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EXHIBIT 1
SOUTHTRUST CORPORATION
and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.,
Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of January 12, 1999
and Effective at the Close of Business on
February 22, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 23. Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 32. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Exhibit A: Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Exhibit B: Form of Rights Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Exhibit C: Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated January 12, 1999 and effective at
the Close of Business (as defined below) on February 22, 1999 (the
"Agreement"), between SouthTrust Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited
liability company (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, on February 22, 1989, the Board of Directors of the
Company authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right for each
share of common stock, par value $2.50 per share, of the Company, each Right
initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights,
powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation,
Preferences and Rights of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
attached as Exhibit A to that certain Rights Agreement, dated February 22,
1989, by and between the Company and Mellon Bank, N.A. (the "1989 Rights
Plan"); and
WHEREAS, the 1989 Rights Plan terminates by its own terms at
the Close of Business on February 22, 1999, and, at a meeting on December 16,
1998, the Board of Directors of the Company deemed it to be in the best
interest of the Company and its stockholders, upon the termination of the 1989
Rights Plan, to enter into this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, on December 16, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each share of common stock,
par value $2.50 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at
the Close of Business on February 22, 1999 (the "Record Date"), and has
authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be
adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date,
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a
share of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company
having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate
of Adoption of Resolutions attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meaning indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who
or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any
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Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of
any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person" has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because
(i) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of Common
Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or
(ii) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common
Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial
Ownership under this Rights Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and such Person, as promptly as practicable
divested or divests himself or itself of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an
Acquiring Person, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become
an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the
number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and thereafter become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock, then such Person
shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" unless, upon the consummation of
the acquisition of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person does not
own 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The phrase
"then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership
of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then
issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then
actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own
beneficially hereunder.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and any subsequent federal statute succeeding to the provisions
thereof.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) "Adverse Person" shall mean any person
declared to be an Adverse Person by the Board upon determination that the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such person.
(e) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in
effect on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(f) "Agreement" shall mean this Rights Agreement
as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or
amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
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(g) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner" of, and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the
right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or
only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement, or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than
these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase
or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any
time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date
or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original
Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an
adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the
right to vote or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement, or understanding (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (g)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided, however,
that nothing in this paragraph (g) shall cause a person engaged in
business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such
person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting
with the Company until the expiration of such period of time as shall
be determined by the Board.
(h) "Board" or "Board of Directors" means the
Board of Directors of the Company.
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(i) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than
a Saturday, Sunday or a day which is a legal holiday in the city in which the
principal executive offices of the Company or the Rights Agent are located.
(j) "Close of Business" on any given date shall
mean 5:00 P.M. Birmingham, Alabama time, on such date; provided, however, that
if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Birmingham,
Alabama time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(k) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock of
the Company, par value of $2.50 per share, or such other amount as may
hereinafter be designated, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity
interest) of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management of such Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another
Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned
Person.
(l) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(m) "Company" shall mean the Person named as the
"Company" in the first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor
corporation shall have become such, or until a Principal Party shall assume,
and thereafter be liable for, all obligations and duties of the Company
hereunder, pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement, and
thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor corporation or Principal Party.
(n) The term "current market price" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(o) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(p) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(q) The term "equivalent preferred stock" shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(r) "Exchange Act" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 1(e) hereof.
(s) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(t) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the Close
of Business on February 22, 2009.
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(u) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 1(g)(i) hereof.
(v) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership or other entity.
(w) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series 1999
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Company, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00
per share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms
substantially similar to the terms of the Series 1999 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock.
(x) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(y) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 4(a) and Section 7(b) hereof.
(z) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals at the beginning of the Agreement.
(aa) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(bb) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals at the beginning of the Agreement.
(cc) "Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as
the "Rights Agent" in the first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor
Rights Agent shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions
hereof, and thereafter "Rights Agent" shall mean such successor Rights Agent.
If at any time there is more than one Person appointed by the Company as Rights
Agent pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement, "Rights Agent"
shall mean and include each such Person.
(dd) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(ee) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have
the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of the Agreement.
(ff) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any
event described in clauses (A) or (B) of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(gg) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
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(hh) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event
described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ii) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(jj) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first
date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or any Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person
has become such.
