RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of August 14, 2007 between CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. and MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC Rights Agent
Exhibit
4.2
EXECUTION
COPY
dated
as of
August
14, 2007
between
CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
and
MELLON
INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
Rights
Agent
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
Section
1
|
Certain
Definitions
|
1
|
|||
Section
2
|
Appointment
of Rights Agent
|
6
|
|||
Section
3
|
Issuance
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
|
11
|
|||
Section
9
|
Company
Covenants Concerning Securities and Rights
|
11
|
|||
Section
10
|
Record
Date
|
13
|
|||
Section
11
|
Adjustment
of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Securities or Number of
Rights
|
13
|
|||
Section
12
|
Certificate
of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
|
20
|
|||
Section
13
|
Fractional
Rights and Fractional Shares
|
21
|
|||
Section
14
|
Rights
of Action
|
22
|
|||
Section
15
|
Agreement
of Rights Holders
|
23
|
|||
Section
16
|
Rights
Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
|
23
|
|||
Section
17
|
Concerning
the Rights Agent
|
24
|
|||
Section
18
|
Merger,
Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
|
24
|
|||
Section
19
|
Duties
of Rights Agent
|
25
|
|||
Section
20
|
Change
of Rights Agent
|
27
|
|||
Section
21
|
Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
|
28
|
|||
Section
22
|
Redemption
|
28
|
Section
23
|
Exchange
|
29
|
|||
Section
24
|
Notice
of Certain Events
|
30
|
|||
Section
25
|
Notices
|
31
|
|||
Section
26
|
Supplements
and Amendments
|
32
|
|||
Section
27
|
Successors
|
33
|
|||
Section
28
|
Determinations
and Actions by the Board
|
33
|
|||
Section
29
|
Benefits
of this Agreement
|
33
|
|||
Section
30
|
Severability
|
34
|
|||
Section
31
|
Governing
Law
|
34
|
|||
Section
32
|
Counterparts
|
34
|
|||
Section
33
|
Descriptive
Headings; Interpretation
|
34
|
|||
Section
34
|
Termination
|
35
|
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A: Form
of Certificate of Designation of Series B Junior Preferred Stock
Exhibit
B: Form
of Rights Certificate
Exhibit
C: Summary
of Rights
RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, dated as of August 14, 2007 (the "Agreement"), between Charter
Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon
Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the "Rights
Agent").
W
I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS,
on August 13, 2007 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the Board
authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right (a "Right")
for each share of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the
Company (the "Class A Common Stock") and one Right for each share of
Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the "Class
B Common Stock") outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter
defined) on August 31, 2007 (the "Record Date"), each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company, upon the terms and subject to
the
conditions hereinafter set forth, and further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect
to
each share of Class A Common Stock and each share of Class B Common Stock issued
or delivered by the Company (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) and the Expiration Date (as
hereinafter defined) or as provided in Section 21.
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 shall have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring
Person" shall mean any Person (other than the Company, any Related Person or
any Exempt Person) with respect to whom the Board has made a determination
that
that Person has become, in itself or, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, the Beneficial Owner of 5.0% or more of the shares
of
Class A Common Stock then-outstanding, provided, however, that any
Person who would otherwise qualify as an Acquiring Person as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date will not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person for
any
purpose of this Agreement on and after such date unless and until such time
as
such stockholder acquires the beneficial ownership of one additional share
of
Class A Common Stock, and provided, further, that a Person will
not be deemed to have become an Acquiring Person solely as a result of (i)
a
reduction in the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding, (ii)
the
exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests (including
restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and
employees, (iii) any unilateral grant of any security by the Company, or (iv)
an
Exempt Transaction, unless and until such time as such stockholder acquires
the
beneficial ownership of one additional share of Class A Common Stock. The Board
shall not make any determination with respect to a potential Acquiring Person
until five (5) Business Days after the date on which all Board members first
received notice of the change of beneficial ownership at
issue. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may, in
its
sole
discretion, determine that any Person shall not
be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this
Agreement.
(b) "Act"
shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "Affiliate"
and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as
in
effect on the date of this Agreement, and to the extent not included within
the
foregoing clause of this Section 1(c), shall also include, with respect to
any
Person, any other Person (whether or not a Related Person or an Exempt Person)
whose shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock would be deemed
constructively owned by such first Person, owned by a single "entity" as defined
in Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations, or otherwise aggregated
with shares owned by such first Person pursuant to the provisions of Section
382
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or any
successor provision or replacement provision, and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder, provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
to be the Affiliate or Associate of another Person solely because either or
both
Persons are or were directors of the Company.
(d) "Agreement"
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
(e) A
Person
shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and to "beneficially
own" any securities:
(i) which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise
of
conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants, options, or other rights (in
each
case, other than upon exercise or exchange of the Rights); provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own" securities (including rights, options or
warrants) which are convertible or exchangeable into Class A Common Stock until
such time as the convertible or exchangeable securities are exercised and
converted or exchanged into Class A Common Stock except to the extent the
acquisition or transfer of such rights, options or warrants would be treated
as
exercised on the date of its acquisition or transfer under Section 1.382-4(d)
of
the Treasury Regulations; and, provided further, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities
are accepted for purchase or exchange;
(ii) which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has or shares the right to vote or dispose of, or has "beneficial
ownership" of (as defined under Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing), but only if the effect of such
agreement, arrangement or understanding is to treat such Persons as an "entity"
under Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations; or
2
(iii) of
which any other person is the Beneficial Owner, if such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) with such other Person (or any of
such
other Person's Affiliates or Associates) with respect to acquiring, holding,
voting or disposing of any securities of the Company, but only if the effect
of
such agreement, arrangement or understanding is to treat such Persons as an
"entity" under Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations;
provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or
to "beneficially own" any security (A) if such Person has the right to vote
such
security pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not
in writing) which (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy given to such Person
in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and
in
accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and
(2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any
comparable or successor report), or (B) if such beneficial ownership arises
solely as a result of such Person's status as a "clearing agency," as defined
in
Section 3(a)(23) of the Exchange Act; provided further, however,
that nothing in this Section 1(e) shall cause a Person engaged in business
as an
underwriter of securities to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to "beneficially
own," any securities acquired through such Person's participation in good faith
in an underwriting syndicate until the expiration of 40 calendar days after
the
date of such acquisition, and then only if such securities continue to be owned
by such Person at the expiration of such 40 calendar days, or such later date
as
the directors of the Company may determine in any specific
case. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent
not within the foregoing provisions of this Section 1(e), a Person shall be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially own"
or
have "beneficial ownership" of, securities which such Person would be deemed
to
constructively own or which otherwise would be aggregated with shares owned
by
such pursuant to Section 382 of the Code, or any successor provision or
replacement provision and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
(f) "Board"
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) "Business
Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which
banking institutions in the States of New York, New Jersey or Missouri are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(h) "Class
A Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(i) "Class
B Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(j) "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.
(k) "Code"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(c) hereof.
(l) "Company"
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
3
(m) "Company's
Certificate of Incorporation" shall mean the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company, as amended.
(n) "Current
Per Share Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
or Section 11(d)(ii) hereof, as applicable.
(o) "Distribution
Date" shall mean the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the
Stock Acquisition Date.
(p) "Equivalent
Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(q) "Equivalent
Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b)
hereof.
(r) "Exchange
Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(s) "Exchange
Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof
(t) "Exempt
Person" shall mean a Person whose Beneficial Ownership (together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person) of 5.0% or more of the
then-outstanding Class A Common Stock would not, as determined by the Board
in
its sole discretion, jeopardize or endanger the availability to the Company
of
its NOLs, provided, however, that such a Person shall cease to be
an "Exempt Person" if the Board makes a contrary determination with
respect to such Person's Beneficial Ownership (together with all Affiliates
and
Associates of such Person) upon the availability to the Company of its
NOLs.
(u) "Exempt
Transaction" shall mean any transaction that the Board determines, in its
sole discretion, is exempt, which determination shall be
irrevocable.
(v) "Exercise
Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(w) "Expiration
Date" shall mean the earliest of (i) immediately following such time as
notice is given to the Company, in accordance with the provisions of Section
25
hereof at the address set forth therein as of the date hereof, of a
determination by holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock
to
terminate this Agreement, (ii) the Close of Business on December 31, 2008,
(iii)
the Close of Business on the date on which the Company makes a public
announcement (by press release, filing made with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or otherwise) that the Board has determined that the Company's
Section 382 Ownership Level dropped below 25%, (iv) the time at which the
Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 22 hereof, and (v) the time at which
the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 23 hereof. For
purposes of the Board's determination pursuant to sub-section (iii) above,
the
Board's good faith reliance on the representations of management shall be
sufficient and the Board shall not be obligated to perform its own calculation
with respect to the Company's purported Section 382 Ownership
Level.
