associates; provided, however, this Section 11(n) shall
not affect the ability of any Subsidiary of the Company to consolidate
with, merge with or into, or sell or transfer assets or earning power to,
any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(o) After the Distribution Date, the Company shall not, except as
permitted by Section 23 or Section 26, take (or permit any Subsidiary to
take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend
on the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock payable in shares of
Company Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Company
Common Stock, (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issue any shares of its capital
stock in a reclassification of Company Common Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), the number of Rights
associated with each share of Company Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall
be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter
associated with each share of Company Common Stock following any such
event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Company Common Stock immediately prior to
such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number
of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total
number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately following
the occurrence of such event.
SECTION 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13, the
Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly
file with the Rights Agent, and with each
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26
transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Company Common Stock, a copy of
such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Company Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 25. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received
such Certificate.
SECTION 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power. (a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, either (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and
into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
which complies with Section 11(o)), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o)) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation
or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of
the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock shall be converted into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) to any Person or Persons
(other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions
each of which complies with Section 11(o)), in one or more transactions, assets
or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (any such event being a "Section
13 Event"), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e), shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party, which shares shall
not be subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, transfer
restrictions or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained
by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Units of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 1l (a)(ii) Event has occurred
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of
such Units for which a Right would be exercisable hereunder but for the
occurrence of such Section 1l (a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price which would be
in effect hereunder but for such first occurrence) and (2) dividing that product
(which, following the fast occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be the
"Purchase Price" for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current
market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) per share of the Common
Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13
Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall, for all
purposes of this Agreement, thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 shall
apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
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27
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to ensure that the provisions of this Agreement
shall thereafter be applicable to its shares of Common Stock thereafter
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) shall be of no further effect following the first occurrence of any
Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the fast sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person that is
the issuer of any securities into which shares of Company Common
Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is
more than one such issuer, the issuer of Common Stock that has the
highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)) and (B) if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation, or, if
there is more than one such Person, the Person the Common Stock of
which has the highest aggregate current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11 (d)); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the fast sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if
each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions
receives the same portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions or if the Person
receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power cannot
be determined, whichever Person the Common Stock of which has the
highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)); provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the
Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been
continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act ("Registered Common Stock"), or such
Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common Stock
outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2)
if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or
such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or
indirect Subsidiary of another Person but is not a direct or
indirect Subsidiary of another Person which has Registered Common
Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to the ultimate
parent entity of such first-mentioned Person; (3) if the Common
Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person
is not a corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly
controlled by more than one Person, and one or more of such other
Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party"
shall refer to whichever of such other Persons is the issuer of the
Registered Common Stock having the highest aggregate current market
price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)); and (4) if the Common
Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person
is not a corporation,
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28
and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than
one Person, and none of such other Persons have Registered Common
Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever
ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the greatest
shareholders' equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a
corporation, shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the
entity having the greatest net assets.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13, and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that the Principal Party will:
(i) (A) file on an appropriate form, as soon as practicable
following the execution of such agreement, a registration statement
under the Securities Act with respect to the Common Stock that may
be acquired upon exercise of the Rights, (B) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (and to include a prospectus complying
with the requirements of the Securities Act until the Expiration
Date, and (c) as soon as practicable following the execution of such
agreement take such action as may be required to ensure that any
acquisition of such Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights
complies with any applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws;
and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to a transaction
referred to in this Section 13 has a provision in any of its authorized
securities or in its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or other instrument
governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue, in connection with, or as a consequence
of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of
Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then current market price
per share (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) or securities exercisable for,
or convertible into, Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than such then
current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section
13) or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provisions in
connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
pursuant to the provisions of this Section 13, then, in such event, the Company
shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and
such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such
Principal Party shall have been cancelled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision
- 25 -
29
will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of the consummation
of the proposed transaction.
(e) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event
that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
SECTION 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the Persons to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to such fraction of the market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the market value of
a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Tracking Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be, if the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading on a national securities 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 a majority of the
Continuing Directors. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by a majority of the Continuing Directors shall be used and such
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares 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 such fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share, the Company
may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the then current market price of a share of Preferred Stock on the day of
exercise, determined in accordance with Section 11(d).