(kk) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to
any Person, any corporation or other entity of which an amount of voting
securities sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors of such
corporation is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or
otherwise controlled by such Person.
(ll) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(mm) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(nn) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(oo) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section
11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company
hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company 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 in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earliest to occur of (i) the Close
of Business on the tenth (10th) day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if
the tenth (10th) day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record
Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business
on the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of
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the Company or any entity organized, appointed or established by the Company
for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan) of, or of the
first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity organized, appointed
or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee
benefit plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares
aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) the
Close of Business on the tenth day after the Board determines, pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse
Person (the earliest to occur of the events described in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii) of this paragraph (a) being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of
paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock
registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates
for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by
separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferrable only in
connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock
(including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights
Agent will, if requested and provided with all necessary information, send) by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in
the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to
Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates,
the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date or as promptly as
practicable following the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a
Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the
"Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record
holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date
(other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring
Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.
With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record
Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common
Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any
certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights
have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all
shares of Common Stock which are issued or disposed of (whether originally
issued or from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be
certificates for Rights, and all certificates issued after the date of this
Agreement representing shares of Common Stock shall bear the following legend:
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This certificate also evidences and entitles the
holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between SouthTrust Corporation (the "Company") and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of January 12, 1999 and effective at the close of
business on February 22, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), the
terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and
a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on
the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of
a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set
forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by,
any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person, or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void and will no longer be
transferable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing
legend, until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration
Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Stock shall also be registered holders of the associated
Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common
Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights
associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that
the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the
Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of
election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof)
shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate, which do not
affect the duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the
Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set
forth therein (such exercise price per one one-hundredth of a share being
called herein the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities
purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by:
(i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or any Associate or Affiliate of
any Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes
a transferee after the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becoming such and receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration)
from the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person to holders of equity interests
in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the
Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has
as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof, upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent
feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are
or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or
became an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
become null and void in the circumstances specified
in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on
behalf of the Company by its Chairman 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 manually countersigned
by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates nevertheless may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of
the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such
Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date and receipt
by the Rights Agent of all necessary information, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or
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offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights
Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of
the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of
each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on
the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the
Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock,
other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights
Certificate or Certificates 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 Rights Certificate or
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may
be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates. The Rights Agent
shall have no duty or obligation under this Section unless and until it is
satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges have been paid.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights
Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to each of 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 each of them, and
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new
Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the
registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced
thereby (except as otherwise provided herein
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including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in
Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii), Section 23(a) and Section 24(a) hereof) in
whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the
Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
on the reverse side thereof duly and properly executed, to the Rights Agent at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earliest to occur
of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or the time at which the Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof or (iii) the expiration of the
Rights pursuant to Section 13(d) (the earliest to occur of the events described
in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (a) herein being referred to
as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth
of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as
the case may be) pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
$150.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph
(c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the
certificate duly and properly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to
each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share
of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may
be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable
tax or charge, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(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 for the total number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent,
requisition from the depositary agent of depositary receipts representing such
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent), and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply
with such request; (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if
any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14
hereof; (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause
the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder; and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The
payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash or by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by
the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
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(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case
the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all
the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing Rights
equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights
Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or
an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate
or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after such Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee
prior to or concurrently with such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becoming
such and receives such rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person
with whom such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null, void and nontransferable
without any further action, and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights
whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this
Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure
that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied
with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other
Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any of their respective Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner)
or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the
Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation
or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled
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 canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or
shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such
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canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of
destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital
Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will
cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury),
the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in
this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights are to be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable,
all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i)
file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be
delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in
accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or at such time as is required by
law following the Distribution Date, a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the
expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to insure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file
such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, with
prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights
until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will
take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock (and, following
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the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that
it will pay when due and payable any and all taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any 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 a number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of one one-
hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax or charge shall have 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 satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in
whose name any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes or charges) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may