(x) "Flip-in
Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).
4
(y) "NOLs"
shall mean the Company's net operating loss carryforwards.
(z) "Person"
shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, limited liability partnership, trust or other legal entity, group
of
persons making a "coordinated acquisition" of shares or otherwise treated as
an
entity within the meaning of Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations
or otherwise, and includes any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
individual or entity.
(aa) "Preferred
Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior Preferred Stock, par value
$0.001 per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth
in
the form of Certificate of Designation of Series B Junior Preferred Stock
attached hereto as Exhibit A.
(bb) "Purchase
Price" shall mean initially $25.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Stock, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this
Agreement.
(cc) "Record
Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
(dd) "Redemption
Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22(a)
hereof.
(ee) "Related
Person" shall mean (i) any Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) any employee
benefit or stock ownership plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company or any entity holding shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common
Stock, as the case may be, for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan.
(ff) "Rights"
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
(gg) "Rights
Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this
Agreement.
(hh) "Rights
Certificates" shall mean certificates evidencing the Rights, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(ii) "Rights
Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
to this Agreement.
(jj) "Section
382 Ownership Level" shall mean the percentage of the stock of the Company
owned by one or more 5-percent shareholder (as defined in Section 382(k)(7)
of
the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder) over the lowest percentage
of
stock of the Company owned by such stockholders during the testing period (as
defined in Section 382(i) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder).
(kk) "Securities
Act" shall mean Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(ll) "Stock
Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement (by press
release, filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission or otherwise),
by the Company that a Flip-in Event has occurred.
5
(mm) "Subsidiary"
shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation or other legal entity
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interests is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
(nn) "Summary
of Rights " shall mean a copy of a summary of the terms of the Rights, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(oo) "Trading
Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange
on
which the shares of Class A Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading
is
open for the transaction of business or, with respect to the shares of Class
B
Common Stock which are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Trading Day for the Class A Common Stock.
(pp) "Treasury
Regulations" shall mean final, temporary and proposed income
tax regulations promulgated under the Code, including any amendments
thereto.
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. The Company may from time to time appoint
such co-rights agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. The
Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable
for, the acts or omission of any such co-rights agent. Prior to the
appointment of a co-rights agent, the specific duties and obligations of each
such co-rights agents shall be set forth in writing and delivered to the Rights
Agent and the proposed co-rights agent. Any actions which may be
taken by the Rights Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement may be taken
by any such co-rights agent. To the extent that any co-rights agent
takes any action pursuant to this Agreement, such co-rights agent shall be
entitled to all of the rights and protections of, and subject to all of the
applicable duties and obligations imposed upon, the Rights Agent pursuant to
the
terms of this Agreement.
Section
3 Issuance
of Rights Certificates
(a) Until
the
Distribution Date, (i) the Rights shall be evidenced by the certificates
representing the shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock,
registered in the names of the record holders thereof (which certificates
representing such shares of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock
shall also be deemed to be Rights Certificates), (ii) the Rights shall be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares
of
Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock, and (iii) the surrender
for transfer of any certificates representing such shares of Class A Common
Stock and/or Class B Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares
of
Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock represented by such
certificates.
(b) On
or as
promptly as practicable after the Record Date, the Company shall send by first
class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares of Class A Common
Stock and Class B Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date,
at the address of
6
such
holder shown on the records of the Company as of such date, a copy of a Summary
of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock.
(c) Rights
shall be issued by the Company in respect of all shares of Class A Common Stock
and Class B Common Stock (other than any shares of Class A Common Stock and
Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon the exercise or exchange of any
Right) issued or delivered by the Company (whether originally issued or
delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration
Date. Certificates representing such shares of Class A Common Stock
and Class B Common Stock shall have stamped on, impressed upon, printed on,
written on, or otherwise affixed to them a legend in substantially the following
form, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule
or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange or transaction reporting system on which the shares of Class A Common
Stock may from time to time be listed or quoted:
This
certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights
as
set forth in the Rights Agreement between Charter Communications, Inc. and
Mellon Investor Services LLC, dated as of August 14, 2007 (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and
a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Charter
Communications, Inc. The Rights are not exercisable prior to the
occurrence of certain events specified in the Rights Agreement. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may
be
redeemed, may be exchanged, may expire, may be amended, or may be evidenced
by
separate certificates and no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. Charter Communications, Inc. shall 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 as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person
or
any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in
the Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
(d) Any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 3 or Section 21 hereof that
represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or any of its
Associates or Affiliates and any Rights Certificate issued at any time upon
the
transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person or any of its
Associates or Affiliates or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate
or Affiliate and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall be subject to and contain a
legend in substantially the following form or as may be required to comply
with
any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or
with
any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time
to time be listed:
The
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned
by
a Person who was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). This Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby
may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement.
7
(e) As
promptly as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company shall prepare and execute,
the Rights Agent shall countersign and the Company shall send or cause to be
sent, by first class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder
of
shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B 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, a Rights Certificate representing one Right for each
share of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock so held, subject
to
adjustment as provided herein. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights shall be represented solely by such Rights
Certificates. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in
writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date and, if such notification
is given orally, the Company shall confirm same in writing on or prior to the
next Business Day. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent,
the Rights Agent may presume conclusively that the Distribution Date has not
occurred.
(f) In
the
event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with
such
shares of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock shall be deemed
canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise
any
Rights associated with the shares of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common
Stock so purchased or acquired.
Section
4 Form
of Rights Certificates
The
Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment
to
be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit B with such changes and marks of
identification or designation, and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect
the
rights, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent as set forth in this
Agreement) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or
as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform
to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and
on
their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as is set forth therein at the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that the Purchase Price, the
number and kind of securities issuable upon exercise of each Right and the
number of Rights outstanding shall be subject to adjustments as provided in
this
Agreement.
Section
5 Countersignature
and Registration
(a) The
Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman
of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by
facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature and shall not be valid
for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the
Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be
8
countersigned
by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force
and effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not
ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be
signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the
execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company
to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following
the Distribution Date, upon receipt by the Rights Agent of written notice of
the
occurrence of the Distribution Date pursuant to Section 3(e) hereof, a
stockholder list and all other relevant information referred to in Section
3(e)
or as reasonably requested by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall keep,
or
cause to be kept, at its office or offices designated for such purposes, books
for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on
its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section
6 Transfer,
Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates
(a) Subject
to the provisions of Section 7(d) and Section 13 hereof, at any time after
the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the Expiration Date,
any Rights Certificate(s)(other than Rights Certificates representing Rights
that may have been exchanged pursuant to Section 23 hereof) representing
exercisable Rights may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate(s), entitling the registered holder to purchase
a
like number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights
Certificate(s) surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any such Rights Certificate(s) must
make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and must surrender the
Rights Certificate(s) to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged, with
the forms of assignment and certificate contained therein duly executed, at
the
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. The Rights Certificates are transferable only on the
registry books of the Rights Agent. 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 (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate, (ii) provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the
Rights Agent shall reasonably request and (iii) paid a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange or Rights Certificates as required by Section
9(d) hereof. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver
to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates,
as
the case may be, as so requested registered in such name or names as may be
designated by the surrendering registered holder. The Rights Agent
shall promptly forward any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such
Person or Persons as the Company shall specify
by written notice. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation
to take any action under any Section of this Agreement which requires the
payment by a Rights holder of applicable taxes and/or charges unless and until
it is satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges have been
paid.
9
(b) Upon
receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence satisfactory to them
of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in
case
of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security satisfactory to them,
and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation
of
the Rights Certificate, if mutilated, the Company shall execute and deliver
a
new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature
and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section
7 Exercise
of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
(a) Subject
to Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 23 hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights represented thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
and
prior to the Expiration Date, upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with
the
form of election to purchase and the certificate set forth on the reverse side
thereof properly completed and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office
or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with
payment in cash, in lawful money of the United States of America by certified
check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company, equal to the sum of
(i) the aggregate Purchase Price for the total number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or for such shares of Class
A
Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock or other securities, as the case may
be) as to which such surrendered Rights are exercised and (ii) an amount
equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of
such
Rights Certificate in accordance with the provisions of Section 9(d)
hereof.
