HAGGAR CORP. and MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, Rights Agent
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HAGGAR CORP.
and
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC,
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of October 10, 2002
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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 | 9 | ||
Section 7 | Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights | 10 | ||
Section 8 | Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates | 12 | ||
Section 9 | Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock | 12 | ||
Section 10 | Preferred Stock Record Date | 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 | 22 | ||
Section 13 | Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power | 22 | ||
Section 14 | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | 24 | ||
Section 15 | Rights of Action | 26 | ||
Section 16 | Agreement of Rights Holders | 26 | ||
Section 17 | Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder | 27 | ||
Section 18 | Concerning the Rights Agent | 27 | ||
Section 19 | Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent | 28 | ||
Section 20 | Duties of Rights Agent | 29 | ||
Section 21 | Change of Rights Agent | 31 | ||
Section 22 | Issuance of New Rights Certificates | 32 | ||
Section 23 | Redemption | 33 | ||
Section 24 | Exchange | 33 | ||
Section 25 | Notice of Certain Events | 34 | ||
Section 26 | Notices | 35 | ||
Section 27 | Supplements and Amendments | 36 | ||
Section 28 | Successors | 37 | ||
Section 29 | Determinations and Actions by the Board | 37 | ||
Section 30 | Benefits of this Agreement | 38 | ||
Section 31 | Severability | 38 | ||
Section 32 | GOVERNING LAW | 39 | ||
Section 33 | Counterparts | 39 | ||
Section 34 | Descriptive Headings | 39 | ||
Exhibit A |
Description of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock |
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Exhibit B | Form of Rights Certificate | |||
Exhibit C | Form of Summary of Rights |
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THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 10, 2002, between HAGGAR CORP., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the "Rights Agent").
WHEREAS, on October 10, 2002 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") authorized and declared a dividend of one (1) preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on October 21, 2002 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one (1) Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to 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 earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, excluding all Family Shares from shares beneficially owned, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" (i) solely as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company that, 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 of the Company then outstanding, (ii) solely as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Complying Offer, unless and until such time as (x) such Person shall purchase or otherwise become (as a result of actions taken by such Person or its Affiliates or Associates) the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Common Stock constituting one percent (1%) or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock other than pursuant to a Complying Offer, or (y) any other Person who is the Beneficial Owner of one percent (1%) or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall thereafter become an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, or (iii) if, as of August 30, 2001, such Person shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, unless and until such time as such Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding shares of Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional share or shares of Common Stock, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) "Act" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(c) hereof.
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(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of 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 (as hereinafter defined), 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) that 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 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 or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated 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) that 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 or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph) or disposing of any securities of the Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition and no Person shall be deemed to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", any Common Stock or other securities such Person has acquired or has the right to acquire pursuant to any stock options or other rights issued under an employee benefit plan of the Company so long as such securities, options or rights were granted to such Person while such Person was an employee of the Company.
(f) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which national banking associations or other banking institutions in the States of Texas or New Jersey are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(h) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Dallas, Texas time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Dallas, Texas time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(i) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the ultimate parent corporation of such other Person.
(j) "common stock equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(k) "Company" shall mean Haggar Corp., a Nevada corporation, or, in case of a Section 13 Event, shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) hereof.
(l) "Complying Offer" shall mean a tender offer or an exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board who are not officers of the Company, after receiving advice from, among other advisors, one (1) or more recognized investment banking firms, to be (i) at a price that is fair to stockholders (taking into account all factors that such members of the Board deem relevant including, without limitation, prices that could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (ii) otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
(m) [Intentionally omitted.]
(n) "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) "equivalent preferred stock" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(r) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(s) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24 hereof.
(t) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(u) "Family Shares" shall mean, at any particular time, all shares of Common Stock at such time beneficially owned solely by Persons falling within any one (1) or more of categories (i), (ii) and (iii) below:
(i) lineal descendants (including persons adopted into the line of descent) of X.X. Xxxxxx, Xx.;
(ii) spouses of such lineal descendants, including surviving spouses of deceased lineal descendants and excluding divorced former spouses of lineal descendants; or
(iii) trusts or estates of which the principal beneficiary or beneficiaries are Persons falling within any one (1) or more of categories (i) or (ii) above and fiduciaries of such trusts or estates in their capacities as such fiduciaries.