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of such Right expressly waives
his fight to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
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30
SECTION 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock); and any registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of a
certificate representing shares of Company Common Stock), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of a certificate representing shares of Company Common
Stock), may, in such registered holder's own behalf and for such registered
holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action
or proceeding against the Company or any other Person to enforce, or otherwise
act in respect of, such registered holder's right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
SECTION 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Company Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates duly executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f), the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Company
Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and
of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Company
Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the
Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e), shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any
holder of a Right or any other Person as a result of its inability to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling
issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental,
regulatory
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31
or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation
or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such
order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as promptly as
practicable.
SECTION 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder,
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of shares of Preferred
Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of
any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the
Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent
to any corporate action, or, except as provided in Section 24, to receive notice
of meetings or tither actions affecting shareholders, or to receive dividends or
subscription rights, or otherwise.
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, including reasonable fees and disbursements of its counsel, incurred
in connection with the execution and administration of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company shall indemnify
the Rights Agent for, and hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability hereunder.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Preferred 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 have been signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged by the proper Person or Persons.
SECTION 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. (a)
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust or
shareholder services businesses of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without
the execution or filing of any document or any further act on the pan 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. In
case at the time such successor Rights
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32
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
SECTION 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to
any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring
Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
he specified herein) may he deemed to he conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; provided, however, that so long as any Person is an
Acquiring Person hereunder, such certificate shall be signed and delivered
by a majority of the Continuing Directors; and such certificate shall be
full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon
such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
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33
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature--on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements
and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any responsibility for the
validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or for the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by
the Company of any covenant or failure by the Company to satisfy
conditions contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor
shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions
of Section 11 or Section 13 or for the manner, method or amount of any
such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt by the Rights Agent of the
certificate describing any such adjustment contemplated by Section 12);
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 any other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or
any other securities will, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(f) The Company shall perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or
cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by
the Rights Agent for the performance by the Rights Agent of its duties
under this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for
any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer; provided, however, that so long as
any Person is an Acquiring Person hereunder, the Rights Agent shall accept
such instructions and advice only from a majority of the Continuing
Directors and shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be
taken by it in good faith in accordance with such instructions of the
majority of the Continuing Directors. 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
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34
be less than five Business Days after the date any such officer of the
Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any
such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights
Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniary interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or
lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though
it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the
Company or for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or
by or through its attorneys or agents.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of its rights
hereunder if the Rights Agent shall have reasonable grounds for believing
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk
or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the
form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be,
has either not been completed, not signed or indicates an affirmative
response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any
further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without
first consulting with the Company. If such certificate has been completed
and signed and shows a negative response to clauses 1 and 2 of such
certificate, unless previously instructed otherwise in writing by the
Company (which instructions may impose on the Rights Agent additional
ministerial responsibilities, but no discretionary responsibilities), the
Rights Agent may assume without further inquiry that the Rights
Certificate is not owned by a person described in Section 4(b) or Section
7(e) and shall not be charged with any knowledge to the contrary.
SECTION 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty days' prior notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Company Common Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates (or
certificates for the Company Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date) by
first class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent upon thirty days' prior notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the Preferred Stock
- 31 -
35
and the Company Common Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Rights Certificates (or certificates for the Company Common Stock
prior to the Distribution Date) by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall
resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company
shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of thirty days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate or, prior to the Distribution Date, the holder of a
certificate for the Company Common Stock (who shall, with such notice, submit
such holder's Rights Certificate or certificate for Company Common Stock, as the
case may be, for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any
Rights Certificate or, prior to the Distribution Date, the holder of a
certificate for the Company Common Stock 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 of the United States in good standing, shall be authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the State of New York, shall be authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers, shall be
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and shall
have at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation described
in clause (a). 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 Preferred Stock and the Company Common Stock, and a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (or certificates
for the Company Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date). 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.
SECTION 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement in
the Purchase Price or the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Company Common Stock following
the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall,
with respect to shares of Company Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by a
majority of the Continuing Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the
appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or
- 32 -
36
sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if,
and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued and
(ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
SECTION 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) Subject to Section 28, the
Company may, at its option, by action of a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the Final Expiration
Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.0001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being the "Redemption
Price"), and the Company may, at its option, by action of a majority of the
Company's Board of Directors, pay the Redemption Price either in shares of
Company Common Stock (based on the current market price, determined in
accordance with Section 11(d), of the shares of Company Common Stock at the time
of redemption) or cash; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Section 23(a), the Company may not take any action pursuant to
this Section 23(a) unless (x) at the time of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company approving such redemption and the form of payment of
the Redemption Price, there are then in office not less than two Continuing
Directors and (y) such action is approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors then in office. Subject to the foregoing, 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.