(b) Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights with the form
of
election to purchase and the certificate properly completed and duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased
and
an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid under
Section 9(d) hereof, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 19(k) hereof,
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares
of
Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent
for such shares) certificates representing the total number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased (and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs its transfer agent to comply with
all
such requests), or (B), if the Company shall have elected to deposit any shares
of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a
depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
as
are to be purchased (and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs
such depositary agent to comply with all such requests), (ii) after receipt
of such certificates (or depositary receipts, as the case may be) cause the
same
to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, (iii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company or any transfer
agent therefor of certificates representing the number of equivalent shares
to
be issued in lieu of the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class
B
Common Stock, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of Section
10
11(a)(iii),
(iv) when appropriate, after receipt of such certificates, cause the same to
be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, (v) when appropriate, requisition from the Company of the amount of
cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in accordance
with
the provisions of Section 13 hereof, and (vi) when appropriate, after receipt,
deliver such cash to the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate.
(c) In
case
the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise fewer than all
the Rights evidenced thereby, the Rights Agent shall prepare, execute and
deliver a new Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights
remaining unexercised to the registered holder of such Rights Certificate or
to
his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 13
hereof.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to any purported
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of any Rights Certificate pursuant
to Section 6 or exercise or assignment of a Rights Certificate as set forth
in this Section 7 unless the registered holder of such Rights Certificate shall
have (i) properly completed and duly signed the certificate following the
form of assignment or the form of election to purchase, as applicable, set
forth
on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such transfer,
split up, combination, exchange, exercise or assignment and (ii) provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby and Affiliates
and
Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent may reasonably
request.
Section
8 Cancellation
and Destruction of Rights Certificates
All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so
cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent
shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at
the
written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates,
and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Company.
Section
9 Company
Covenants Concerning Securities and Rights
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall cause to be reserved, authorized
for
issuance and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock, Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock and/or other
securities, or any shares of any such security of the Company held in its
treasury, a number of shares of Preferred Stock (or any other
security of the Company as may be applicable at the time of exercise) that
shall
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in
accordance with Section 7.
11
(b) So
long
as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Flip-in
Event, shares of Class A Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable upon
the
exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, or
quoted on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, it shall endeavor to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all securities reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of Rights to be listed on such exchange, or quoted
on
the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.
(c) The
Company shall take all such actions as may be necessary to ensure that all
shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Flip-in Event
shares of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock and/or other
securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such securities, shall be (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price) duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
securities.
(d) The
Company shall pay when due and payable any and all taxes and charges that may
be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of
any certificates representing securities issued upon the exercise of Rights;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay
any tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery
of
Rights Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depositary receipts representing securities issued upon the
exercise of Rights in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the
Rights Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue
or
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts representing securities issued
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge has been paid
(any
such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at
the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
(e) If
the
Company determines that registration under the Securities Act is required,
then
the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts (i) to file, as
soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, on an appropriate form, a
registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) to cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and
(iii) to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until
the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. The
Company shall also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure
compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in
connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and
file such registration statement and to permit it to become effective or to
qualify the rights, the exercise thereof or the issuance of shares of Preferred
Stock, Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, or other securities upon
the
exercise thereof under state securities or "blue sky" laws. Upon any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. The Company shall, as promptly as practicable, notify the
Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes a public announcement pursuant to
this
Section 9(e) and give the Rights Agent a copy of such
announcement. In addition, if the Company determines that a
registration statement or other document should be
12
filed
under the Securities Act or any state securities laws following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights
in
each relevant jurisdiction until such time as a registration statement has
been
declared effective or any such other document filed and, if required, approved,
and, upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the rights has been temporarily suspended,
as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite
registration or qualification in such jurisdiction has not been effected or
the
exercise of the Rights is not permitted under applicable law.
(f) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, after the Distribution Date, the
Company shall not take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at
the
time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action shall
eliminate or otherwise diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(g) In
the
event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company
and/or pay cash pursuant to Sections 7, 11, 13 or 23 it shall make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities and/or cash are available
for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with
this
Agreement.
Section
10 Record
Date
Each
person in whose name any certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of
a
share of Preferred Stock (or Class A Common Stock, and/or Class B Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of
such shares of Preferred Stock (or Class A Common Stock, and/or Class B Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on,
and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
representing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable taxes and charges) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date
upon
which the transfer books of the Company for shares of Preferred Stock (or Class
A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case
may be) 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 transfer books of the Company are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall
be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and
shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section
11 Adjustment of
Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Securities or
Number of Rights
The
Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares, or fractions thereof, covered
by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
13
(a) (i) In
the event that the Company at any time after the Record Date (A) declares a
dividend on the shares of Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock,
(B) subdivides the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (C) combines the
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of
Preferred Stock, or (D) issues any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the shares of Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of
the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and/or the number and/or kind of shares of
capital stock issuable on such date upon exercise of a Right, 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 capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when
the
transfer books of the Company for the shares of Preferred Stock were open,
the
holder of such Right would have owned upon such exercise (and, in the case
of a
reclassification, would have retained after giving effect to such
reclassification) and would have been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon
the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall
be
in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant
to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject
to the provisions of Section 23 hereof, if any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person (a "Flip-in Event"), then, after the Distribution Date, each
holder of a Right, except as provided below, shall have the right to receive,
upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price as adjusted by this
Section 11(a)(ii), such number of shares of Class A Common Stock or
Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, as equals five (5) times the number
of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the Flip-in Event. After the occurrence of
a
Flip-In Event, Rights will no longer be exercisable for the purchase of
Preferred Stock. The Purchase Price shall be so adjusted such that
the price per share of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock into which
the Rights are exercisable immediately after a Flip-in Event has occurred shall
be the lesser of (x) 50% of the Current Per Share Market Price of the Company's
Class A Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
of such Flip-in Event or (y) 50% of the average of the daily closing price
per
share of a share of Class A Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading
Days immediately following the Stock Acquisition Date.
Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the time any Flip-in
Event has occurred, any Rights that are Beneficially Owned by (A) any Acquiring
Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person), (B) a transferee
of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a
transferee after an Acquiring Person becomes such, or (C) a transferee of any
Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) who became a transferee
prior to or concurrently with an Acquiring Person becomes such, and receives
such Rights pursuant to either (1) a transfer from an Acquiring Person to
holders of its equity securities or to any Person with whom it has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (2) a
14
transfer
which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has the purpose or effect of avoiding the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii), and subsequent transferees of any of such Persons, shall be void
without any further action and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have
no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any provision of this
Agreement. The Company shall give the Rights Agent written notice of
the identity of any Acquiring Person or any Affiliates or Associates thereof,
or
any transferee of any of the foregoing, and the Rights Agent may rely on such
notice in carrying out its duties under this Agreement and shall be deemed
not
to have any knowledge of the identity of any such Acquiring Person or any
Affiliates or Associates thereof, or any transferee of any of the foregoing,
unless and until it shall have received such notice. The Company
shall as promptly as practicable use all reasonable efforts to ensure that
the
provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but neither the Company
nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any Affiliates and
Associates thereof or any transferee of any of them hereunder.
(iii) If
upon
the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, there are not sufficient shares of Class
A
Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, authorized but
unissued or issued but not outstanding to permit the issuance of all the shares
of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be,
issuable in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof upon the exercise in full
of the Rights, the Company shall authorize and, subject to the provisions of
Section 9(e), make available for issuance other equity securities of the Company
having equivalent voting rights and an equivalent value (as determined in good
faith by the Board) to the shares of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common
Stock, as the case may be, (for purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii) these other
equity securities shall hereinafter be referred to as "Equivalent Common
Stock"). In the event that shares of Equivalent Common Stock are
so authorized, upon the exercise of a Right in accordance with the provisions
of
Section 7 hereof, the registered holder shall be entitled to receive (A) shares
of Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, to
the
extent any are available, and (B) a number of shares of Equivalent Common Stock,
which the Board has determined in good faith to have a value equivalent to
the
excess of (w) the aggregate current per share market value on the date of the
Flip-in Event, of all the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common
Stock issuable in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) upon the exercise of a
Right
(the "Exercise Value") over (x) the aggregate current per share market
value on the date of the Flip-in Event, of any shares of Class A Common Stock
and/or Class B Common Stock available for issuance upon the exercise of such
Right; provided, however, that if at any time after 90 calendar
days after the Distribution Date, there are not sufficient shares of Class
A
Common Stock, Class B Common Stock and/or Equivalent Common Stock available
for
issuance upon the exercise of a Right, then the Company shall be obligated
to
deliver, upon the surrender of such Right, shares of Class A Common Stock and
Class B Common Stock (to the extent available), Equivalent Common Stock (to
the
extent available) and then cash (to the extent permitted by applicable law
and
any agreements or instruments to which the Company is a party in effect
immediately prior to the Stock Acquisition Date), which securities and cash
have
an aggregate value equal to the excess of (y) the Exercise Value over (z) the
product of the then-current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of a Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the Flip-in Event. To the extent
that any legal or contractual restrictions prevent the Company from paying
the
full amount of
15
cash
payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Company shall pay to
holders of the Rights as to which such payments are being made all amounts
which
are not then restricted on a pro rata basis and shall continue to make payments
on a pro rata basis as promptly as funds become available until the full amount
due to each such Rights holder has been paid.