The fact that one (1) or more beneficiaries of a trust or estate falling within category (iii) above who are not Persons falling within either of categories (i) or (ii) above may be deemed to be a Beneficial Owner of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such trust or estate solely by reason of being a beneficiary or beneficiaries thereof shall not remove such shares from the category of Family Shares.
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(v) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(w) "holder" of Rights or Common Stock shall mean the registered holder thereof as reflected in the registry books of the Rights Agent, with respect to Rights, or the transfer agent for the Common Stock, with respect to the Common Stock.
(x) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(e)(i) hereof.
(y) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise), thereof or thereto.
(z) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Company, with the rights, preferences and designations described in Exhibit A hereto, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(aa) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(bb) "Purchase Price" shall have the meanings set forth in Section 4(a), Section 7(b), Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 13(a), respectively.
(cc) "Record Date" shall mean October 21, 2002.
(dd) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(ee) "Right" shall mean the one (1) preferred share purchase right for each share of Common Stock of the Company authorized and declared as a dividend on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date.
(ff) "Rights Agent" shall mean Mellon Investor Services LLC, or its successor from time to time serving as such under this Agreement.
(gg) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(hh) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall mean October 10, 2002.
(ii) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof.
(jj) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(kk) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof,
(ll) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(mm)"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(nn) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any Person of which an amount of voting securities or other equity interests with voting power sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors, or other governing body, of such Person, is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(oo) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(pp) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(qq) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(rr) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
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Section 2
Appointment of Rights Agent
The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights 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 earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day after the date that a tender or exchange offer (other than a Complying Offer) by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, in each case unless the applicable time period is extended as provided in Section 3(d) hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii), as the same may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d), 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) each Right will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (or 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 (1) or more Rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one (1) 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. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company shall confirm same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not occurred.
(b) 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 to whom the Company has not previously sent a copy of the Summary of Rights, 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 holders of the Common Stock shall
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also be the holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock that become outstanding (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Haggar Corp. (the "Company") and Mellon Investor Services LLC (the "Rights Agent") dated as of October 10, 2002, as may be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal office 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 beneficially owned by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, 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 holders of Common Stock shall also be the 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 shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock that are no longer outstanding.
(d) The ten (10) Business Day time periods provided for in Section 3(a), and thus the Distribution Date, may be extended at any time or times prior to the expiration of the applicable original or extended time period by action of a majority of the Board. Promptly after any such extension, the Company shall give written notice of such extension to the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice, or any defects therein, shall not affect the validity of any such extension.
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), when, as and if issued, 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 (but which do not affect the rights, 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 or inter-dealer quotation system 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
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distributed, shall be dated as of the date of authentication 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 thereon at the price set forth thereon (such exercise price per one one-hundredths of a share to be referred to herein as the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect of avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent the Rights Agent has knowledge thereof and to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Rights Agreement.
Section 5
Countersignature and Registration
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board (if any), 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 that 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 (or by facsimile, if permitted by law) 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, receipt by the Rights Agent of notice to that effect and all other relevant information referred to in Section 3(a), the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, 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.