be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to
have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to
any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote,
to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise preemptive rights,
if any, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind
of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of
shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time
after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with
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a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section
11(a) and in Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the
time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that
the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the aggregate adjusted Purchase Price then in
effect necessary to exercise a Right in full, the aggregate number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Stock (or other capital stock,
as the case may be) transfer books of the Company were open, he would
have owned upon such exercise and by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 24, in the event:
(A) any Person shall become an Acquiring
Person, unless the event causing such Person to become an
Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a)
hereof or is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant
to a tender offer, or an exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company at a price and on terms
determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors of the Company who are not officers of the
Company and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates
or Associates of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person,
after receiving advice from one or more investment banking
firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders
(taking into account all factors which such members of the
Board of Directors deem relevant, including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the
Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed
to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders, or
(B) the Board shall declare any Person
to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination by the Board
that such Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, has, at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of an amount of
Common Stock which the Board determines to be substantial
(which amount shall in no event be less than 10% of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding) and a determination by a
majority of the Board who are not officers of the Company,
after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including
consultation with such Persons as such directors shall deem
appropriate, that (a) such Beneficial Ownership by such Person
is intended to cause, is
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reasonably likely to cause, or will cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person
or to take action or enter into a transaction or series of
transactions intended to provide such Person with short-term
financial gain under circumstances where the Board determines
that the best long-term interests of the Company and its
stockholders would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transaction or series of transactions at
that time or (b) such Beneficial Ownership is causing or
reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact
(including, but not limited to, by jeopardizing the Company's
or its Subsidiaries' authorizations from, or relationships
with, federal or state regulators, or impairment of the
Company's relationships with customers or its ability to
maintain its financial or competitive position) on the
business or prospects of the Company to the detriment of the
Company's stockholders,
then, promptly following the occurrence of any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, proper provision
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below
and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of
shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product
(which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred
to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the current market price per share of Common
Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares
being referred to as the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of
shares of Common Stock which are authorized by the Company's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), or in the
event that the Board of Directors of the Company determines to issue
Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below) or otherwise to make
alternative provision upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall:
(A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2)
the Purchase Price (such excess, being referred to as the "Spread"),
and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, if appropriate, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of
preferred stock which the Board has deemed to have the same value as
shares of Common Stock
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(such shares of preferred stock being referred to as "Common Stock
Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets,
or (6) any combination of the foregoing having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board based upon the advice of a investment banking
firm selected by the Board; provided, however, if the Company shall
not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause
(B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the
later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board
shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than
ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order
that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization
of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, being
referred to herein as the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be
made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value
thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue
a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, in each case, with
prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current
market price per share of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date and the value of any "Common Stock Equivalent" shall be
deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date
for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or
shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of
Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred
Stock or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price
per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock) less than the current market price per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of shares
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of Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator
of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible).
In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part
or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such
consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date
for a distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash
(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred
Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in
Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price
per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution
is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,
the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall
be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately
prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share of
Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following but not including such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market
price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a
dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of
such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and
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prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or
ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after but not
including the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or
the record date for such subdivision, or combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market
price" shall be appropriately adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are
listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation System - National Market System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock
are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the
fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares
of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so
listed or traded, "current market price" per share shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be
determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence
thereof). If the current market price per share of Preferred Stock
cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred
Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per
share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount
equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such
events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this
Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per share
of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
"current market price" of one one-hundredth of a share of
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Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one
share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent
(1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations
under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten
thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or one-millionth of a
share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of
the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section13(a) or any adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section
13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right shall become entitled to receive any
shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of
such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and
on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to
the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i),
(j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof
with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other
shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time
hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its
election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase
Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each
Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of each adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the
nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one
one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of
any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of
any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding
after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of
record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that
number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained by
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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,
with prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent. This record date may be the
date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the
Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed
to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the
option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record
in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such
holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof if required
by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price
per one one-hundredth of a share and the number of one one-hundredth of a share
which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated par value, if any,
of the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may,
in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-
hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall
require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a
record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer, with prompt
notice thereof to the Rights Agent, until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence
of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those
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adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that in
its good faith judgment the Board shall determine to be advisable in order that
any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance
wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current
market price, (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 Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it
shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to
sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other
Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one
or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x)
at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there
are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale,
the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after
the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or
Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the
time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will
diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then
outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution
Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter
associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal
the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each
share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(q) The failure by the Board to declare a Person
to be an Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of
10% or more of the outstanding Common
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Stock shall not imply that such Person is not an Adverse Person or limit the
Board's right at any time in the future to declare such Person to be an Adverse
Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting
forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts and computations
accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and
with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy
of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall have no duty with
respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of, any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such certification.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock
Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate
with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the
Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company
in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate
with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in
connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the
Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries
shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
Person or Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in
one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof),
then, and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d)
hereof), proper provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right,
except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized
and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common
Stock of the Principal Party, free of all liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by
(1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths of a share for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the
current market price
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per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of
consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event,
all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii)
the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party,
it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall
apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a),
the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of
Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or
consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is
the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the
Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets
or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, or more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph
(a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration
statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights on an
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appropriate form, and will use
its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become
effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (B) remain
effective (with a prospectus at all
times meeting the requirements of
the Act) until the Expiration Date;
and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the
Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party
and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act;
(iii) use its best efforts to obtain any
necessary regulatory approvals in
respect of the Common Stock of the
Principal Party subject to purchase
upon exercise of outstanding Rights;
and
(iv) use its best efforts, if the Common
Stock of the Principal Party shall
be listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange or on
another national securities
exchange, to list or admit to
trading (or continue the listing of)
the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on the New York Stock
Exchange or such securities
exchange, or, if the Common Stock of
the Principal Party shall not be
listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange or a
national securities exchange, to
cause the Rights and the securities
receivable upon exercise of the
Rights to be authorized for
quotation on NASDAQ or on such other
system then in use.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction in
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock which complies with that portion of Section 11(a)(ii)(A) relating
to a determination by a majority of the members of the Board who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person and
who are not officers of the Company that such tender offer or exchange offer is
fair to the stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and
its stockholders, all as set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) hereof (or a wholly
owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of
Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share
of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same
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as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange
offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section
13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
(e) The provisions of this Section 13 shall
similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other
transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after
the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not
theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner
described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in
Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence
fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of
this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The
closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on
which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the
Board. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board shall be used.
(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-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not
integral multiples of one one-hundredth 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-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value
of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth
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.
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(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common
Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common
Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one
share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of
the Rights expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section
14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in
respect of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in
his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain
any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act
in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights,
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of
a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6(a) and
Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the
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Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability
to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by
a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligations; provided,
however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree
or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled
to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of 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
stockholder at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from
time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the
administration, preparation, delivery, amendment and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The
Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand,
settlement, cost or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken,
suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement and
the termination and expiration of the Rights. The reasonable costs and
expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by
the Company. 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 of the likelihood of
such loss or damage.
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(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 administration of this
Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common
Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to
be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of
counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent.
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any 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 of filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such Person would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall
succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights
Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver
such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the
Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights
Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement
upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the
holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal
counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion
of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent as to any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith
and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
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(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 or Adverse Person and the determination of "current market
price") be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or
omitting 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 President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, or the Secretary
of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full 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 in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance
upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder
only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or
by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this
Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same
(except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the
Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any
liability or responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible
for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual
notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to
make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock
or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform,
execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed,
acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and
assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying
out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and
directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from any Person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by
it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
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(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder,
director, Affiliate, Associate, 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 or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent
shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or
misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No provisions of this Agreement shall require
the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that
repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting
with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under
this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company,
and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and
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 corporation
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or the laws of
any state of the United States, or District of Columbia, in good standing,
which is authorized to do business under such laws and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $300,000,000 or (b) an
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Affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a) of this sentence. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as
Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent
shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the
time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the
effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof
in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the
Common Stock and Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its 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 of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of
the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so
issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by its counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences
to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued,
and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option, at
any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth (10th)
day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date
shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
tenth (10th) day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date,
redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $0.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not redeem
any Rights following its determination that any Person is an Adverse Person.