(b) If
the
Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants
to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for
or
purchase shares of Preferred Stock (or securities having equivalent rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock (for purposes of
this Section 11(b), "Equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities
convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at
a
price per share of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having
a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred
Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the Current Per Share Market
Price of the shares of Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d))
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 is 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 Per Share Market Price and the
denominator of which is 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 Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or
into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible);
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of
the
shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case
such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which
is
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described
in
a written statement filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of Preferred
Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) If
the
Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders
of shares of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution in connection
with
a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular periodic
cash dividend), assets, stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of
Preferred Stock) or subscription rights, options 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
is
the Current Per Share Market Price of the shares of Preferred Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on such record date or, if earlier, the
date on which shares of Preferred Stock begin to trade on an ex-dividend or
when
issued basis for such distribution, less the fair market value (as determined
in
good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a written
statement filed with the Rights
16
Agent)
of
the portion of the evidences of indebtedness, cash, assets or stock so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights, options or warrants applicable
to
one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which is such Current
Per
Share Market Price of the shares of Preferred Stock; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon
the
exercise of one Right but less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock issuable upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again
be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For
the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "Current Per Share Market
Price" of any security (a "Security" for purposes of this Section 11(d)(i)
only) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices
per share of a share of the Class A Common Stock for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days immediately prior to, but not including, such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the Current Per Share Market Price
of the
Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable
in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B)
any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to
the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after, but not including, the ex-dividend date
for
such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the Current Per
Share Market Price shall be appropriately adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading or to reflect the current per share market price per share
equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Global Market
or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Global
Market, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security
is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date Security is not quoted
by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making
a
market in the Security selected by the Board. If the Security is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, or is not the subject of available
bid
and asked quotes, the Current Per Share Market Price of such Security shall
mean
the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(i) For
the
purpose of any computation hereunder, the "Current Per Share Market
Price" of shares of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Current Per
Share Market Price of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner
provided above, it shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to
the
current per share market price of the shares of Class A Common Stock multiplied
by one thousand (as such number may be appropriately adjusted to reflect
events
such as stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or similar transactions
relating to the shares of Class A
17
Common
Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement). If neither the
Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock are publicly
held or so listed or traded, or the subject of available bid and asked quotes,
"Current Per Share Market Price" of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) Except
as
set forth below, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in such
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
one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock or one ten-thousandth of a share
of
a Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or other security, as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment and (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If
as a
result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a), the holder of any Right
thereafter exercised becomes entitled to receive any securities of the Company
other than shares of Preferred Stock, thereafter the number and/or kind of
such
other securities so receivable upon exercise of any Right (and/or the Purchase
Price in respect 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 shares of Preferred Stock (and the Purchase Price in respect
thereof) contained in this Section 11, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10
and 13 with respect to the shares of Preferred Stock (and the Purchase Price
in
respect thereof) shall apply on like terms to any such other securities (and
the
Purchase Price in respect thereof).
(g) All
Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to
the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted
Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to
further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless
the Company has exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon
each
adjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 11(b) or Section 11(c),
each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment
shall
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number
of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest
one
one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying
(x) the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of a Right immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price
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 substitution for any adjustment in the
number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise
of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
18
immediately
prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election
to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment,
and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be
made. The Company shall also, as promptly as practicable, notify the
Rights Agent in writing of same pursuant to Section 9(e) hereof and give the
Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. Such 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, such record date shall be at least 10
calendar days later than the date of the public announcement. If
Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates
on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to the provision
of
Section 14, the additional Rights to which such holders are 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 are entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed, and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear,
at
the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered
in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record
date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Without
respect to any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and/or the number
and/or kind of securities issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price and the number and kind of securities which were expressed in
the
initial Rights Certificate issued hereunder.
(k) Before
taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price
below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the shares of
Preferred Stock or below the then par value, if any, of any other securities
of
the Company issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any
corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order
that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable
shares of Preferred Stock or such other securities, as the case may be, at
such
adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In
any
case in which this Section 11 otherwise requires that an adjustment in the
Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event,
the
Company may elect (with written notice of such election to the Rights Agent
as
promptly as practicable) to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or other securities
of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or other 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 delivers to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate
19
instrument
evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(m) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, 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 its good
faith judgment the Board determines to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the shares of Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance
wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Per Share
Market Price therefor, (iii) 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 shares of Preferred Stock is not taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company at
any
time after the Record Date prior to the Distribution Date (i) pays a dividend
on
the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock
payable in shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock,
respectively, (ii) subdivides the outstanding shares of Class A Common
Stock and Class B Common Stock, (iii) combines the outstanding shares of
Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares or (iv) issues any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of
the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B 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 Class A Common Stock and
each share of Class B 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
Class A Common Stock and each share of Class B Common Stock following any
such event equals the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Class A Common Stock or Class
B
Common
Stock, as applicable, immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which is the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock or
Class B Common Stock, as applicable, outstanding immediately prior to the
occurrence of the event and the denominator of which is the total number
of
shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be,
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is paid or such a subdivision, combination or
reclassification is effected.
Section
12 Certificate
of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
Whenever
an adjustment is made or any event affecting the Rights or their exercisability
(including without limitation an event which causes Rights to become null
and
void) occurs as provided in Section 11, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare
a
certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
and
calculations accounting for such adjustment or describing such event, (b)
file
with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the shares of Preferred
Stock and the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, a
copy of
such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of
a
Rights Certificate. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any
20
adjustment
or statement contained therein and shall have no duty or liability with respect
to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment or event unless
and until it shall have received such certificate, provided,
however, that the Rights Agent will not be entitled to such protection
in
cases of bad faith or willful misconduct.
Section
13 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, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Right. For purposes of this Section 13(a), the current
market value of one Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any Trading Day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq
Global Market, 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 the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. or such other system then in use or,
if
on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Rights, selected by the Board. If the Rights
are not publicly held or are not so listed or traded, or are not the subject
of
available bid and asked quotes, the current market value of one Right shall
mean
the fair value thereof as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(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 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 fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to
the same fraction of the current market value of one one-thousandth of a
share
of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 13(b), the current
market value of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be
one
one-thousandth of the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior
to
the date of such exercise; provided, however, that if the closing
price of the shares of the Preferred Stock cannot be so determined, the closing
price of the shares of the Preferred Stock for such Trading Day shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to the closing price of the shares
of
Class A Common Stock shares for such Trading Day multiplied by one thousand
(as
such number may be appropriately adjusted to reflect events such as stock
splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or similar transactions relating
to
the Class A Common Stock shares occurring after the date of this
Agreement).
21
(c) Following
the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, the Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the
case
may be, upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case
may be. In lieu of issuing any such fractional securities, the
Company may pay to any Person to whom or which such fractional securities would
otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one such security. For purposes of this
Section 13(c), the current market value of one share of Class A Common Stock,
or
other security issuable upon the exercise or exchange of Rights shall be the
closing price thereof (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on
the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or
exchange.
(d) The
holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right
to
receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right,
except as permitted by this Section 13.
(e) Whenever
a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights
Agent upon exercise of a Right, the Company shall (i) as promptly as practicable
prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in
reasonable detail the facts related to such payments and the prices and/or
formulas utilized in calculating such payments, and (ii) provide immediately
available funds to the Rights Agent sufficient to make such
payments. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon
such a certificate and shall have no duty with respect to, and shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of any payment for fractional Rights or fractional
shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the payment of fractional
Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent shall have
received such a certificate and funds, provided, however, that the
Rights Agent will not be entitled to such protection in cases of bad faith
or
willful misconduct.
Section
14 Rights of
Action
(a) All
rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action
given to the Rights Agent hereunder, are vested in the respective registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
the
registered holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock);
and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common
Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the shares of
Class A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his
own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right
to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting
the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual
or
threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject
to this
Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as
a
result
22
of
its
inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason
of
any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, judgment, decree or
ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation, or executive order
promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise
restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however that
the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have any such
injunction, order, judgment, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as
soon as possible.