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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), Section 14 and Section 24 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 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 holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the 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 or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from the holders of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates. The Rights Agent shall promptly forward any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such Persons as the Company shall specify by written notice. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any action under any Section of this Agreement which requires the payment by a Rights holder of applicable taxes and governmental charges unless and until it is satisfied that all such taxes and/or governmental charges have been paid.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date by surrendering the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the related certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed and properly completed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares, 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 of (i) the Close of Business on October 10, 2012 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as
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provided in Section 24 hereof (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or assets, as the case may be) pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $45.00 and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States 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 related certificate duly executed and properly completed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid under Section 9(e) hereof, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(j) 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 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 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 holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the holder of any Rights Certificates 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 holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
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continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person as a result of the Company making or failing to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of such Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a holder of Rights or other securities upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such holder shall have (i) properly completed and duly executed the related 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 cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificates purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of 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 may be listed on any national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares and/or other securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quotation system 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
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by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof or as soon as is required by law, as the case may be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the issuance of 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, or (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date referred to 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. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes a public announcement pursuant to this Section 9(c) and give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. 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, and shall notify the Rights Agent in writing of such suspension. 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 with respect thereto 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 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 and/or other securities (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 governmental charges that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of 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 that 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 maybe) in respect of a name other than that of, the 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 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 or the Rights Agent'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) issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such
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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 governmental 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 any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11
Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number
and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights
The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Date (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of 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 Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he, she or it would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one (1) Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one (1) Right. If an event occurs that 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 of this Agreement, in the event that:
(A) any Person shall at any time after the Record Date become an Acquiring Person and a Stock Acquisition Date with respect to such Person shall have occurred; or
(B) any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person, directly or indirectly, shall merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination and the Common Stock shall remain outstanding and unchanged;
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then, promptly following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e) 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 (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares to be referred to herein as the "Adjustment Shares"); provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii); and provided, further, that if the provisions of Section 13 hereof are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in respect of such transaction, then the provisions of this Section 11 shall be applicable to such transaction.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock that are authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the 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, 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, (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 that the Board has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock to be referred to herein 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 recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board (which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons); 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 (with prompt written notice of such extension to the Rights Agent), 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, 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
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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. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes a public announcement pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii) and give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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"), 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 is convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 of Preferred Stock that 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); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one (1) Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one (1) Right. 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, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for 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, but including any dividend payable in stock other than 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 (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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,
14
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 (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for such 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 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 (which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons) 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 and binding 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
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"current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to one hundred (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, the "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-hundredths (1/100ths) of a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one (1) share of Preferred Stock divided by one hundred (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 that 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 (1/10,000th) of a share of Common Stock or other share or one-millionth (1/1,000,000th) 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 that mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than 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 Xxxxxxxx 00(x), (x), (x), (x), (x), (x), (x), (x) and (k), 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 such 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 (1/1,000,000th)) 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 (1/10,000th)) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement
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(with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and delivered by the Company, and countersigned and delivered by the Rights Agent, 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-hundredths of a share and the number of one one-hundredths of a share that were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that 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 written 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 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 or of Preferred Stock or securities that by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iii) stock dividends or (iv) 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.
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(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 that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer) in one (1) transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow 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 (1) 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 that 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 or 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 Record 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 will be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12
Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the computations and facts 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 and entitled to conclusively rely on any such certificate and on the correctness of any adjustment therein contained and shall have no duty or liability with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of, any adjustment unless and until it shall have received such a certificate. Any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 11 or 13 hereof shall be effective as of the date of the event giving rise to such adjustment.
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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 that 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 that 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 (1) or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) in a transaction or in a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one (1) 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, nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then 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 then number of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) The term "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
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(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, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one (1) Person, the Common Stocks of two (2) 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 that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in Paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Complying Offer (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 Complying Offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to Complying Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the holders of the Rights
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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 such 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 the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System/National Market System 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 dosing 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, except as provided in Section 7(c) hereof, fractions that are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided in Section 7(c) hereof, fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the 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 (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-hundredth (1/100th) 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.
(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 that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the 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 (1) share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one (1) 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.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
(e) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such payment and the prices and/or formulas utilized in calculating such payments, and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon such a certificate and shall have no duty with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the
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payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent shall have received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
(a) All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other than rights of action given to the Rights Agent pursuant to Section 18 and Section 20 hereof, are vested in the respective holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the holders of the Common Stock); and any 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 such holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach by the Company of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations by the Company of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, judgment, decree or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court or by a governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, that the Company must use all reasonable efforts to have any such injunction, order, judgment, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
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 office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary;
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(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible; and
(e) such holder shall be bound by the provisions of Section 20 hereof.