(b) Immediately upon the action of a majority of the Continuing Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall be filed with the
Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of a majority of the Continuing Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such
redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by
mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it
appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for Company
Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made.
SECTION 24. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall
propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any
other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company),
(ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe
for or
- 33 -
37
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 of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect
any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)),
or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o)) or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to
each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, to each
holder of certificates for Company Common Stock), to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of 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 20 days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever
shall be the earlier; provided, however, no such notice shall be required
pursuant to this Section 24 if any Subsidiary of the Company effects a
consolidation or merger with or into, or effects a sale or other transfer of
assets or earnings power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) shall occur,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter
give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which
shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii).
SECTION 25. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
hereunder shall, unless otherwise stated herein, be in writing and mailed or
sent or delivered (including by facsimile transmission), if to the Company, at
its address at:
TransAct Technologies Incorporated
0 Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Telecopy No.: (000) 000-0000
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38
and if to the Rights Agent, at its address at:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust
Telecopy No.: (000) 000-0000
Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Company Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Company
Common Stock.
SECTION 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Company Common Stock. From and after the Distribution
Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however, that this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) subject to Section 28 hereof, a time period relating to when the
Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or
(B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the
holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate
officer of the Company or, so long as any Person is an Acquiring Person
hereunder, from the majority of the Continuing Directors, which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, supplements or amendments
shall be made only if (x) at the time of the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company approving such supplement or amendment there are then in office not
less than two Continuing Directors and (y) such supplement or amendment is
approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Company Common Stock.
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39
SECTION 27. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
SECTION 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. (a)
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Company Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes
of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Company
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 Exchange Act
Regulations as in effect on the date hereof. Except as otherwise specifically
provided herein, and subject to paragraph (b) of this Section 28, the Board of
Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation the right and power (i) to interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and (ii) to make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement. All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
or by a majority of the Continuing Directors in good faith shall (x) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of the
Company or any member thereof to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement,
the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office shall
be required to give effect to any action, calculation, interpretation or
determination made by the Board of Directors of the Company in the
administration of this Agreement and the exercise of the rights or powers
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company, to the Continuing Directors or
to the Company pursuant to this Agreement and no effect shall be given to any
such action, calculation, interpretation, determination or exercise of rights or
powers unless at least two Continuing Directors are then in office.
SECTION 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
consumed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of shares of Company Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be
for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of shares of Company Common Stock).
SECTION 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
form and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
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40
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and a majority of the
Continuing Directors determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement and the Rights shall not then be redeemable, the right
of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not
expire until the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the date
of such determination by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
SECTION 31. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and
to be performed entirely in such State.
SECTION 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed (including by
facsimile) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
SECTION 33. Descriptive Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement
are for descriptive purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
SECTION 34. Exchange. (a) (i) The Company may, at its option, at any time
after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, upon resolution by the Board of
Directors of the Company, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and
exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) for Units of Preferred Stock at an
exchange ratio of one Unit of Preferred Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted
to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring
after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the
Section 34(a)(i) Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company
may not effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan maintained by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any trustee or fiduciary with respect
to such plan acting in such capacity), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
Common Shares then outstanding.
(ii) The Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, upon resolution by the Board of Directors of the Company,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) for
Units of Preferred Stock at an exchange ratio specified in the following
sentence, as appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof. Subject to such
adjustment, each Right may be exchanged for that number of Units of Preferred
Stock obtained by dividing the Adjustment Spread (as defined below) by the then
current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Unit of
Preferred Stock on the earlier of (i) the date on
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41
which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and (ii) the date on which a tender
or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in
such capacity) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule
14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act Regulations or any successor rule, if upon
consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding (such exchange ratio being
the "Section 34(a)(ii) Exchange Ratio"). The "Adjustment Spread" shall equal (x)
the aggregate market price on the date of such event of the number of Adjustment
Shares determined pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), minus (y) the Purchase Price.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not effect such exchange at any
time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such capacity),
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 34(a) to the contrary,
the Company may not exchange any Rights pursuant to this Section 34(a) unless
(x) at the time of the action of the Board of Directors of the Company approving
exchange, there are then in office not less than two Continuing Directors and
(y) such exchange is approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors then in
office.