Section
15 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 shall be transferable only in connection
with
the transfer of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common
Stock;
(b) after
the
Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry
books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office or offices
of
the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied
by a
proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates
fully executed;
(c) the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Class
A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock share certificate) is registered as the
absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding
any
notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated
Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock share certificate
made
by
anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever,
and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice
to
the contrary; and
(d) such
holder expressly waives any right to receive any fractional Rights and any
fractional securities upon exercise or exchange of a Right, except as otherwise
provided in Section 13.
Section
16 Rights
Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-thousandths of a share 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 stockholder of the Company or any right to vote
for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at
any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action,
or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
23
Section
17 Concerning
the Rights Agent
(a) The
Company shall 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,
reimbursement for its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements
and
other disbursements incurred in the preparation, negotiation, delivery,
amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise
and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company shall also indemnify
the Rights Agent for, and hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage,
judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including
without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must
be
determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of
a
court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered, or omitted
by
the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance, administration, exercise
and
performance of its duties under this Agreement, including the costs and expenses
of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom. The reasonable
costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall
be
paid by the Company (except upon a determination of gross negligence, bad faith
or willful misconduct). The provision of this Section 17 and Section
19 below shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the exercise of or
expiration of the Rights and the resignation, replacement or removal of the
Rights Agent.
(b) The
Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no liability
for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with
its acceptance or administration of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder, in
reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate evidencing shares of Preferred
Stock,
Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper
or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 19. The
Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which
it was
supposed to have received notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent
shall
be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action
in connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice,
provided, however, that the Rights Agent will not be entitled to
such protection in cases of bad faith or willful misconduct.
Section
18 Merger,
Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
(a) Any
Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged
or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger
or
consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall
be a
party, or any Person succeeding to the shareholder services business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or
any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such
Person
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 20 hereof. If at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been
24
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 if 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) If
at any
time the name of the Rights Agent changes and at such time any of the Rights
Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates
so countersigned; and if at that time any of the Rights Certificates 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
19 Duties
of Rights Agent
The
Rights Agent undertakes to perform the duties and obligations expressly imposed
by this Agreement (and no implied duties) 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 advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
by
it in accordance with such advice or 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
the
Current Per Share Market Price) be proved or established by the Company prior
to
taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or
matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed
by
the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any
Vice
President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and
such
certificate shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect
of
any action taken or suffered 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 gross negligence,
bad
faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct must be determined by a final, none-appealable order, judgment,
decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction). Anything to
the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable
for
special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of
any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the
Rights
Agent has been advised
25
of
the
likelihood of such loss or damage. Any liability of the Rights Agent
under this Agreement will be limited to the amount of annual fees paid by the
Company to the Rights Agent.
(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
nor
shall it 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 be under no responsibility in respect of the validity of
this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof
by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights
Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible
for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this
Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any
adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof
or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common
Stock or Preferred Stock shall, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The
Company agrees that it shall perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or
cause
to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and
other
acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions
of this Agreement.
(g) The
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with
respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer
of
the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken
or
suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions
of any
such officer.
(h) The
Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights
Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the
Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company
may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise
act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other 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 (through its directors,
officers or employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the
Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to
the
Company or any other Person resulting from any such act, default,
26
neglect
or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in
the
selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence, bad faith
or
willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order,
judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction).
(j) No
provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk
its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of
any
of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be
reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured to
it.
(k) If,
with
respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange, either (i) the certificate attached
to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may
be,
has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause
1
and/or 2 thereof, or (ii) the Rights Agent has received notice of a suspension,
the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange, without first
consulting with the Company, and shall thereafter take further action with
respect thereto only in accordance with the Company's written
instructions.
Section
20 Change
of Rights Agent
The
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from
its
duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed
to
the Company, and to each transfer agent of the shares of Class A Common Stock,
Class B Common Stock and Preferred Stock known to the Rights Agent,
respectively, by registered or certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs
after the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing,
mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be,
and to
each transfer agent of the shares of Class A Common Stock, the Class B Common
Stock and the Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such
removal occurs after the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or
be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to
make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice
of
such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation
or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder
of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business entity
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the
State
of New York or of any other state of the United States, in good standing,
which
is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust, stock transfer
or
shareholder services powers and which has at the time of its appointment
as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b)
an
affiliate of a legal business entity described in clause (a) of this
sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it
had
been originally named
27
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 shares of Class
A
Common Stock, the Class B Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if such
appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 20, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of
the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case
may
be.
Section 21 Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
in
such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change
in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the
issuance or sale by the Company of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class
B
Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date,
the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Class A Common Stock or Class
B
Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion
of securities (other than Rights) issued prior to the Distribution Date which
are exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Class A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights as would have been issued in respect of such
shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock if they had been issued
or sold prior to the Distribution Date, as appropriately adjusted as provided
herein as if they had been so issued or sold; provided, however,
that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
in its good faith judgment the Board determines that the issuance of such Rights
Certificate could have a material adverse tax consequence to the Company or
to
the Person to whom or which such Rights Certificate otherwise 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 22 Redemption
(a) Prior
to
the Expiration Date, the Board may, at its option, redeem all but not less
than
all of the then-outstanding Rights at the redemption price of $0.001 per
Right,
as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price") at any
time prior to the Close of Business on the Distribution Date. Any
such redemption shall be effective immediately upon the action of the Board
ordering the same, unless such action of the Board expressly provides that
such
redemption shall be effective at a subsequent time or upon the occurrence
or
nonoccurrence of one or more specified events (in which case such redemption
shall be effective in accordance with the provisions of such action of the
Board).
28
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence
of
which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action
and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate and
the
only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of
the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address
as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the shares
of
Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall
state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price shall be
made. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in
cash, shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock as the case may
be
(based upon the Current Per Share Market Price of the Class A Common Stock
or
Class B Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) at the time of
redemption), any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board
(based upon the fair market value of such other consideration, determined by
the
Board in good faith) or any combination thereof.
The
Company may, at its option, combine the payment of the Redemption Price with
any
other payment being made concurrently to holders of Class A Common Stock
or
Class B Common Stock and, to the extent that any such other payment is
discretionary, may reduce the amount thereof on account of the concurrent
payment of the Redemption Price. If legal or contractual restrictions
prevent the Company from paying the Redemption Price (in the form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board) at the time of redemption,
the
Company shall pay the Redemption Price, without interest, promptly after
such
time as the Company ceases to be so prevented from paying the Redemption
Price.
Section
23 Exchange
(a) The
Board
will, except as provided in Section 23(e) hereof, after the Distribution
Date
and effective as of the Distribution Date, exchange all of the then-outstanding
and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Class A Common
Stock
or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, at an exchange ratio of two
and a
half (2.5) shares of Class A Common Stock or two and a half (2.5) shares
of
Class B Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). If pursuant to an exchange in accordance with the terms
of this Section 23(a), a registered holder of any Rights Certificate is entitled
to receive shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock in a principal
amount that is not a whole number, the Company will round downward the amount
of
shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be,
so
issued to the nearest whole number. No Right may be transferred
other than in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Class
A
Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock or
exercised pursuant to Section 7 or Section 11(a)(ii) hereof unless and until
the
Board shall have determined, with the consent of the holders of the majority
of
the Class B Common Stock pursuant to Section 23(e) hereof, not to effect
the
exchange contemplated in this Section 23.
29
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board ordering the exchange of Rights pursuant to
subsection (a) of this Section 23 and without any further action and without
any
notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right
thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares
of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock as the case may be equal to
the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. Promptly after the effectiveness of the exchange of Rights as
provided in subsection (a) of this Section 23, the Company shall publicly
announce such exchange (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent)
and within 10 calendar days thereafter, shall give notice of 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; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. 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 shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock for
Rights shall be effected.
(c) In
any
exchange pursuant to this Section 23, the Company may substitute for any
shares
of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock exchangeable for a Right
(i)
shares of Equivalent Common Stock as such term is used in Section 11(a)(iii),
(ii) cash, (iii) debt securities of the Company, (iv) other assets or (v)
any
combination of the foregoing, in any event having an aggregate value, as
determined in good faith by the Board (whose determination shall be described
in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent), equal to the current market value
of
one share of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock as the case may
be
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the Trading Day immediately preceding
the date of the effectiveness of the exchange pursuant to this Section
23.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or exchange
Equivalent Common Stock, Equivalent Preferred Stock, cash or other
debt or equity securities of the Company, or make any pro rata issuance or
exchange, pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of
the
holders of a majority of the Class B Common Stock.