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 that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18
Concerning the Rights Agent
(a) As consideration for its agreement to act as the Rights Agent hereunder, the Company agrees to promptly pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and expenses of defending against and appealing any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the exercise or expiration of the Rights and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, 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
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otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice in writing.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, 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), whether or not the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
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 Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, 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 Rights Agent 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 to perform only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company or an employee of the Rights Agent), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter
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(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 (if any), the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction). Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or the Rights Certificates, and the Rights Agent shall not be required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificate). All such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability for or be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof or responsible for the manner or method used to determine the amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12 hereof, upon which the Rights Agent may rely); 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 the Chairman of the Board (if any), 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 such instructions shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. The Rights Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the most recent instructions received by any such officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or suffered or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date
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shall not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken, suffered or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any member, stockholder, affiliate, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent or any such member, stockholder, affiliate, director, officer or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself (through its directors, officers and employees) 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 or any other Person resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof (each as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction).
(j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause (1) and/or (2) thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
(k) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
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 known to the Rights Agent, 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 such holder's Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any 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 Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer powers
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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 $25,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of such a Person. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the 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 outstanding, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities issued by the Company on or prior to the Distribution Date 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 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.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the Distribution Date following the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time and on such bases and conditions as the Board, in its sole discretion, may establish. 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," as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.
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(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights 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 ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give written notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice that 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.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, cause the Company to 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 shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any Person holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of such exchange (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the legality or validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company, should the Board order any such exchange, shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the 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
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same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (d), the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one (1) share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25
Notice of Certain Events
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of 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 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 (1) or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one (1) transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the assets, cash flow 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 (1) or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of Common Stock) then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible (solely in the case of each holder of a Rights Certificate) and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of 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 the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible (solely in the case of each holder of a Rights Certificate) 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.
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
29
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) or by facsimile transmission as follows:
Haggar
Corp.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chairman of the Board
Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
with a copy to:
Haggar
Corp.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, 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) or by facsimile transmission as follows:
Mellon
Investor Services LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Relationship Manager
Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
with a copy to:
Mellon
Investor Services LLC
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27
Supplements and Amendments
Prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in writing without the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement in writing 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 that 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 hereof in any manner that the Company may deem
30
necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the interests of the holder of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at a time when the Rights are not 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 and, if requested by the Rights Agent, an opinion of counsel, that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (a) no supplement or amendment shall be made that 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; provided, however, that at any time prior to (i) the existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, the Board may amend this Agreement to increase the Purchase Price and (b) the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any supplement or amendment that affects the Rights Agent's own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under this Agreement and it shall not be bound by any such supplement or amendment not executed by it. 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.
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
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 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 or to amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board (or, where specifically provided for herein, certain specified members thereof) in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights. The fact that any determination or failure to make a determination hereunder may provide or fail to provide benefits to stockholders, to holders of Rights or to members of the Board shall not in itself be deemed an absence of good faith on the part of the Board. No member of the Board shall be personally liable for any act or omission in the making or not
31
making of any determination under this Agreement. The Rights Agent is entitled always to assume the Board acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
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 holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, 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 holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, holders of the Common Stock).
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, if it shall have expired, shall be reinstated and such right shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision of this Agreement requiring that a determination be made by less than the entire Board is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the entire Board.
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 NEVADA AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ALL PROVISIONS REGARDING THE RIGHTS, DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE RIGHTS AGENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE.
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.
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Section 34
Descriptive Headings
Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: | HAGGAR CORP. | |||||
By: |
/s/ XXXX X. XXXXXX Xxxx X. Xxxxxx Senior Vice President and General Counsel |
By: |
/s/ XXXXX XXXXX Xxxxx Xxxxx Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
|||
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, as Rights Agent |
||||||
/s/ XXXXX XXXX Xxxxx Xxxx Vice President |
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Description of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
The dividend to the stockholders of Haggar Corp. (the "Corporation") of the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of the preferred stock of the Corporation, $.10 par value per share, (the "Preferred Stock"), designated as Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock ("Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock"), for each share of Common Stock of the Corporation owned by such stockholders, shall have the powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, optional and other special rights set forth below upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter provided.