(b) Immediately upon the action of a majority of the Continuing Directors
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to 43 Section 34(a) 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 Units of Preferred Stock equal to the number of such
Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Section 34(a)(i) Exchange Ratio or
Section 34(a)(ii) Exchange Ratio, as the case may be. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all
of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice 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 shall state the method by which the
exchange of Units of Preferred Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the
event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any
partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other
than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that the number of shares of Preferred Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are
not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance
with this Section 34, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary
to authorize additional shares of Preferred Stock for is and upon exchange of
the Rights or make adequate provision to substitute (1) cash, (2) Company
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42
Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company, (3) debt securities of
the Company, (4) other assets, or (5) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Adjustment Spread, where such aggregate value
has been determined by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Units of
Preferred Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Units.
In lieu of fractional Units, the Company may pay to the registered holders of
Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exchanged as herein provided an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one Unit of Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed on their behalf as of the date first above written.
ATTEST: TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx By /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
---------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Secretary Title: President and Chief
Executive Officer
ATTEST: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
TRUST COMPANY
By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President
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43
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. ____ ___Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REFERRED TO BELOW). THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY
ACQUIRING PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER
OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT REFERRED TO BELOW). ACCORDINGLY, THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(E) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]*
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
This certifies that _______________, or registered assigns, is the registered
holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the
registered holder thereof, subject to the terms and conditions of the Rights
Agreement dated as of December 2, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"; terms defined
therein are used herein with the same meaning unless otherwise defined herein)
between TransAct Technologies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (which
term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to
the Expiration Date at the office of the Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a
fully paid and non-assessable share of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $.01
per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company at the Purchase Price
initially of $69.00 per one one-thousandth share (each such one-thousandth of a
share being a "Unit") of Preferred Stock, upon presentation and surrender of
this Rights Certificate with the Election to Purchase and related certificate
duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
--------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and
shall replace the preceding sentence.
- 1 -
44
Rights Certificate (and the number of Units which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per Unit set forth above shall
be subject to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event,
if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person or,
under certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of
any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, such Rights shall become null
and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights
from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase capital
stock of an entity other than the Company or receive common stock, cash or other
assets, all as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms and conditions
of the Rights Agreement, which terms and conditions are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement
reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of
rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the
Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates. Copies of the Rights
Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company and are available
from the Company upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like
tenor and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate
number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company under certain circumstances
at its option at a redemption price of $.0001 per Right, payable at the
Company's option in cash or in common stock of the Company, subject to
adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock), but in
lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
- 2 -
45
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of ____________ __, 199__.
ATTEST: TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES
INCORPORATED
By: ___________________________ By: __________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
& TRUST COMPANY,
as Rights Agent
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
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46
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if
such holder desires to transfer the
Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto_____________________________
________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ______________ __, 199__
_________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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47
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ____________ __, 199_
________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Signatures must be guaranteed by an approved eligible financial
institution acceptable to the Rights Agent in its sole discretion or by a
participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, the Stock
Exchange Medallion Program or the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an Assignment, will affix a
legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this
Rights Certificate.
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48
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if the registered holder
desires to exercise Rights represented
by the Rights Certificate.)
To: TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Units of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person or other property which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such Units be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
__________________________________
(Please print name and address)
__________________________________
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: _____________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
__________________________________
(Please print name and address)
__________________________________
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: _____________
Dated: ______________ __, 199_
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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49
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
____________________________
Dated: ___________ __, 199_ Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Signatures must be guaranteed by an approved eligible financial
institution acceptable to the Rights Agent in its sole discretion or by a
participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, the Stock
Exchange Medallion Program or the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an Assignment, will affix a
legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this
Rights Certificate.
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EXHIBIT B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On December 2, 1997, the Board of Directors of TransAct Technologies
Incorporated (the "Company") declared a distribution of one Right for each
outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Company Common
Stock"), to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 1997
(the "Record Date") and for each share of Company Common Stock issued (including
shares distributed from Treasury) by the Company thereafter and prior to the
Distribution Date. Each Right entitles the registered holder, subject to the
terms of the Rights Agreement (as defined below), to purchase from the Company
one one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Preferred Stock, par value
$.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $69.00 per Unit,
subject to adjustment. The Purchase Price is payable in cash or by certified or
bank check payable to the order of the Company or by wire transfer to the
account of the Company (provided a notice of such wire transfer is given by the
holder of the related Right to the Rights Agent). The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement between the Company and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement").