If, following the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the
expiration of the right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering
Event, (i) a Person who is an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or
otherwise disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or
series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering
Event such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 10% or
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less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (ii) there are no other
Persons, immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause
(i), who are Acquiring Persons, and (iii) the Board shall so approve, then the
right of redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject to the
provisions of this Section 23(a). Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right
of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the
Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market
Price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock; provided, however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such redemption. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or any Person
is determined to an Adverse Person under Section 11(a)(ii)(B), exchange all or
part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include
Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange with
prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
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validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any
such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as
they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in
the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the
Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent
preferred shares) for Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial
rate of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share)
for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect the adjustments in
the voting rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so
that the fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share
shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share. The Company may also,
at its option, substitute for each Common Share that would otherwise be
issuable upon exchange of a Right a number of Preferred Shares (or equivalent
preferred shares) or fraction thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number of fraction is equal to
the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common
Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of
any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution
to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend
out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the
holders of the Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any
class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or
more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof),
or (v) to effect the
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liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company then, in each such case,
the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate and the Rights
Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action,
which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend,
distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the
shares of 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 twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of
the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
SouthTrust Corporation
000 00xx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
XxxxxXxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Relationship Manager
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-
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class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the other provisions of this Section 27, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
certificates representing shares of Common Stock or holders of Rights. From
and after the Distribution Date and subject to the other provisions of this
Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder
in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall
not adversely affect the interest of the holders of Rights Certificates (other
than an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person); provided, however, this Agreement may not
be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such
time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless
such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the
rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of
a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, and such supplement or amendment does not change or increase the
Rights Agent's duties, liabilities or obligations, the Rights Agent shall
execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which
changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right is exercisable. Furthermore, the Company may not amend this Agreement
following the determination that any Person is an Adverse Person. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions
of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent
shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. Except as otherwise provided herein, for all purposes of this
Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is
the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of
Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act. The Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights, to
declare that a Person is an Adverse Person or to amend the Agreement). All
such actions, calculations,
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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 member thereof to any liability to the holders
of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision,
covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be
affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision,
covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void
or unenforceable and the Board determines in its good faith judgment that
severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the
purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in
Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of
Business on the tenth (10th) day following the date of such determination by
the Board.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right
and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract
made under the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its principles
of conflicts of laws, and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts
made and to be performed entirely within the State of Delaware.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all
purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings
of 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.
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41
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: SOUTHTRUST CORPORATION
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Title: Secretary, Treasurer and Title: Chairman and Chief
Controller Executive Officer
Attest: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES, L.L.C.,
AS RIGHTS AGENT
By /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
----------------------------- ---------------------------
Title: Vice President Title: Assistant Vice President
---------------------------- ---------------------------
38
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND
RIGHTS OF SERIES 1999 JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
SOUTHTRUST CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
We, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx., the Chairman of the Board of Directors of
SouthTrust Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, the Secretary of the Corporation, in accordance with the provisions of
Section 103 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DO HEREBY
CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of
Directors on December 16, 1998 adopted the following resolutions creating a
series of 2,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that subject to the filing of this resolution with the
appropriate officials in accordance with Delaware law, and in accordance with
the authority granted by Article IV of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of the Corporation, as amended, a series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per
share, consisting of 2,000,000 shares, is hereby established and authorized to
be issued, such Preferred Stock to have the following designation, powers,
preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as the "Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the
number of shares constituting such series shall be 2,000,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends,
the holders of shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out
of funds legally available for that purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash
on the 30th day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such
date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $10.00 or (b)
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subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, par value $2.50 per share, of the
Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series
1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time after the Close of Business on February 22, 1999 (the "Rights
Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then, in each such
case, the amount to which holders of shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a)
above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that,
in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on
the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be
payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series
1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such
shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to
receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro
rata on a share by share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of
shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive
payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall
be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
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(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then, in each such case, the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by
a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend on all shares of Series
1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, all
holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of the Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall, in addition to all other voting rights which the holders of shares of the
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock may have, have the right to
elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting rights of the holders
of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised initially
at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(c)
or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of
stockholders, provided that neither such voting rights nor the right of the
holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in certain
cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be exercised unless the holders
of not less than ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy at such meeting. The absence
of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the
holders of Preferred Stock of such voting rights. At any meeting at which the
holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting rights initially during an
existing default period, they shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect
Directors to fill such vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then
exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual
meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number which may be so elected at
any special meeting does not amount to the required number, the holders of the
Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the Directors as
shall be necessary to permit the election by them of the required number. After
the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect
Directors in any default period and during the continuance of such period, the
number of Directors
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shall not be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred
Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity securities
ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series 1999 Junior Participating Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to elect
Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders
owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request, the
calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting
shall thereupon be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the
President, a Vice-President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such
meeting and of any annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote pursuant to this paragraph (c)(iii) shall be given to each
holder of record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at
his last address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not later than
60 days after such order or request; or in default of the calling of such
meeting within 60 days after such order or request, such meeting may be called
on similar notice by any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not
less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (c)(iii), no such
special meeting shall be called during the period within 60 days immediately
preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and other
classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be entitled
to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders of Preferred Stock
shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a class,
after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall have been
elected by such holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y)
any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in paragraph
(c)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining
Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected
the Director whose office shall become vacant. References in this paragraph (c)
to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class of stock shall include
Directors elected by such Directors to fill vacancies as provided in clause (y)
of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the
right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Preferred Stock
as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such number
as may be provided for in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
(c)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by
the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by
a majority of the remaining Directors.