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company will not in any way amend
or
supplement this Section 23 without the prior written consent of the holders
of a
majority of the Class B Common Stock.
Section
24 Notice
of Certain Events
(a) If
the
Company proposes (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to
the
holders of shares of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to
the
holders of shares of Preferred Stock (other than a regular periodic cash
dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock rights,
options, or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights
or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares
of
Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with
any
other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the
Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the shares of Class A
30
Common
Stock or Class B Common Stock payable in shares of Class A Common Stock or
Class
B Common Stock, respectively, or to effect a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of the Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock as the
case
may be, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and,
to the extent possible, to each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance
with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify
the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution or
offering of rights, 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 ten (10) days prior to the record date for determining holders of
the
shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, and/or Preferred Stock
for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action covered by
clause (1) or (ii) above at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such
proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the
shares of Preferred Stock, whichever is the earlier.
(b) In
case a
Stock Acquisition Date occurs, then, in any such case, the Company shall
as soon
as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent and each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof,
a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and
the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights.
Section
25 Notices
(a) Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights
Agent
or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made (a) immediately, if made by personal delivery
to the
party to be notified, (b) on the fifth (5th) day
if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, (c) the next Business Day if by nationally
recognized overnight courier or (d) upon confirmation, if transmission by
facsimile combined with a phone call to the Company notifying it of such
transmission, all addressed (until another address is filed in writing by
the
Company with the Rights) as follows:
Charter
Communications, Inc.
00000
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xx.
Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000)
000-0000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
(b) Subject
to the provisions of Section 20, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
(a)
immediately, if made by personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b)
on
the fifth (5th)
day if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, (c) the next Business Day
if
by nationally recognized overnight courier or (d) upon confirmation, if
transmission by facsimile combined with a phone call to the Rights Agent
31
notifying
it of such transmission, all addressed (until another address is filed in
writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xx.
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Relationship Manager
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
with
a
copy to:
Mellon
Investor Services LLC
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General
Counsel
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
(c) Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company
or
the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the
Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Class
A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made
if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the
address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the
Company.
Section
26 Supplements
and Amendments
Prior
to
the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, subject to
the
other terms and conditions of this Agreement, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval
of any
holders of certificates representing shares of Class A Common Stock, any
such
supplement or amendment to be evidenced by writing signed by the Company
and the
Rights Agent, provided, however, that the Company and the Rights
Agent shall not supplement or amend this Agreement without the prior approval
of
the holders of a majority of the Class B Common Stock. From and after
the Distribution Date, the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval
of
any holders of Rights Certificates in order (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 amend or supplement the provisions hereunder
in
any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided,
however, that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect
the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring
Person
or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); and provided,
further, however, that the Company and the Rights Agent shall not
supplement or amend this Agreement without the prior approval of the holders
of
a majority of the Class B Common Stock. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that
the
32
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 herein to the contrary, the
Rights Agent shall not be obligated to enter into any supplement or amendment
that affects the Rights Agent’s own right, duties, obligations or immunities
under this Agreement, and the Rights Agent shall not be bound by supplements
or
amendments not executed by it. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, this Agreement may not be amended (other than pursuant to clauses
(i)
or (ii) of the preceding sentence) at a time when the Rights are not
redeemable.
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
(a) For
all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Class
A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or any other class of capital stock
outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the
particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock
or
Class B Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be
made
in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General
Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement and other than as set
forth
in Section 1(w)(i), Section 23 or in Section 26, the Board shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise
all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or
as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of
this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations and calculations deemed necessary
or
advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination
to
redeem or not redeem the Rights or amend this Agreement).
(c) All
such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including,
for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing)
which
are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive
and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board, or any of the directors on
the
Board to any liability to any person, including without limitation the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Unless otherwise notified, the
Rights Agent shall always be entitled to assume that the Board acted in good
faith and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability
in reliance thereon.
Section
29 Benefits
of this Agreement
Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of shares of Class
A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement
33
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 Class A Common Stock or Class B 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 force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision,
covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void
or unenforceable and the Board determines in its good faith judgment that
severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the
purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption
set forth in Section 22 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 the Board. Without limiting the foregoing, if any
provision requiring a specific group of directors to act is held to by any
court
of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and
bylaws.
Section 31 Governing
Law
This
Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall
be
deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and
for all
purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
such
State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
State; except that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations
of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the
law of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed
entirely within such State.
Section 32 Counterparts
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such
counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all
such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
Section 33 Descriptive
Headings; Interpretation
Descriptive
headings of the several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of
the
provisions hereof. For the avoidance of doubt and for clarification
purposes only, if under any circumstance contemplated herein Rights become
exercisable for the purchase of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B
Common
Stock, such Rights may only be exercised as follows: (A) Rights
issued in respect of Class A Common Stock will be exercisable only for
34
the
purchase of shares of Class A Common Stock (or any Equivalent Common Stock
issued in respect thereof) and (B) Rights issued in respect of Class B Common
Stock will be exercisable only for the purchase of shares of Class B Common
Stock (or any Equivalent Common Stock issued in respect thereof).
Section
34 Termination
Except
as explicitly set forth herein,
this Agreement and the Rights shall terminate as of the Expiration
Date. As soon as an Expiration Date has been determined pursuant to
Section 1(w)(i), (ii), (iv) or (v), the Company shall as promptly as practicable
notify the Rights Agent of the Expiration Date.
[Remainder
Of Page Left Intentionally Blank]
35
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive
Vice President and Chief
Financial
Officer
MELLON
INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
/s/
Xxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title:
Client
Relationship Executive
Signature
page to Rights
Agreement
Exhibit
A
CERTIFICATE
OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES
B
JUNIOR PREFERRED STOCK
OF
CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS, INC .
(Pursuant
to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware)
Charter
Communications, Inc. (hereinafter called the "Company"), a
corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL"), does
hereby certify:
1.
The
name of the Company is Charter Communications, Inc.
2.
The
restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the "Certificate of
Incorporation") of the Company authorizes the
issuance of 250,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value (the
"Preferred Stock"), and expressly vests in the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Board") the authority provided
therein to provide for the issuance of said shares in series and by filing
a
certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware, to
establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such
series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares
of each such series and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions
thereof.
3.
The
Board, pursuant to the authority expressly vested in it as aforesaid, has
adopted the following resolutions creating a "Series B Junior" series of
Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED,
that a series of the class of authorized Preferred Stock of the Company be
and
hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the voting
powers, preferences and relative participating, optional and other special
rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions thereof are as follows:
SERIES
B JUNIOR PREFERRED STOCK
Section
35. Designation
and Amount. The shares of such series will be
designated as Series B Junior Preferred Stock (the "Series B
Preferred") and the number of shares constituting the Series B
Preferred is 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be increased or
decreased by resolution of the Board; provided, however, that no decrease will
reduce the number of shares of Series B Preferred to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company and
convertible into Series B Preferred. The Series B Preferred is to be
reserved solely for issuance pursuant to the Rights Agreement by and between
the
Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as rights agent, dated
August 14,
2007.
Section
36. Dividends
and Distributions.
(a) Subject
to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock
ranking prior to the Series B Preferred with respect to dividends, the holders
of shares of Series B Preferred, in preference to the holders of Class A Common
Stock, par value $0.001 per share and Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001
(collectively, the "Common Stock"), of the Company, and of any
other junior stock, will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by
the
Board out of funds legally available for the purpose, dividends payable in
cash
(except as otherwise provided below) on such dates as are from time to time
established for the payment of dividends on the Common Stock (each such date
being referred to herein as a "Dividend Payment Date"),
commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a
share or fraction of a share of Series B Preferred (the "First Dividend
Payment Date"), in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, one
thousand (1000) times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends,
and
one thousand (1000) times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind)
of
all non-cash dividends, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the First Dividend Payment Date,
since
the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series B
Preferred. In the event that the Company at any time (i) declares a
dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivides the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iii) combines
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv)
issues any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with
a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), then, in each such case and regardless of whether any shares
of
Series B Preferred are then issued or outstanding, the amount to which holders
of shares of Series B Preferred would otherwise be entitled immediately prior
to
such event will be correspondingly adjusted.
(b) The
Company will declare a dividend on the Series B Preferred as provided in
paragraph (a) of this Section 2 immediately after it declares a dividend on
the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common
Stock). Each such dividend on the Series B Preferred will be payable
immediately prior to the time at which the related dividend on the Common Stock
is payable.