Copies of the Rights Agreement and the Certificate of Designation for the
Preferred Stock have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as
exhibits to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated December 2, 1997. Copies
of the Rights Agreement and the Certificate of Designation are available free of
charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights and the
Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to all the provisions of the Rights Agreement and the Certificate
of Designation, including the definitions therein of certain terms, which Rights
Agreement and Certificate of Designation are incorporated herein by reference.
The Rights Agreement
Initially, the Rights will attach to all certificates representing shares
of outstanding Company Common Stock, and no separate Rights Certificates will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Company Common Stock and the
"Distribution Date" will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following a
public
51
announcement (the date of such announcement being the "Stock Acquisition Date")
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other than the
Company, any subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the
Company or such subsidiary) (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, obtained the
right to acquire, or otherwise obtained beneficial ownership of 15% or more of
the then outstanding shares of Company Common Stock, and (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 becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person
or group beneficially owning 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by Company Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and
only with such Company Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Company Common Stock
certificates issued after the Record Date (also including shares distributed
from Treasury) will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates representing
outstanding Company Common Stock will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Company Common Stock represented by such certificates.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on the tenth anniversary of the Rights Agreement unless
earlier redeemed by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of Company Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
In the event that (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a merger
with an Acquiring Person and shares of Company Common Stock shall remain
outstanding, (ii) a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (iii) an Acquiring
Person engages in one or more "self-dealing" transactions as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, or (iv) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, an
event occurs which results in such Acquiring Person's ownership interest being
increased by more than 1% (e.g., by means of a recapitalization) (each such
event being a "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), then, in each such case, each holder
of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Units of
Preferred Stock (or, in certain circumstances, Company Common Stock, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right. The exercise price is the Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of a
Right prior to the events described in this paragraph. Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null
and void.
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52
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction
and the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger described
in the preceding paragraph), (ii) any Person consolidates or merges with the
Company and all or part of the Company Common Stock is converted or exchanged
for securities, cash or property of any other Person or (iii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights which previously have been voided as described above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the
ultimate parent of the Acquiring Person having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
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) if
holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than the current
market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to the
holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness, cash or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. The Company is not required to issue fractional Units. In lieu thereof,
an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Stock prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, a
majority of the Continuing Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.0001 per Right (subject to adjustment in certain events)
(the "Redemption Price"), payable, at the election of such majority of the
Continuing Directors, in cash or shares of Company Common Stock. Immediately
upon the action of a majority of the Continuing Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Board of Directors, at its option, may exchange each Right for (i) one
Unit of Preferred Stock or (ii) such number of Units of Preferred Stock as will
equal (x) the difference between the aggregate market price of the number of
Units of Preferred Stock to be received upon a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and the
purchase price set forth in the Rights Agreement, divided by (y) the market
price per Unit of Preferred Stock upon a Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable
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53
income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Units of Preferred
Stock (or other consideration).
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended without the
approval of the holders of Company Common Stock at any time prior to the
Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended in order to cure any ambiguity, defect or
inconsistency, to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of
holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable. Supplements or amendments
to the Rights Agreement may be made only if approved by a majority of Continuing
Directors.
Description of Preferred Stock
The Units of Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of the
Rights will be non redeemable and subordinate to any other shares of preferred
stock that may be issued by the Company.
Each Unit of Preferred Stock will have a minimum preferential quarterly
dividend of $.01 per Unit or any higher per share dividend declared on the
Company Common Stock.
In the event of liquidation, the holder of a Unit of Preferred Stock will
receive a preferred liquidation payment equal to the greater of $.01 per Unit
and the per share amount paid in respect of a share of Company Common Stock.
Each Unit of Preferred Stock will have one vote, voting together with the
Company Common Stock. The holders of Units of Preferred Stock, voting as a
separate class, shall be entitled to elect two directors if dividends on the
Preferred Stock are in arrears for six fiscal quarters.
In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which
shares of Company Common Stock are exchanged, each Unit of Preferred Stock will
be entitled to receive the per share amount paid in respect of each share of
Company Common Stock.
The rights of holders of the Preferred Stock to dividends, liquidation and
voting, and in the event of mergers and consolidations, are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the economic value of one Unit of Preferred Stock that may be
acquired upon the exercise of each Right is expected to approximate the economic
value of one share of Company Common Stock.