(d) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except
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to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set
forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on,
or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation) to the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on 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 of the Corporation) with the Series 1999
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on
which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation) with the Series 1999
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series 1999
Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
on a parity with the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except in
accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and
equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation
in any manner whatsoever shall
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be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be
created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any voluntary
or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of Common Stock or any
other stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding-up) to the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock unless prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have received the higher of $100.00 per
share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions
thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, or an aggregate
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to the
holders of Common Stock; nor (ii) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up) with the
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except distributions made
ratably on the Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all other
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 Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then, in each
such case, the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
under the provision in clause (i) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter 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 any such case the shares of
Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 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 Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then, in each such
case, the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
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Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock
as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms
of any such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series 1999 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series 1999 Participating preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series 1999 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the
holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting
rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit
of all other rights of holders of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate
and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this 22nd day
of February, 1999.
----------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Chairman of the Board of Directors
ATTEST:
--------------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Secretary
[CORPORATE SEAL]
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- _____________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER FEBRUARY 22, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $___ PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ADVERSE
PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME
AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED
HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(E)
OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
SouthTrust Corporation
----------------------------------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable, and shall replace the preceding sentence.
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This certifies that _____________ , or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement dated as of ___________ , 199__ (the "Rights Agreement"), between
SouthTrust Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
_____________ , a _____________ (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the
Company at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (Birmingham, Alabama time) on February
22, 2009 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid,
non-assessable share of Series 1999 Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $150.00 per one
one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender
of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related
Certificate duly executed. The number of rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of the Close of Business (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) on February 22, 1999, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at
such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Associate or Affiliate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), which the Company's Board of Directors, in its sole
discretion, determines is or was involved in or caused or facilitated, directly
or indirectly (including through any change in the Board), such Section
11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse Person,
Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after such Acquiring Person,
Adverse Person, Associate or Affiliate becomes such, or (iii) under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of any such
Acquiring Person, Adverse Person, Associate or Affiliate who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall
have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
all as specified in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders or the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for
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another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may (unless the Board of Directors shall have made a
determination that a Person is an Adverse Person) be redeemed by the Company at
its option at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right at any time prior to the
earlier of the close of business on (i) the twentieth day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date (as defined in the Rights
Agreement). After the expiration of the redemption period, the Company's right
of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial
ownership to 10% or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a
transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company, and such
reinstatement is approved by the Company's Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (excluding Rights held by an Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person that have become null and void) for shares of Common Stock at
an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted
to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, or similar transaction.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors cannot effect such
exchange at any time after any person, together with all affiliates and
associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
will be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio described
above. The Company will not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company will pay to the
registered holders of the Right certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock.
No fractional share of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise
of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
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No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give 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 shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of , 19 .
--------------- --
SOUTHTRUST CORPORATION
By
----------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Secretary
-------------------------------------
AS RIGHTS AGENT
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
By
-------------------------------------
Authorized Signature
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[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
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hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
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(Please print name and address of transferee)
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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: , 19 .
------------------ --
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Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) This Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: , 19 . --------------------------------
---------------------- -- Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: SOUTHTRUST CORPORATION:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
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(Please print name and address)
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If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other Identifying number
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(Please print name and address)
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Dated: , , 19 .
-------------------- ------ -----
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Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: , 19 .