(c) Dividends
will accrue on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred from the Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless (i) the
date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the First Dividend
Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares will accrue from the date
of the first issuance of a share of Series B Preferred or (ii) the date of
issue
is a Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred entitled to receive
a
dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends will accrue from such Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends will cumulate from the applicable Dividend Payment Date but
will not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series B
Preferred in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time
accrued and
38
payable
on such shares will be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all
such shares at the time outstanding. The Board may fix a record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred entitled to
receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date will be not more than 60 calendar days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Section
37. Voting
Rights. The holders of shares of Series B Preferred
will have the following voting rights:
(a) Except
as specifically set forth in the DGCL or provided in the balance of this Section
3, the holders of shares of the Series B Preferred shall not be entitled to
any
voting rights with respect to any matters voted upon by
stockholders.
(b) So
long as any shares of the Series B Preferred are outstanding, the Company shall
not amend its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, without the written
consent or the affirmative vote at a meeting called for that purpose of the
holders of a majority of the votes of the shares of Series B Preferred then
outstanding, voting separately as a class, which majority shall include the
affirmative vote of such shares of Series B Preferred held by the holder of
the
Company's Class B Common Stock, par value$ 0.001, so as to (i) amend, alter
or
repeal any of the provisions of any resolution or resolutions establishing
the
Series B Preferred so as to affect adversely the powers, preferences or special
rights of such Series B Preferred or (ii) authorize the issuance of, or
authorize any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right
to
purchase shares of, any additional class or series of Preferred Stock that
is
senior to the Series B Preferred. Without limiting any of the foregoing, the
Company shall have the right to issue any additional class or series of Junior
Stock (as defined below) or Parity Stock (as defined below) without any approval
of the shares of Series B Preferred then outstanding.
Section
38. Certain
Restrictions.
(a) Whenever
dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series B Preferred
are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series B Preferred
outstanding have been paid in full, the Company will not:
(i) Declare
or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) ("Junior Stock") to the shares of Series B
Preferred;
(ii) Declare
or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock
ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution
or
winding up) ("Parity Stock") with the shares of Series B
Preferred, except dividends paid ratably on the shares of Series B Preferred
and
all such Parity Stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion
to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;
(iii) Redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any Junior Stock;
provided, however, that the Company may at any time redeem, purchase
39
or
otherwise acquire shares of any such Junior Stock in exchange for shares of
any
other Junior Stock of the Company; or
(iv) Redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series B
Preferred, or any shares of Parity Stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board, after consideration of
the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences
of
the respective series and classes, may determine in good faith will result
in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(b) The
Company will not permit any majority-owned subsidiary of the Company to purchase
or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Company unless
the Company could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise
acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section
39. Reacquired
Shares. Any shares of Series B Preferred purchased or
otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever will be retired
and
canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares will
upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock
and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate
of
Incorporation of the Company, or in any other Certificate of Designations
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise
required by law.
Section
40. Liquidation,
Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution will be made (a)
to
the holders of shares of Junior Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
shares of Series B Preferred have received $10 per share, plus an amount equal
to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not
declared, to the date of such payment; provided, however, that the holders
of
shares of Series B Preferred will be entitled to receive an aggregate amount
per
share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal
to
one thousand (1000) times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share
to
holders of shares of Common Stock or (b) to the holders of shares of Parity
Stock, except distributions made ratably on the shares of Series B Preferred
and
all such Parity Stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders
of
all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding
up. In the event the Company at any time (i) declares a dividend on
the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivides the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iii) combines the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv)
issues any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with
a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), then, in each such case and regardless of whether any shares
of
Series B Preferred are then issued or outstanding, the aggregate amount to
which
each
holder of shares of Series B Preferred would otherwise be entitled immediately
prior to such event will be correspondingly
adjusted.
41
Section
41. Consolidation,
Merger, Etc. In the event that the Company enters into
any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares
of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities,
cash and/or any other property, then, in each such case, each share of Series
B
Preferred will at the same time be similarly exchanged for or changed into
an
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to one thousand (1000) times the aggregate amount of stock, securities,
cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into
which
or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In
the event the Company at any time (a) declares a dividend on the outstanding
shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (b) subdivides the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, (c) combines the outstanding shares of
Common Stock in a smaller number of shares or (d) issues any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then,
in each such case and regardless of whether any shares of Series B Preferred
are
then issued or outstanding, the amount set forth in the preceding sentence
with
respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series B Preferred will be
correspondingly adjusted.
Section
42. Redemption. The
shares of Series B Preferred are not redeemable.
Section
43. Rank. The
Series B Preferred rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the
distribution of assets, junior to all other series of the Company's Preferred
Stock, unless the terms of such series shall so
provide.
Section
44. Amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company to the
contrary and in addition to any other vote required by applicable law, the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company may not be amended in any manner
that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights
of the Series B Preferred so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative
vote of the holders of at least 51% of the outstanding shares of Series B
Preferred, voting together as a single series.
FURTHER
RESOLVED, that the statements contained in the foregoing resolutions creating
and designating the said Series B Junior Preferred Stock and fixing the number,
powers, preferences and relative, optional, participating, and other special
rights and the qualifications, limitations, restrictions, and other
distinguishing characteristics thereof shall, upon the effective date of said
series, be deemed to be included in and be a part of the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Sections 104 and
151
of the DGCL.
[Remainder
Of Page Left Intentionally Blank]
41
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designation is executed on behalf of the
Company by the undersigned on August 14, 2007.
CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive
Vice President and ChiefFinancial Officer
42
Exhibit
B
FORM
OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate
No.
R-___________ ___________Rights
in respect of Class __ Common Stock
NOT
EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED, EXCHANGED OR
AMENDED. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, EXCHANGE AND AMENDMENT
AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, RIGHTS THAT ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON
OR
AN AFFILIATE OR AN ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR A TRANSFEREE THEREOF MAY BECOME NULL AND
VOID.
RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE
Charter
Communications, Inc.
This
certifies that _________________, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner
of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions, and conditions of the Rights
Agreement (including without limitation Section 11(a)(ii)), (the
“Rights Agreement”), by and between Charter
Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New
Jersey limited liability company (the “Rights Agent”),
dated as of August 14, 2007, to purchase from the Company at any time after
the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to
5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in
the
Rights Agreement) at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, one one-thousandth of a fully paid nonassessable share of Series
B
Junior Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred
Shares”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $25.00 per one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase
Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. If this Rights Certificate is exercised in part, the holder
will be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate
or
Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of the date of the Rights Agreement, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. Terms used herein with
initial capital letters and not defined herein are used herein with the meanings
ascribed thereto in the Rights Agreement.
As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and/or the number and/or
kind of shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities, as the case may be)
which may be purchased upon
the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to
adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events.
This
Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions
of
the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Rights Agent,
the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of
rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of the Rights
under the circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and can be obtained from the Company without charge upon written request
therefor.
Pursuant
to the Rights Agreement, from and after the occurrence of a Flip-in Event,
any
Rights that are Beneficially Owned by (i) any Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate
or Associate of any Acquiring Person), (ii) a transferee of any Acquiring Person
(or any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee after the
occurrence of a Flip-in Event or (iii) a transferee of any Acquiring Person
(or
any such Affiliate or Associate) who became a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Flip-in Event pursuant to either (a) a transfer from
an
Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities or to any Person with
whom
it has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (b) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has the
purpose or effect of avoiding certain provisions of the Rights Agreement, and
subsequent transferees of any of such Persons, will be void without any further
action and any holder of such Rights will thereafter have no rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights under any provision of the Rights
Agreement. From and after the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, no
Rights Certificate will be issued that represents Rights that are or have become
void pursuant to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, and any Rights
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or
have become void pursuant to the provisions of the Rights Agreement will be
canceled.
This
Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate
or
Rights Certificates entitling the holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities, as the case may
be)
as the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered entitled such
holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase, upon
presentation and surrender hereof at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, with the Form of Assignment (if appropriate) and
the related Certificate duly executed.
Subject
to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price
of $0.001 per Right or may be exchanged in whole or in part. The
Rights Agreement may be supplemented and amended by the Company, as provided
therein.
The
Company is not required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the
44
option
of
the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) or other securities issuable,
as the case may be, upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced
hereby. If pursuant to an exchange in accordance with the terms of
the Rights Agreement, a registered holder of any Rights Certificate is entitled
to receive shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B common stock in a principal
amount that is not a whole number, the Company will round downward the amount
of
shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be,
so
issued to the nearest whole number.
No
holder
of this Rights Certificate, as such, will be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or
of
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable upon
the
exercise of the Right or Rights represented hereby, nor will anything contained
herein or in the Rights Agreement be construed to confer upon the
holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or
any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate have been exercised in accordance with
the
provisions of the Rights Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate will not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it
has
been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
[Remainder
Of Page Left Intentionally Blank]
45
WITNESS
the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate
seal. Dated as of ___________, ______________.
CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
MELLON
INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
Signature
page for Rights
Certificate
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
: __________, __________________
_________________________________________
Signature
Signature(s)
Guaranteed:
SIGNATURE(S)
SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS,
SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE
17Ad-15.
_________________
The
undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
__________________________________________
Signature
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate q are q
are not being sold,
assigned, transferred, split up, combined or exchanged by or on behalf of a
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any
such Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);
and
(2) after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it q did q
did not acquire the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person.
Dated: _________,
___________________
__________________________________________
Signature
Form
of
Reverse Side of Rights Certificate – continued
FORM
OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To
be
executed if holder desires to exercise the Rights Certificate)
To
Charter Communications, Inc.:
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the one one-thousandths
of a
Preferred Share or other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights
and requests that certificates for such securities be issued in the name of
and
delivered to:
Please
insert social security or other identifying
number: _________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address)
If
such
number of Rights is not all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate,
a
new Rights Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights will be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please
insert social security or other identifying
number: _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address)
Dated: ___________,
__________________
__________________________________________
Signature
Signature(s)
Guaranteed:
SIGNATURE(S)
SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS,
SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE
17Ad-15.
_________________
The
undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
__________________________________________
Signature
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate q are q
are not being exercised
by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or
Associate of any such 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 q did q
did not acquire the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was, or
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person.
Dated: ______________,
_____________
__________________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
Signatures
on the foregoing Form of Assignment and Form of Election to Purchase and in
the
related Certificates 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.
In
the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the
Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company
and the Rights Agent 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 such assignment or election
purchase will not be honored.
Exhibit
C
SUMMARY
OF RIGHTS
On
August
13, 2007, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of
Charter Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), adopted a rights plan and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of
Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The dividend is
payable to our stockholders of record as of August 31, 2007. The
terms of the rights and the rights plan are set forth in a Rights Agreement,
by
and between us and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability
company, as Rights Agent, dated as of August 14, 2007 (the "Rights
Plan").
This
summary of rights provides only a general description of the Rights Plan, and
thus, should be read together with the entire Rights Plan, which is incorporated
into this summary by reference. All capitalized terms used herein but
not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Rights
Plan. Upon written request, Charter will provide a copy of the Rights
Plan free of charge to any of its stockholders.
Our
Board
adopted the Rights Plan in an effort to protect stockholder value by attempting
to protect against a possible limitation on our ability to use our net operating
loss carryforwards (the "NOLs") to reduce potential
future federal income tax obligations. We have experienced and
continue to experience substantial operating losses, and under the Internal
Revenue Code and rules promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service, we may
"carry forward" these losses in certain circumstances to offset any current
and
future earnings and thus reduce our federal income tax liability, subject to
certain requirements and restrictions. To the extent that the NOLs do
not otherwise become limited, we believe that we will be able to carry forward
a
substantial amount of NOLs, and therefore these NOLs could be a substantial
asset to us. However, if we experience an "Ownership Change," as
defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, our ability to use the
NOLs
could be substantially limited, and the timing of the usage of the NOLs could
be
substantially delayed, which could therefore significantly impair the value
of
that asset.
The
Rights Plan is intended to act as a deterrent to any person or group acquiring
5.0% or more of our outstanding Class A common stock (an "Acquiring
Person") without the approval of our Board. The
holdings of independently managed mutual funds should not be combined for
purposes of calculating ownership percentages under the Rights
Plan. Stockholders who own 5.0% or more of our outstanding Class A common
stock as of the close of business on August 31, 2007 will not trigger the Rights
Plan so long as they do not acquire any additional shares of Class A common
stock. The Rights Plan does not exempt any future acquisitions of
Class A common stock by such persons. Any rights held by an Acquiring
Person are void and may not be exercised. Our Board may, in its sole
discretion, exempt any person or group from being deemed an Acquiring Person
for
purposes of the Rights Plan.
The
Rights. Our Board authorized the issuance of one right per each
outstanding share of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock on August
31, 2007. Subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the
Rights Plan, if the rights become exercisable, each right would initially
represent the right to purchase from us one one-thousandth of a share of
our
Series
B
Junior Preferred Stock for a purchase price of $25.00. If issued,
each fractional share of preferred stock would give the stockholder
approximately the same dividend and liquidation rights as does one share of
our
Class A common stock. However, prior to exercise, a right does not
give its holder any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including without
limitation any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.
Exercisability. The
rights will not be exercisable until 10 business days after a public
announcement by us that a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person.
We
refer
to the date that the rights become exercisable as the "Distribution
Date." Until the Distribution Date, our Class A common
stock and Class B common stock certificates will evidence the rights and will
contain a notation to that effect. Any transfer of shares of Class A
common stock and/or Class B common stock prior to the Distribution Date will
constitute a transfer of the associated rights. After the
Distribution Date, no right may be transferred other than in connection with
the
transfer of the underlying shares of Class A common stock or Class B common
stock unless and until our Board has determined, with the consent of a majority
of the shares of Class B common stock, not to effect an exchange pursuant to
the
Rights Plan (as described below).
Exchange. Except
as may be determined by the Board, with the consent of a majority of the
shares
of Class B common stock, after the Distribution Date, our Board will exchange
all of the then-outstanding, valid and exercisable rights, except rights
held by
any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate, Associate or transferee of any Acquiring
Person, for 2.5 shares of Class A common stock and/or Class B common stock,
as
applicable, or an equivalent security.
"Flip-in
Event." After the Distribution Date, as
may be
determined by the Board, with the consent of a majority of the shares of Class
B
Common Stock, all holders of rights, except any Acquiring Person or any
affiliate, associate or transferee of any Acquiring Person, may exercise their
rights upon payment of the purchase price to purchase five (5) shares of our
Class A common stock and/or Class B common stock, as applicable (or other
securities or assets as determined by our Board) at a 50% discount to the then
current market price ("Purchase
Price").
Rights
may be exercised to purchase preferred shares only if the Distribution
Date occurs prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event. However,
because a Distribution Date would necessarily follow the occurrence of
a Flip-in Event, the rights could only be exercised for common stock or other
securities as described above.
Upon
an
issuance of Class A common stock and/or Class B common stock under the Rights
Plan, additional membership units will be issued to the Company, as holder
of
the Class B common membership units, by Charter Communications Holding Company,
LLC ("Holdco"), to mirror at Holdco the economic
effect of such issuance of common stock. Holders of the Holdco common
membership units that are convertible into shares of our Class B common stock
will have equivalent rights which may be exercised, on generally the same
terms
and conditions as set forth in the Rights Plan, for additional Holdco common
membership units.
Expiration. The rights and the Rights Plan will expire on the
earlier of: (i) a determination by holders of a majority of the shares of Class
B common stock to terminate the Rights Plan, (ii) the Close of Business on
December 31, 2008, (iii) the Close of Business on the date on which we make
a
public announcement (by press release, filing made with the Securities
and Exchange Commission or otherwise) that our Board has determined that the Company's Section 382 Ownership Level (as defined in the Rights Plan) dropped below 25%, (iv) the time at which the rights are redeemed as provided in the Rights Plan, and (v) the time at which the rights are exchanged as provided in the Rights Plan.
Redemption. Prior
to the Expiration Date, our Board may, at its option, redeem all but not
less
than all of the then-outstanding rights at the redemption price of $0.001
per
right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of the Rights
Plan at any time prior to the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date. Once the rights are redeemed, the right to exercise rights will
terminate, and the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive
the
redemption price.
Anti-Dilution
Provisions. Our Board may adjust the purchase price of the
preferred shares, the number of preferred shares issuable and the number
of
outstanding rights to prevent dilution that may occur as a result of certain
events, including among others, a stock dividend, a stock split or a
reclassification of the preferred shares or our Class A common stock or Class
B
common stock. No adjustments to the purchase price of less than 1%
will be made.
Amendments. Before
the Distribution Date, our Board may amend or supplement the Rights Plan
without
the consent of the holders of the Rights in respect of our Class A common
stock. After the Distribution Date, our Board may amend or supplement
the Rights Plan only to cure an ambiguity, to alter time period provisions,
to
correct inconsistent provisions, or to make any additional changes to the
Rights
Plan, but only to the extent that those changes do not impair or adversely
affect any rights holder and do not result in the rights again becoming
redeemable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and the Rights
Agent shall not supplement or amend the Rights Plan without the prior approval
of the holders of a majority of the Class B common stock.
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