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54
EXHIBIT C
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF THE VOTING POWERS, DESIGNATION,
PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING,
OPTIONAL OR OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS AND QUALIFICATIONS,
LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE
SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
----------------------------------
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware
------------------------------------
I, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer of TransAct
Technologies Incorporated, a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Corporation"), DO HEREBY
CERTIFY:
that, pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the
Corporation by its Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate"), and,
pursuant to the provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, said Board of Directors, at a duly called meeting held on
December 2, 1997, at which a quorum was present and acted throughout, adopted
the following resolutions, which resolutions remain in full force and effect on
the date hereof creating a series of 200,000 shares of Preferred Stock having a
par value of $.01 per share, designated as Series A Preferred Stock (the "Series
A Preferred Stock") out of the class of 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the
"Preferred Stock"):
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate, the Board of Directors
does hereby create, authorize and provide for the issuance of the Series of
Preferred Stock having the voting powers, designation, relative, participating,
optional and other special rights, preferences, and qualifications, limitations
and restrictions thereof that are set forth as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Preferred Stock" and the number of shares constituting
such series shall be 200,000.
55
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) Subject to the prior and
superior rights of the holders of any shares of any other series of Preferred
Stock or any other shares of preferred stock of the Corporation ranking prior
and superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, each holder of one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a share (a "Unit") of
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 that purpose, (i)
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September
and December in each year (each such date being a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of such Unit of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per Unit
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $.01 or (b) subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, the aggregate per share
amount of all cash dividends declared on shares of the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of a Unit of
Series A Preferred Stock, and (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, quarterly distributions (payable in kind) on each
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date in an amount per Unit equal to the aggregate per
share amount of all non-cash dividends or other distributions (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock, by reclassification or otherwise) declared on shares of
Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or
with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first
issuance of a Unit of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event that the
Corporation shall at any time after December 2, 1997 (the "Rights Declaration
Date") (i) declare any dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock or
(iii) combine outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the amount to which the holder of a Unit of
Series A Preferred Stock was entitled immediately prior to such event pursuant
to the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
that are outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which
shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
Units of Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately
after it declares a dividend or distribution on the shares of Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided, however,
that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the
Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and
the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $.01 per Unit
on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and shall be cumulative on each
outstanding Unit of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issuance of such Unit of Series A Preferred
Stock, unless the
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56
date of issuance of such Unit is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such Unit shall
begin to accrue from the date of issuance of such Unit, or unless the date of
issuance is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock entitled
to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on Units of Series A Preferred Stock in an
amount less than the aggregate amount of all such dividends at the time accrued
and payable on such Units shall be allocated pro rata on a unit-by-unit basis
among all Units of Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding. The Board
of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of Units of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
Unit of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on
all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i)
declare any dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the number of votes per Unit to which holders of Units 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 shall
be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of Units of
Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Units of Series A Preferred Stock
shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly dividends thereon, then
during the period (a "default period") from the occurrence of such event until
such time as all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all Units of
Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been declared and paid or
set apart for payment, all holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class, shall have the right to elect two Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting rights of the holders of Units
of Series A Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a special meeting
called pursuant
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57
to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of
stockholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of stockholders, provided that
neither such voting rights nor any right of the holders of Units of Series A
Preferred Stock to increase, in certain cases, the authorized number of
Directors may be exercised at any meeting unless one-third of the outstanding
Units of Preferred Stock shall be present at such meeting in person or by proxy.
The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the
exercise by the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock of such rights. At
any meeting at which the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall
exercise such voting rights initially during an existing default period, they
shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect Directors to fill
up to two vacancies in the Board of Directors, if any such vacancies may then
exist, or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two
Directors. If the number which may be so elected at any special meeting does not
amount to the required number, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall
have the right to make such increase in the number of Directors as shall be
necessary to permit the election by them of the required number. After the
holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to
elect Directors during any default period, the number of Directors shall not be
increased or decreased except as approved by a vote of the holders of Units of
Series A Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any
equity securities ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to elect
Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders
owning in the aggregate not less than 25% of the total number of the Units of
Series A Preferred Stock outstanding may request, the calling of a special
meeting of the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock, which meeting shall
thereupon be called by the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting
and of any annual meeting at which holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock
are entitled to vote pursuant to this paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each
holder of record of Units of Series A Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such
notice to him at his last address as the same appears on the books of the
Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 20 days
and not later then 60 days after such order or request or in default of the
calling of such meeting within 60 days after such order or request, such meeting
may be called on similar notice by any stockholder or stockholders owning in the
aggregate not less than 25% of the total number of outstanding Units of Series A
Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), no
such special meeting shall be called during the 60 days immediately preceding
the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) During any default period, the holders of shares of Common Stock and
Units of Series A Preferred Stock, and other classes or series of stock of the
Corporation, if applicable, shall continue to be entitled to elect all the
Directors until holders of the Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
exercised their right to elect two Directors voting as a separate class, after
the exercise of which right (x) the
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58
Directors so elected by the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall
continue in office until their successors shall have been elected by such
holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in
the Board of Directors may (except as provided in paragraph (C)(ii) of this
Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining Directors
theretofore elected by the holders of the class of capital stock which elected
the Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in this paragraph
(C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class of capital stock
shall include Directors elected by such Directors to fill vacancies as provided
in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the right of
the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock as a separate class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of
Units of Series A Preferred Stock as a separate class shall terminate, and (z)
the number of Directors shall be such number as may be provided for in the
Certificate or by-laws irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the
provisions of paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject,
however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the
Certificate or by-laws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the
provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a
majority of the remaining Directors.