The shares of such series shall be designated as "Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 250,000.
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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series B 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 the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of September, December, March and June 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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $5.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, one hundred (100) times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and one hundred (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 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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after October 21, 2002 (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 B 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.
At the end of each quarter, the Corporation shall determine the aggregate per share amount of the dividend or distribution to which the shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock are entitled, and shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock on the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date; provided 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 $5.00 per share on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
A-1
To the extent not paid, dividends on outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series B 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 B 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 B 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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
The holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on 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 B 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.
In addition to such voting rights as may from time to time be required by the laws of Nevada, the holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall vote at such times and in a like manner as holders of Common Stock may vote, one (1) vote for each share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock held, and all shares of the Corporation shall be voted as a single class, except where specifically required by law to vote separately.
Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (as provided in the foregoing paragraphs of this resolution) are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series B 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 (other than dividends or distributions in shares of stock junior to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock), 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) to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
A-2
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on (other than dividends or distributions in shares of stock junior to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock) any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B 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) except as permitted by subparagraph (iv) immediately below, 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) with the Series B 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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series B 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.
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 the immediately preceding paragraph of this resolution purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Any shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such 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.
Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up
Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received the greater of (a) $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 (b) an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to one hundred (100) times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock. 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 to which holders of shares of Series B Participating Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
A-3
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.
In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series B liquidation preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then such assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to one hundred (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 B 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.
The Series B 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.
So long as any shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B 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 B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holders' fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
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Certificate No. R- | _____Rights |
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 10, 2012 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS 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.]*
- *
- The bracketed portion of the legend shall be inserted only if applicable, and shall replace the preceding sentence.
Rights Certificate
HAGGAR CORP.
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 October 10, 2002 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Haggar Corp., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 PM (Dallas, Texas time) on October 10, 2012 at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $45.00 per one one-hundredth (1/100th) 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 Purchase Price may be paid in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of October 10, 2002 based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities that may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including a Triggering Event (as such term is defined 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 of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary
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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 principal office of the Company and are available upon written request to the Company.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (iii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing 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 be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement) following the Stock Acquisition Date and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
In addition, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company may exchange the Rights evidenced by this Certificate for Common Stock of the Company at an exchange ratio of one (1) share of Common Stock per Right, subject to adjustment as set forth in the Rights Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such exchange may be made at any time after any Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock of the Company.
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 (1/100th) of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this 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 that 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 , 20 | ||||||
ATTEST: |
HAGGAR CORP. |
|||||
Secretary |
By: |
President |
||||
Countersigned: |
||||||
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, 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 ____________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________, 20__. | ||
Signature |
||
Signature Guaranteed: |
||
- *
- Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate—continued]
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) This Rights Certificate [ ]is [ ] is not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) After due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, I [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _________, 20__. | ||
Signature |
||
Signature Guaranteed: |
||
- *
- Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
Notices
The signatures 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.
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate also must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
In the event the Certificate set forth above is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and the Assignment will not be honored.
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate-continued]
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: HAGGAR CORP.
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 that 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 tax identifying number: ______________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address here)
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 tax identifying number: ______________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address here)
Dated: _________, 20__. | ||
Signature |
||
Signature Guaranteed: |
||
- *
- Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate-continued]
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 or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) After due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, I [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _________, 20__. | ||
Signature |
||
Signature Guaranteed: |
||
- *
- Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
Notices
The signatures 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.