-------------------- ----- ---- ----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On December 16, 1998, the Board of Directors of SouthTrust Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each
outstanding share of Common Stock of the Company to stockholders of record at
the close of business on February 22, 1999. Each Right will, when exercisable,
entitle the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of
one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series 1999 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a
purchase price of $150.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase
Price"). The terms of the Preferred Stock are such that one Unit is essentially
equivalent to one share of Common Stock. Preferred Stock, rather than Common
Stock, is used to implement the plan in order to avoid having to reserve a large
amount of Common Stock for the Rights. Upon certain events described below, the
Rights entitle the holder to receive Common Stock of the Company or securities
of an acquiring company. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth
in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent.
Until the Distribution Date (defined below):
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates
and will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock
certificates and no separate Rights Certificates will be
distributed,
(ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after close of business
on February 22, 1999 will contain a notation incorporating the
Rights Agreement by reference, and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on February 22, 2009, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below (the "Expiration Date").
Unless previously redeemed, the Rights will separate from the Common
Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier to occur of:
(i) The tenth day after a public announcement that a person (an
"Acquiring Person") or any associate or affiliate of an
Acquiring Person has acquired, or obtained the right to
acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock,
(ii) The tenth business day after the commencement of, or public
announcement of an intention to commence, a tender offer or
exchange offer that would
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result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or
(iii) The tenth day after the Board of Directors of the Company
declares any person to be an Adverse Person, upon a
determination by the Board of Directors that such person,
alone or together with its affiliates and associates, has
become the beneficial owner of an amount of Common Stock which
is substantial (which amount shall in no event be less than
10% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding) and that
(a) such person's ownership is intended to cause the Company
to repurchase the Common Stock owned by such person or to take
other action to provide such person with short-term financial
gain where the best long-term interests of the Company and its
stockholders would not be served by taking such action at that
time or (b) such person's ownership may cause a material
adverse impact (including by jeopardizing the Company's
authorizations from, or relationships with, federal or state
regulators, or impairment of the Company's relationships with
customers or its ability to maintain its financial or
competitive position) on the business or prospects of the
Company to the detriment of the Company's stockholders.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any
associate or affiliate of any Acquiring Person) and, thereafter, the separate
Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date will be issued
with Rights.
Subject to the right of the Board of Directors to redeem or exchange
the Rights (as described more fully below), in the event that
(i) the Board of Directors determines that a 10% or more
stockholder is an Adverse Person, or
(ii) a person becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant to an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the
independent directors determine to be fair to and otherwise in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders -- a
"Fair Offer"),
each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Company or a reduction in the Purchase Price) having a market value of
twice the Purchase Price of the Right. In other words, the Rights holders other
than the Acquiring Person may purchase shares of Common Stock at a 50% discount.
The Stock Acquisition Date is the date of public announcement that an
Acquiring Person, or any associate or affiliate of an Acquiring Person, has
acquired or obtained the right to acquire
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beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction in which the Company is not the
surviving corporation or in which the Company's Common Stock
is changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of
any other person, cash or any other property (other than a
merger which follows, and is at the same price as, a Fair
Offer), or
(ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole is sold or
transferred,
each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set
forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise
price of the Right. In other words, the Rights holders may purchase the
acquiring company's stock at a 50% discount.
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date (unless
the ten-day period is extended pursuant to the amendment provisions discussed
below), at a price of $0.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock, or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). The Company may not
redeem the Rights if the Board of Directors has previously declared a person to
be an Adverse Person. After the redemption period has expired, the Company's
right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces its
beneficial ownership to 10% or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in
a transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company. Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $0.01 per Right redemption price.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any person becomes an Acquiring Person or is determined to be an Adverse
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(excluding Rights held by an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person that have become
null and void) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend, or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors cannot effect such exchange at any time after any person, together
with all affiliates and associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner
of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon
the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any
Rights and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of
such Rights will be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio
described above. The Company will not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock
or distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company will pay to the
registered holders of the Right certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock.
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Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights (Purchase Price, expiration date, redemption price), any of the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in
order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the
interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person
or any Adverse Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the
Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing a redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are not
redeemable.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
securities of the acquiring company as set forth above.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidence of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
A copy of the Rights Agreement will be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
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