(vi) The provisions of this paragraph (C) shall govern the election of
Directors by holders of Units of Preferred Stock during any default period
notwithstanding any provisions of the Certificate to the contrary, including,
without limitation, the provisions of Article EIGHTH of the Certificate.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Units of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consents shall not be
required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of shares
of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other
dividends or distributions payable on Units of Series A Preferred Stock as
provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on outstanding
Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been paid in full, the Corporation
shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of junior
stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any
shares of parity stock, except dividends paid ratably on Units of Series A
Preferred Stock and shares of all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
such Units and all such shares are then entitled;
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59
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of
any parity stock, provided, however, that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any junior stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any Units of 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
Units.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any Units of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
Units shall, upon their cancellation, become authorized but unissued Units of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to
the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any voluntary
or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of junior stock unless
the holders of Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received, subject to
adjustment as hereinafter provided in paragraph (B), the greater of either (a)
$.01 per Unit plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not earned or declared, to the date of such
payment, or (b) the amount equal to the aggregate per share amount to be
distributed to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of
shares of parity stock, unless simultaneously therewith distributions are made
ratably on Units of Series A Preferred Stock and all other shares of such parity
stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of Units of Series
A Preferred Stock are entitled under clause (i)(a) of this sentence and to which
the holders of shares of such parity stock are entitled, in each case upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
(B) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common
Stock, or (iii) combine outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number
of shares, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of Units
of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
pursuant to clause (i)(b) of paragraph (A) of this Section 6 shall be adjusted
by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately
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60
after such event and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or converted into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case Units of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged for or
converted into an amount per Unit (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 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 or exchanged. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any
dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the immediately preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or conversion of Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. Redemption. The Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be
redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Units of Series A Preferred Stock shall rank
junior to all other series of the Preferred Stock and to any other class of
preferred stock that hereafter may be issued by the Corporation as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series or class shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Certificate, including, without limitation,
this resolution, shall not hereafter be amended, either directly or indirectly,
or through merger or consolidation with another corporation in any manner that
would alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A
Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of
the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding Units of Series A Preferred
Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. The Series A Preferred Stock may be issued
in Units or other fractions of a share, which Units or fractions 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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61
Section 12. Certain Definitions. As used herein with respect to the
Series A Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(A) The term "Common Stock" shall mean the class of stock designated as
the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation at the date
hereof or any other class of stock resulting from successive changes or
reclassification of such common stock.
(B) The term "junior stock" (i) as used in Section 4, shall mean the
Common Stock and any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation
hereafter authorized or issued over which the Series A Preferred Stock has
preference or priority as to the payment of dividends and (ii) as used in
Section 6, shall mean the Common Stock and any other class or series of capital
stock of the Corporation over which the Series A Preferred Stock has preference
or priority in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation.
(C) The term "parity stock" (i) as used in Section 4, shall mean any class
or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized or issued ranking
pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and
(ii) as used in Section 6, shall mean any class or series of capital stock
ranking pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock in the distribution of
assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, TransAct Technologies Incorporated has caused this
Certificate to be signed by its President and Chief Executive Officer and
attested by its Secretary this 2nd day of December, 1997.
TRANSACT TECHNOLOGIES
INCORPORATED
By /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
____________________________________
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President and Chief Executive
Attest: Officer
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
_________________________________
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Secretary
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