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
In the event the Certificate set forth above is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and the Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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On October 10, 2002, the Board of Directors of Haggar Corp. (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.10 per share (the "Common Stock") of the Company. The dividend is payable on October 21, 2002 (the "Record Date") to stockholders of record at that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at an exercise price of $45.00 (the "Purchase Price") per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a "Distribution Date" will occur at the close of business on the earliest of (i) the tenth business day following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (unless the person becomes the owner of 15% solely by reason of share purchases by the Company or pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the Company to be at a price and on terms that are fair to stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, in which case the rights will not detach unless as a result of actions taken by such person or his affiliates or associates such person becomes the beneficial owner of 1% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock other than pursuant to a tender or exchange offer as described above) (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) the tenth business day following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than a tender offer or exchange offer described in (i) above). The Distribution Date may be extended prior to the expiration of the applicable time period by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors.
Certain exceptions have been put in the Rights Agreement in order to ensure that descendants of X.X. Xxxxxx, Xx. and their affiliates and associates are not by virtue of their share ownership automatically deemed to be Acquiring Persons thereby triggering the provisions described herein.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued (whether upon transfer or new issuance) after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificate of Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the close of business on October 10, 2012, unless earlier redeemed by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
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In the event that (i) a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and a Stock Acquisition Date with respect to such Person shall have occurred or (ii) an Acquiring Person shall merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination and the Common Stock shall remain outstanding and unchanged, 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) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of either of the events set forth in this paragraph until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of either of the events set forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void.
For example, at an exercise price of $45.00 per Right, each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties and transferees) following either of the events set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $90.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above), determined pursuant to a formula set forth in the Rights Agreement, for $45.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share market price of $15.00 at such time, as determined pursuant to such formula, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase six shares of Common Stock for $45.00.
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 is the surviving corporation, but its Common Stock is changed or exchanged, or (ii) more than 50% of the Company's assets, cash flow or earning power 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.
At any time after an Acquiring Person becoming such, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person, which will have become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such exchange may be effected at any time after any Person (other than the Company and certain of its affiliates) becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) 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 evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued, except for integral multiples of one-one hundredth of a share, and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until the close of business on the Distribution Date following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights
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will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 per Right redemption price.
Although 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 Preferred Stock or Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above or in the event that the Rights are redeemed.
Prior to the Distribution Date, the Company may amend any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement (other than the redemption price, the expiration date, the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, or the purchase price for the Rights, which price may be increased as described below). After the Distribution Date, the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Company in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable. Prior to the existence of an Acquiring Person or the publication of a third party tender offer (if upon consummation of such offer the offeror would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock), the Board may amend the Rights Agreement to increase the purchase price for the Rights. The Rights Agreement provides that by acceptance of a Right a holder thereof is bound by certain provisions of the Rights Agreement, including without limitation provisions limiting the liability of the Rights Agent in certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement.
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 filed by the Company. 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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HAGGAR CORP. and MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, Rights Agent
Rights Agreement Dated as of October 10, 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
W I T N E S S E T H
Section 1 Certain Definitions
Section 2 Appointment of Rights Agent
Section 3 Issuance of Rights Certificates
Section 4 Form of Rights Certificates
Section 5 Countersignature and Registration
Section 6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates
Section 7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
Section 8 Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates
Section 9 Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock
Section 10 Preferred Stock Record Date
Section 11 Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights
Section 12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
Section 13 Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power
Section 14 Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
Section 15 Rights of Action
Section 16 Agreement of Rights Holders
Section 17 Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
Section 18 Concerning the Rights Agent
Section 19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
Section 20 Duties of Rights Agent
Section 21 Change of Rights Agent
Section 22 Issuance of New Rights Certificates
Section 23 Redemption
Section 24 Exchange
Section 25 Notice of Certain Events
Section 26 Notices
Section 27 Supplements and Amendments
Section 28 Successors
Section 29 Determinations and Actions by the Board
Section 30 Benefits of this Agreement
Section 31 Severability
Section 32 GOVERNING LAW
Section 33 Counterparts
Section 34 Descriptive Headings
Description of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Designation and Amount
Dividends and Distributions
Voting Rights
Certain Restrictions
Reacquired Shares
Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up
Consolidation, Merger, etc.
Ranking
Amendment
Fractional Shares
Form of Rights Certificate
Rights Certificate HAGGAR CORP.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS