Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, as Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of February 9, 2024
Exhibit 4.1
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust,
as Rights Agent
Dated as of February 9, 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1.
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Certain Definitions.
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1
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Section 2.
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Appointment of Rights Agent.
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5
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Section 3.
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Issue of Right Certificates.
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6
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Section 4.
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Form of Right Certificates.
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7
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Section 5.
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Countersignature and Registration.
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8
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Section 6.
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Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
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8
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Section 7.
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Exercise of Rights; + Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
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9
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Section 8.
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Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
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11
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Section 9.
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Status and Availability of Preferred Shares.
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11
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Section 10.
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Preferred Shares Record Date.
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11
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Section 11.
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Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.
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12
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Section 12.
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Certificate of Adjustment.
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18
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Section 13.
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Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
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18
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Section 14.
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Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
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19
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Section 15.
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Rights of Action.
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20
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Section 16.
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Agreement of Right Holders.
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21
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Section 17.
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Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
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21
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Section 18.
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Concerning the Rights Agent.
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22
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Section 19.
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Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
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23
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Section 20.
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Duties of Rights Agent.
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23
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Section 21.
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Change of Rights Agent.
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26
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Section 22.
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Issuance of New Right Certificates.
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27
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Section 23.
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Redemption.
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27
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Section 24.
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Exchange.
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28
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Section 25.
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Notice of Certain Events.
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30
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Section 26.
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Notices.
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30
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Section 27.
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Supplements and Amendments.
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32
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Section 28.
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Successors.
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32
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Section 29.
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Benefits of this Agreement.
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32
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Section 30.
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Severability.
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33
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Section 31.
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Governing Law; Forum Selection.
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33
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Section 32.
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Counterparts.
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33
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Section 33.
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Descriptive Headings.
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33
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Section 34.
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Administration.
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33
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Section 35.
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Book Entry.
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34
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Section 36.
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Force Majeure.
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34
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Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Share
s
This Rights Agreement, dated as of February 9, 2024, is by and between Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust (the “Rights
Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) has authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each Common Share outstanding on the start of business at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2024 (the “Record Date”) and has
authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant hereto) with respect to each additional Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, and the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), and certain additional Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date as provided in
Section 22 of this Agreement, each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), or such different amount and/or kind of securities as shall be hereinafter provided.
Accordingly, 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:
“Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person
who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any Person holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan to the extent such Common Shares are held for or pursuant to the terms of
any such employee benefit plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing:
(1) No Person who, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is the Beneficial Owner, as of
the time of the first public announcement of the declaration of the Rights dividend, of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding and would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” (a “Grandfathered Stockholder”), shall become an “Acquiring Person” unless such Person, together with such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, shall, after the time of the first public announcement of the declaration
of the Rights dividend, acquire Beneficial Ownership of additional shares of the then-outstanding Common Shares to an amount equal to or greater than the greater of (x) 10% or (y) the sum of (i) the lowest Beneficial Ownership of such Person as a
percentage of the outstanding Common Shares as of any time from and after the time of the first public announcement of the declaration of the Rights dividend plus (ii) 0.001%; provided, however, that in the event that after the time of the first public announcement of the declaration of the Rights dividend, any agreement, arrangement or understanding pursuant to which a Grandfathered Stockholder is deemed
to be the Beneficial Owner of
Common Shares expires, is settled in whole or in part, terminates or no longer confers any benefit to or imposes any obligation on
the Grandfathered Stockholder, any direct or indirect replacement, extension or substitution of such agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the same or different Common Shares that confers Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares shall be
considered the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares by the Grandfathered Stockholder and render such Grandfathered Stockholder an Acquiring Person for purposes of this Agreement unless, upon such acquisition of Beneficial
Ownership of additional Common Shares, such Person is not the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding;
(2) No Person shall become an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares Beneficially Owned by such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such Person, to such percentage as would otherwise result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if a Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall so become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason
of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company and shall, after such share acquisitions by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of an additional 0.001% of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
“Acquiring Person”; and
(3) If the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring
Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it Beneficially Owned a percentage of the then-outstanding Common Shares
that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person,” or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares, but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this
Agreement and had no intention of changing or influencing control of the Company), and such Person divests as promptly as practicable (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company but in all events within 15 Business Days
following receipt from the Company of written notice that such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares would make it an “Acquiring Person” but for this clause (3)) Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, or if such divestiture requirement is waived by the Board of Directors on such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors, in good faith,
determines are advisable, then such Person shall not be deemed to have become an “Acquiring Person” by virtue of such inadvertent action for any purposes of this Agreement. If any Person that is not an “Acquiring Person” by reason of this clause (3)
does not divest as promptly as practicable (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company but in all events within 15 Business Days following receipt from the Company of written notice that such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of
Common Shares would make it an “Acquiring Person” but for clause (3)) a sufficient number Common Shares (without exercising or retaining
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any power, including, without limitation, voting power, with respect to such Common Shares) so that such Person’s Beneficial
Ownership of Common Shares would not deem it an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition of “Acquiring Person,” then such Person shall, at the end of such 15 Business Day period, become an “Acquiring
Person” (and clause (3) of this definition of “Acquiring Person” shall not apply to such Person).
For the avoidance of doubt any Person that purchases shares of Common Shares from the Company pursuant to an agreement
with the Company that is in effect as of the time of the first public announcement of the declaration of the Rights dividend and would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” as a result of such purchase is deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more
and to be a Grandfathered Stockholder, subject to the terms and conditions of the Grandfathered Stockholder provision.
“Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this
Agreement; however, directors or officers of a corporation will not be deemed to be “Affiliates” or “Associates” of any other director or officer of such corporation solely as a result of his or her being a director or officer of such corporation.
A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner”
of and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly (as determined
pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage
of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), written or otherwise, or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act 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) the
right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given
to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
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(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), written or otherwise, for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to section (B) of the immediately preceding paragraph (ii)) or disposing of any securities of the Company; or
(iv) which are the subject of, or the reference securities for, or that underlie, any Derivative Interest held by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, with the number of
Common Shares deemed Beneficially Owned being the notional or other number of Common Shares specified in the documentation evidencing the Derivative Interest as being subject to be acquired upon the exercise or settlement of the Derivative Interest
or as the basis upon which the value or settlement amount of such Derivative Interest is to be calculated in whole or in part or, if no such number of Common Shares is specified in such documentation, as determined by the Board of Directors in its
sole discretion to be the number of Common Shares to which the Derivative Interest relates.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities
not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to Beneficially Own hereunder.
“Board of Directors” shall have the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other
than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
“Close of Business” on any given date
shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however,
that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
“Common Shares” when used with reference
to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference to any Person other
than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned
Person.
“common stock equivalents” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(B)(3) hereof.
“Company” shall, subject to Section 13,
have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
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“Current Value” shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A)(1) hereof.
“Derivative Interest” shall mean any
option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or other security, contract right or derivative position or similar right (including any “swap” transaction with respect to any security), whether or not presently exercisable, that has
an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to the market price or value of the Common Shares or a value determined in whole or in part with reference to, or derived in whole or in part from, the market
price or value of the Common Shares and that increases in value as the market price or value of the Common Shares increases or that provides an opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from any change in the market
price or value of the Common Shares, regardless of whether (x) such interest conveys any voting rights in Common Shares to such Person or such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, (y) such interest is required to be, or is capable of being, settled
through delivery of Common Shares or (z) such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may have entered into other transactions hedge the economic effect of such interest.
“Distribution Date” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
“earning power” shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 13 hereof.
“equivalent preferred shares” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Property” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
“Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
“Exchange Recipients” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
“Final Expiration Date” shall mean
February 9, 2027.
“NASDAQ” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(d) hereof.
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, trust, limited liability company, joint venture, unincorporated association or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
“Exercise Price” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 7(b) hereof, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided herein.
“Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company having such rights, powers and preferences as are set forth in the of Certificate of Designation adopted contemporaneously with the approval
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of this Agreement in substantially the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, as the same may be amended from time to time.
“Record Date” shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals.
“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 23(b) hereof.
“Right” shall have the meaning set forth
in the recitals.
“Right Certificate” shall mean a
certificate evidencing a Right in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“Rights Agent” shall have the meaning set
forth in the preamble hereof.
“Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
“Security” shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(d).
“Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the
earlier of the date of (i) the public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by the Company or an Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
“Spread” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii)(A) hereof.
“Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any
Person of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
“Substitution Period” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
“Summary of Rights” shall mean the Summary
of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
“Security” shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(d).
The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in
accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the express terms and conditions (and no implied 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 term “Rights Agent” being used herein to refer, collectively, to the Rights Agent together with any such co-rights agents), upon
ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-rights agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-rights agents shall be as the Company
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reasonably determines, provided that such duties are consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and that contemporaneously with such
appointment the Company shall notify, in writing, the Rights Agent and any co-rights agents of any such duties. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-rights agents.
(a) Until the earlier of the Close of Business on (i) the tenth Business Day after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, in the event the Board of Directors determines on or before such tenth day to
effect an exchange in accordance with Section 24 and determines in accordance with Section 24 that a later date is advisable, such later date that is not more than twenty (20) days after the Shares Acquisition Date) or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date
that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any Person holding Common Shares 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 applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, the consummation
of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of the date in (i) or (ii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”),
(x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates and the registered holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares
(including a transfer to the Company). The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent of a Distribution Date, and as soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and
the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, at the expense of the Company, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more Right Certificates evidencing one Right for each Common Share so
held. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made pursuant to Section 11(i) or Section 11(n) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company may make the necessary and
appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of the Summary of Rights by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date or issued subsequent to the Record Date, unless and until the earlier of the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof and the registered holders of the
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Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (or the earlier of
the Redemption Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares evidenced thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which are issued (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the penultimate sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but
prior to the earliest of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them a legend in substantially
the following form:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust and any successor rights agent, as Rights Agent, dated as of the start of business at 9:00a.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2024, as it may from time to
time be amended or supplemented pursuant to its terms (the “Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal executive offices of Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and the registered holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but
prior to the earlier of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
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Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.
The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall be substantially the same as 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, liabilities or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Right Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date
and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the
Exercise Price, but the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Exercise Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by one of its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Financial
Officer, its General Counsel, or any of its Vice Presidents, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile, 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 Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right
Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although
at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer. In case any authorized signatory of the Rights Agent who has countersigned any of the Right Certificate ceases to be an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent
before issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificate, nevertheless, may be issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as thought the person who countersigned such Right Certificate had not ceased to be an
authorized signatory of the Rights Agent; and any Right Certificate may be countersigned on behalf on behalf of the Rights Agent by any person who, at the actual date of the countersignature of such Right Certificate, is properly authorized to
countersign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such person was not so authorized.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration of
the transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates,
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the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination
and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 11(a)(ii) and 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date,
and at or prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that have been redeemed pursuant to Section 23 hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or a Section 13 Event, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitles such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged, with the form of assignment and certificate contained therein properly completed and duly executed, at the principal office of the Rights Agent. The Rights Certificates are transferrable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer, split up, combination or exchange of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have properly
completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate accompanied by a signature guarantee by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities
Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program, shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby and the Affiliates and Associates of such Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owners) thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request, and shall have paid a sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates as required thereunder. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 11(a)(ii) and 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from a registered holder of a Right Certificate of a sum sufficient for any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right 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 with respect to a Rights holder under this Agreement that requires the payment by such Right holder of applicable taxes and/or charges unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied
that all such taxes and/or charges have been paid.
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Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity, including an open penalty surety bond, or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights
Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will issue, execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Agreement to provide for uncertificated
Rights in addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate (other than a holder whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may
exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof completed and duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at its principal office, accompanied by a signature guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may request, together with payment of the Exercise Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the surrendered
Rights are then exercisable, prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date, or (iii) the time at which the right have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof.
(b) The exercise price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share to be purchased upon the exercise of a Right shall initially be seven Dollars ($7.00) (the “Exercise Price”), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by payment of, with
respect to each Right so exercised, the Exercise Price for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer
tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by cash, certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
20(m) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from any depositary agent for the Preferred Shares depositary receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates
for the Preferred Shares represented by such
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receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs any such depositary agent to comply with
such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional Preferred Shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,
cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue Common Shares or other securities 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 Common Shares, other securities, cash, and/or other property is available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to
comply with this Agreement. The payment of the Exercise Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash or by certified or bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Right Certificate to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a
registered holder of a Right Certificate upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) properly completed and duly executed the certificate following the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise, (ii) tendered the Exercise Price (and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 9) to the Company in the manner set forth in this Section 7, and (iii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
or Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered
to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. At the expense of the Company, the Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates,
and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares.
(b) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or
delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right
Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise,
or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time
of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available, out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the
number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) is
issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Exercise Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the registered holder of a
Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred 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.
The Exercise Price, the number and kind of securities covered by each Right, and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company
shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the
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outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (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)(i), the Exercise 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 capital stock 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 Exercise Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. 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 the following paragraph of this subparagraph (ii) and to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Exercise Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the “Exercise Price” for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement, other than Section 13 hereof) and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company’s Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person became an
Acquiring Person. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action that would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the time that any Person shall become an Acquiring
Person, any Rights that are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned by (i) such Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such 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 who receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring
Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any continuing written or oral agreement, arrangement, or understanding regarding the transferred Rights, Common Shares,
or the Company or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors has
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determined in good faith to be part of a plan, agreement, arrangement, or understanding
that has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall be null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise or preferences with respect to such
Rights under any provision of this Agreement, the Rights Certificates or otherwise. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to a Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof shall be canceled. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing when this Section 11(a)(ii) applies, but the Rights Agent shall not have any liability to any holder of Rights or other Person (without limiting the rights of
the Rights Agent under Section 18) as a result of the Company’s failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person or transferees hereunder.
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares which are authorized by the Company’s certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, are not sufficient to permit the holder of each Right to purchase the number of Common Shares to which he or she would be entitled upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 11, or should the Board of Directors so elect, the Company, acting by resolution of the Board of Directors, shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Common Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (calculated as provided in the last sentence of this subparagraph (iii)) pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the “Current Value”)
over (2) the Exercise Price (such excess, the “Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to
substitute for such Common Shares, upon payment of the applicable Exercise Price, any one or more of the following having an aggregate value determined by the Board of Directors to be equal to the Current Value: (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Exercise Price, (3) Common Shares or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors has determined to have the same value or economic rights as Common
Shares (such shares, units or fractions of shares of preferred stock being referred to as “common stock equivalents”)), (4) debt securities of the Company, or
(5) other assets; 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 first occurrence of an event triggering the rights to purchase Common Shares described in Section 11(a)(ii) (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 Exercise Price,
Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common
Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order
that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution
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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 and the last paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly
to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall make a public announcement, and shall deliver to the Rights Agent a statement, stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended. At such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, the Company shall make another public announcement, and deliver to the Rights Agent a statement, so stating. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) of the Common Shares 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 Shares 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 Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days
after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“equivalent
preferred shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be adjusted by
multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, 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. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all registered holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection
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with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, assets or cash (other
than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Shares) or subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), then, in each case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current
per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding and conclusive for all purposes on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants distributable in respect of one
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Exercise Price shall again be adjusted to be the Exercise
Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any
computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security”
for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)), other than the Preferred Shares, which current per share market price shall be determined by Section 11(d)(ii), on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend
or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares (other than Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading
Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to take into
account such event. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, 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 Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the
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Security, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors shall be used. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred
Shares shall be determined in accordance with and in the same manner as the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares cannot be determined in the manner as provided above or if the Preferred
Shares are not publicly held, listed or traded or quoted in a manner as described in Section 11(d)(i), the “current per share market price” of the Preferred
Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the
date hereof), multiplied by 1,000. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded or quoted, “current per share market
price” of the Preferred Shares shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no adjustment in the Exercise Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Exercise Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required
by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the registered holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of
the Company other than Preferred Shares, the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Exercise Price thereof shall thereafter 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 Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares 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 Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities or amount of cash or combination thereof) 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 Exercise Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections
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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 Exercise Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one ten-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Exercise Price and (ii) dividing the product
so obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Exercise Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Exercise Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable
for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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 hundred‑thousandth) obtained by dividing the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Exercise Price by the
Exercise Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Exercise Price. The Company shall make a public announcement (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 Exercise Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at
least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed
to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the
Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option
of the Company, the adjusted Exercise Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Exercise Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Exercise Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights,
the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Exercise Price.
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(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Exercise 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 registered holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment (with prompt written
notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the
Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11 to the contrary, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by
this Section 11, as and to the extent that the Board of Directors in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) combination or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares
at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or
(v) issuance of any rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to registered holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise
other than by payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (i) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right
shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one‑thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event
and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common
Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or
consolidation is effected.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate
setting forth such adjustment, and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts and computations accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of
such certificate and (c) if such adjustment occurs following a Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with
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Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not
be obligated or responsible for or have any liability with respect to calculating any adjustment nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
(a) In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, and the
Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or other entity of such consolidation or merger, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger or consolidation, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other
property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries (any such event described in (i), (ii), or (iii) being referred to as a “Section 13 Event”), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (A) each registered holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Exercise Price multiplied by the number of one one‑thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal Party, not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or, if an event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-thousandth of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of an event set forth Section 11(a)(ii) by the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence of an event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the
Common Shares of the Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) the Principal Party of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term “Company”
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to the Principal Party; and (D) the Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer
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shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate
or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. For purposes hereof, the “earning power” of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors on the basis of the operating earnings of each business
operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries during the three fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the case of any business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary during three full fiscal years preceding such date,
during the period such business was operated by the Company or any Subsidiary).
(b) “Principal Party” shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person (including
the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving entity) that is the issuer of any securities or other equity interests into which Common Shares are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of
Common Shares that has the highest current per share market price and (B) if no securities or other equity interests are so issued, the Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving entity) that is the other constituent party
to such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person that is a constituent party to such merger or consolidation, the Common Shares of which has the highest current per share market price; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions or if the Person receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever Person that has received assets or earning power pursuant to such transaction or
transactions, the Common Shares of which has the highest current per share market price;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Shares
of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding twelve‑month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act (“Registered Common Equity
Interests”), and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common Equity Interests outstanding, “Principal Party”
shall refer to such other Person; (2) if the Common Shares of such Person are not Registered Common Equity Interests, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person (other than an individual), but is not a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common Equity Interests outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to the ultimate parent entity of such first‑mentioned
Person; (3) if the Common Shares of such Person are not Registered Common Equity Interests, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and one or more of such other Persons has
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Registered Common Equity Interests outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of
such other Persons is the issuer of the Registered Common Equity Interests having the highest current per share market price; and (4) if the Common Shares of such Person are not Registered Common Equity Interest, and such Person is directly or
indirectly controlled by more than one Person (one or more of which is a Person other than an individual), and none of such other Persons has Registered Common Equity Interests outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the greatest stockholders’ equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a corporation, shall refer to whichever ultimate parent
entity is the entity having the greatest net assets.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to
the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section
14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the current market value of a Right
shall mean the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth (subject to appropriate adjustment in the case
of a subdivision or combination) of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary
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receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company may pay to
each registered holder of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share as the fraction of one Preferred Share that such
holder would otherwise receive upon the exercise of the aggregate number of rights exercised by such holder. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The registered holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives any right to receive fractional Rights or fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right (except as
provided above).
(d) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights Agent under this Agreement, 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 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 may rely upon such a certificate and has no duty with respect to, and will not be deemed to have knowledge of, any payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the
payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent has received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof,
are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Shares) may, without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), on 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 Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, by the certificate
for Common Shares) in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an
adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, nor any of their directors,
officers, employees or agents, shall have any liability to any registered 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 of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative agency
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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.
Every registered holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every
other registered holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares and the
Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders of the Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall also constitute certificates for Rights);
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books maintained by the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with the appropriate forms and certificates properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by a signature guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request;
and
(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(e), the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than
the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder
of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of
any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to 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 Right Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in accordance with
a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration, execution, delivery and amendment of this
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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 the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) that may be paid or incurred or to which it may become subject 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 judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) for anything done
or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in connection
therewith, directly or indirectly, or of enforcing its rights under this Agreement. Section 18 and Section 20 shall survive the exercise, termination and expiration of the Rights, the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent and the
termination of this Agreement. The costs and expenses of enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be paid by the Company.
The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action
taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for Preferred Shares 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, guaranteed, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Rights
Agent be liable for special, punitive, incidental, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and
regardless of the form of the action. 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 action in connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice in writing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be limited to the amount of fees (but
not including any reimbursed costs) paid by the Company to the Rights Agent during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights Agent is being sought.
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 corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided,
that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. The purchase of all or substantially all of the Rights Agent’s assets employed in the performance of the transfer agent
activities shall be deemed a merger or consolidation for
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purposes of this Section 19. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature or authorized signatory under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
The Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and no implied duties
or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall perform those duties and obligations upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the registered holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may consult with legal counsel selected by it (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall have no liability for or in respect of, any action taken or omitted by it in in the absence of bad faith 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 the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of the current per share market price) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering, or omitting any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the General Counsel, or any of the Vice Presidents of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of, any action taken or suffered by it in the absence of bad faith under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to act without such certificate as set forth in this Section 20(b).
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct as determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent
jurisdiction.
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(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except as to its countersignature
thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not 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 and
delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the legality or validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature by one of its authorized signatures on any such Right Certificate); nor shall it be liable or
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be liable or responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 11 or 13 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment or calculation (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates
after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or other securities will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Rights Agent shall not be liable or responsible for any failure of the Company to comply with any of its obligations relating to any registration statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission or this Agreement, including obligations under applicable regulation or law.
(g) The Rights Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case of the receipt of any written demand from any holder of Rights with respect to any action or default by the Company,
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise or to make any demand upon the Company.
(h) 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 or requested by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(i) The Rights Agent is xxxxxx authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer,
the General Counsel, or any of the Vice Presidents of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and such instructions shall provide full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and
it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in accordance with instructions of 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 or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken by, or
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omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which
date shall not be less than ten 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, in response to such application, written instructions with respect to the proposed action or omission specifying a different action to be taken or omitted.
(j) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily
interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the
Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(k) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct absent gross negligence or
bad faith in the selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence or bad faith must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).
(l) 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 or powers if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(m) If, with respect to any Right 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 not been properly completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company; provided, however that Rights Agent shall not be liable
for any delays arising from the duties under this Section 20(m).
(n) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any holders of Rights or any other Person for interest or earnings on any moneys held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this
Agreement.
(o) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination that may require action by the Rights Agent (including, without limitation,
any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company of such
fact, event or determination, and all notices or other instruments required by this Agreement to be delivered to the Rights Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Rights Agent as specified in Section 26 hereof,
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and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Rights Agent may conclusively assume no such fact, event or determination exists.
(p) The Rights Agent may rely on and be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon (a) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or
participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program in addition to, or in substitution for, the foregoing; or (b) any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the
same.
(q) In the event the Rights Agent reasonably believes any ambiguity or uncertainty exists hereunder or in any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document
received by the Rights Agent hereunder, the Rights Agent, may (upon notice to the Company of such ambiguity or uncertainty), in its sole discretion, refrain from taking any action, and shall be fully protected and shall not be liable in any way to
Company, the holder of any Rights Certificate or any other Person for refraining from taking such action, unless the Rights Agent receives written instructions signed by the Company which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction
of Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’
notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail. In the event any transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent
terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required notice. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by
registered or certified 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 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 registered holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice,
submit such holder’s Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be an entity 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 corporate trust,
stock transfer or stockholder services powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or be an
affiliate of such entity. 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 under this Agreement 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 reasonably
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necessary for the purpose, but such predecessor Rights Agent shall not be required to make any additional expenditure or assume any additional
liability in connection with the foregoing. 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 Shares and the Preferred
Shares. 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.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights Certificates to the contrary, the Company may, at its
option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property
purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date
and the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common Shares so issued or sold (i) pursuant to the exercise of stock options, (ii) under any employment plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) pursuant to a contractual obligation of the Company, in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option and in its sole discretion, at any time prior to the earlier
of (i) such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, direct the Company to, and, if directed by the Board of Directors, the Company shall, redeem all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right, 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 of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors
in its sole discretion may establish. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Shares (based on the current market price of the Common Shares at the time
of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the time of the effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 or such earlier time as may be determined by the Board of Directors
in the action ordering such redemption (although not earlier than the time of such action) (such time the “Redemption Date”), evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. The Company shall promptly give public notice (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
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redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a), the Company
shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. If the payment of the Redemption Price is not included with such notice, each such notice shall state
the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in
this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, direct the Company to, and, if directed by the Board of Directors, the Company shall,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to direct the Company 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 Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the beneficial owner of
a majority of the Common Shares then outstanding. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 24 to the contrary, the exchange of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its
sole discretion may establish. Following the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to this Section 24, the Board of Directors may implement such procedures as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, for
the purpose of ensuring that the Common Shares (or such other consideration) issuable upon an exchange pursuant to this Section 24 is not received by holders of Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii). Before effecting
an exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Board of Directors may direct the Company to enter into a Trust Agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board of Directors shall then approve (the “Trust Agreement”). If the Board of Directors so directs, the Company shall enter into the Trust Agreement and shall issue to the trust created by such agreement (the “Trust”) all or a portion (as designated by the Board of Directors) of the Common Shares (or other securities) issuable pursuant to the exchange, and all holders of Rights entitled to receive such shares or
securities pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive such shares or securities (and any dividends paid or distributions made thereon after the date on which such shares are deposited in the Trust) only from the Trust and solely upon
compliance with the relevant terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement. Prior to effecting an exchange and registering Common Shares (or other such securities) in any Person’s name, including any nominee or transferee of a Person, the Company may
require (or cause the trustee of the Trust to require), as a condition thereof, that any holder of Rights provide evidence,
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including, without limitation, the identity of the Beneficial Owners thereof and their Affiliates and Associates (or former Beneficial Owners thereof
and their Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall reasonably request in order to determine if such Rights are null and void. If any Person shall fail to comply with such request, the Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the Rights
formerly held by such Person to be null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) and not transferable or exercisable or exchangeable in connection herewith Any Common Shares or other securities issued at the direction of the Board of Directors in
connection herewith shall be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable Common Shares or of such other securities (as the case may be), and the Company shall be deemed to have received as consideration for such issuance a benefit having a value
that is at least equal to the aggregate par value of the shares so issued.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors directing the Company to 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 Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state
the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents for Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial
rate of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or an appropriate number of common stock equivalents) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof,
so that the fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share , as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits,
stock dividends, and other similar transactions after the date hereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents authorized by the Company’s certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or
subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of Rights, to permit any exchange of Rights in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall use its best efforts to authorize additional
Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
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equal to the same fraction of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the current per
share market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24.
(a) In case the Company shall after the Distribution Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class or series to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of
stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries), (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution
or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and each registered holder of a Right, 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 or distribution, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liqui-dation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of
the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the
Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier; provided, however, that no such notice
shall be required pursuant to this Section 25, if any Subsidiary of the Company effects a consolidation or merger with or into, or effects a sale or other transfer of assets or earnings power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(b) In case any event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each registered holder of a Right, to the extent feasible,
and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(c) In case any Section 13 Event shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each registered holder of a Rights, to the extent feasible, and to the Rights Agent,
in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a written notice of the occurrence of such
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event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 13(a) hereof.
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
New York, NY 10151
Attention: Corporate Secretary
with copies to (which shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
0000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Palo Alto, CA
Attention: Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Esq. and Xxxxxx Xxxx, Esq.
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 Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class or express United States mail, Federal Express or United Parcel Service or any other nationally recognized courier
service, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
By Mail:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Compliance Department
By Overnight Delivery:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Compliance Department
with copies to:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 30th Floor
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New York, NY 10004
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right
Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
The Company, by action of the Board of Directors, may from time to time and in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of
Directors, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or to make any change to or delete any provision hereof or to adopt any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable; provided, however, that from and after such
time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, shall be entitled to adopt and implement such procedures and arrangements (including with third parties) as it may deem necessary or desirable to
facilitate the exercise, exchange, trading, issuance or distribution of the Rights (and Preferred Shares) as contemplated hereby and to ensure that an Acquiring Person does not obtain the benefits thereof, and amendments in respect of the foregoing
shall not be deemed to adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, may at any time before any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to
make the provisions of this Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a Person might otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter the terms and conditions of this Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such
transaction. No supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless duly executed by the Rights Agent and the Company, which must receive authorization from the Board of Directors for such supplement or amendment. The Rights Agent shall
duly execute and deliver any supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company in writing, provided that the Company has delivered to the Rights Agent a certificate from Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, General
Counsel, Corporate Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company, or any other officer of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment complies with the terms of this Agreement, including this Section 27. Any supplement or
amendment authorized by this Section 27 will be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company, which must receive authorization from the Board of Directors for such supplement or amendment, and the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights, duties, immunities or obligations of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be effective against the Rights Agent without the execution of such supplement or amendment
by the Rights Agent; provided that the Rights Agent shall not be obligated to enter such supplement or amendment.
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Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders
of Common Shares.
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.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of Common Shares).
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 if such
excluded provision shall materially and adversely affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to the Company.
(a) This Agreement, each Right and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within the State of Delaware, without regard to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of
Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware, except that the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the laws of any other jurisdiction that
might be applied because of the conflicts of laws principles of the State of New York, shall apply with respect to any matters relating to the internal affairs of the Rights Agent as a New York corporation (“Rights Agent Matters”).
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim relating to or brought pursuant to this Agreement by any Person (including any record or Beneficial Owner of Common Shares or Preferred Shares,
any registered or beneficial holder of a Right, any Acquiring Person or the Rights Agent) shall be brought solely and exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of
the State of Delaware,
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or, if such other court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware). For the avoidance of doubt, and
subject to Section 31(a) above, this Section 31(b) shall also apply to any Rights Agent Matters.
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. A facsimile or .pdf signature delivered via electronic transmission shall constitute an original signature for all purposes of this Agreement.
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.
The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer and interpret the provisions of this Agreement
and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or the Company or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, without limiting any of
the rights and immunities of the Rights Agent, all such actions, calculations, determinations and interpretations which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent,
the holders of the Rights and all other parties and shall not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Reference in this Agreement to certificates for Common Shares or Preferred Shares shall include, in the case of uncertificated
shares, the balances indicated in the book-entry account system of the transfer agent for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, and, prior to the Distribution Date, any uncertificated Common Shares shall also represent the associated
Rights. Any legend required to be placed on any certificate for Common Shares or Preferred Shares may instead be included on any book-entry confirmation or notification to the registered holder of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares.
Section 36. Force Majeure.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent will not have any liability for not performing, or a
delay in the performance of, any act, duty, obligation or responsibility by reason of any occurrence beyond the reasonable control of the Rights Agent (including any act or provision or any present or future law or regulation or governmental authority,
any act of God, epidemics, pandemics, war, civil or military disobedience or disorder, riot, rebellion, terrorism, insurrection, fire, earthquake, storm, flood, strike, work stoppage, interruptions or malfunctions of computer facilities, loss of data
due to power failures or
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mechanical difficulties, labor dispute, accident or failure or malfunction of any utilities communication or computer services or similar occurrence).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year
first above written.
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Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, as Rights Agent
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
ALLIED GAMING & ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
_________________________________________________________________
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) at a meeting duly called and held on February 8, 2024, and at which a quorum was present and acted throughout and which resolution remains in full force and effect on the date hereof:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and by the provisions of Section 151
of the DGCL, the Board of Directors hereby creates, authorizes and provides for the issuance of a series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred
Stock”), of the Corporation, designated as the “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” having the voting powers, designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and qualifications, limitations
and restrictions thereof that are set forth as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of this
series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 50,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of
such shares then outstanding plus the number of such shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and
superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for that
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an
amount (if any) per share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 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, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common
Stock”), of the Corporation 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 A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or
distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on each outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issuance
of such shares, or unless the date of issuance is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of
Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
A-2
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation, including any other Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law,
the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise required by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and all shares of 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; or
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(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided, that
the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under
paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock that may
be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation, including any Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or
any similar stock, or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (as to liquidation, dissolution or winding up) unless the holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock
plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends or (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (as to liquidation, dissolution or winding up), unless simultaneously therewith distributions are made ratably on shares of Series
A Preferred Stock and all other shares of such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled under clause (i) of this sentence and to which the holders of shares of such parity
stock are entitled, in each case upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the
Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or converted into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged for or converted into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
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hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. Amendment. The Certificate of
Incorporation, including, without limitation, this Certificate of Designation, shall not be amended directly or indirectly in any manner, including by a merger, consolidation or otherwise, which would alter, amend, change, or repeal the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a separate
class.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall
rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution and winding up, junior to all other series of Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank prior, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, or
winding up, to the Common Stock.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. The Series A Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of one one-thousandth of a share or other fractions of a share, which fractions shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in
distributions, and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Redemption. The Shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designation is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 9
day of February, 2024.
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Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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A-5
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-_______ _____ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE FINAL EXPIRATION DATE (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT REFERRED TO BELOW) OR
EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE IN EACH CASE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS THAT ARE OR
WERE ACQUIRED OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY ASSOCIATES OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT) OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Right Certificate
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
This certifies that ___________________________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth
above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of February 9, 2024 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Agreement”), between Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement)
and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on February 9, 2027, at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Shares”),
of the Company, at an exercise price of $7.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Exercise Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right
Certificate with the certification and the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased
upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Exercise Price set forth above, are the number and Exercise Price as of February 9, 2024, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Agreement, the Exercise Price and
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the Agreement or a Section 13 Event (as such term is
defined in the Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are or were at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement) acquired or Beneficially
Owned (as defined in the Agreement) by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Agreement), such Rights shall become null and void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no
right to exercise such Rights.
In certain circumstances described in the Agreement, the Rights evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase Common Stock, par
value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) or capital stock or securities of an entity other than the Company or cash or other assets, all as provided in the
Agreement.
THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT TO ALL OF THE TERMS, PROVISIONS AND CONDITIONS OF THE AGREEMENT, WHICH TERMS,
PROVISIONS AND CONDITIONS ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND MADE A PART HEREOF AND TO WHICH AGREEMENT REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE FOR A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS, LIMITATIONS OF RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES AND IMMUNITIES HEREUNDER OF
THE RIGHTS AGENT, THE COMPANY AND THE HOLDERS OF THE RIGHT CERTIFICATES. COPIES OF THE AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE COMPANY AND THE OFFICES OF THE RIGHTS AGENT.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may
be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of
whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, at the Company’s option, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed
by the Company at a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right, payable at the Company’s option in cash or other securities or property of the Company, subject to adjustment for certain events
as provided in the Rights Agreement, or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of Common Stock or Preferred Shares.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, 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 Agreement.
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No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the
holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything contained in the 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 Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised or
exchanged as provided in the Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of February 9, 2024.
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Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Countersigned:
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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, as Rights Agent
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers
unto _______________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________________,
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Date: ______________ __, _______
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (bank, stock broker or savings and loan association with membership in an approved
signature medallion program).
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
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Dated:
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Signature
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NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment and Certificate must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment is not properly completed and duly executed, the Company
and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Assignment will not be honored.
B-6
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Right Certificate.)
To Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______________ Rights represented by this Right
Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares (or other securities or property) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares (or other securities) be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance
remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated: _______________, ______
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (bank, stock broker or savings and loan association with
membership in an approved signature medallion program).
B-7
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
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Dated:
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Signature
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NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election to Purchase is not properly completed and duly executed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Election to Purchase will not be
honored.
B-8
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On February 8, 2024, the Board of Directors of Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per
share, of the Company (the “Common Shares”) outstanding on the start of business at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2024 (the “Record Date”) to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), having such powers, rights and preferences as are set forth
in the Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Certificate of Designation”), at a price of $7.00 per one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement
(as it may be amended from time to time, the “Agreement”) between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person, together with its affiliated or associated
persons (an “Acquiring Person”), has acquired Beneficial Ownership (as defined in the Agreement) of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (or, in the event
the Board of Directors determines on or before such tenth day to effect an exchange of Rights for Common Shares (as discussed below) and determines that a later date is advisable, such later date that is not more than 20 days following such a public
announcement) or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a
tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the Beneficial Ownership by a person or group of affiliated and associated persons of an aggregate of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being
called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such
Common Shares certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto (or, in the case of uncertificated Common Shares reflected in the book-entry account system of the transfer agent for the Common Shares, by the notations in the book entry
account). If a stockholder’s Beneficial Ownership of the outstanding Common Shares as of the time of the public announcement of the Agreement and Rights dividend declaration is at or above the applicable threshold (including through entry into certain
derivative positions), that stockholder’s then‑existing ownership percentage would be grandfathered and such stockholder would not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person upon the adoption of the Agreement, unless and until such stockholder, together with
its affiliates or associates, increases its ownership percentage by 0.001% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
The Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares.
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record
Date upon the transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on February 9, 2027 (the “Final Expiration Date”) or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Exercise Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares 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 Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends and dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right
are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior
to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a
quarterly dividend payment of 1,000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an aggregate payment per Preferred Share of 1,000 times the aggregate payment made
per Common Share plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are
exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares’ dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth
interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, if the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are or were at
any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement) acquired or
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Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Agreement), such
Rights shall become null and void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each registered holder of a Right,
other than Rights Beneficially Owned by the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates (which will thereafter be null and void), will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, that number of Common Shares having a market value of two
times the exercise price of the Right. If the Company does not have sufficient Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares, or if the Board of Directors so elects, the Company shall deliver upon payment of the exercise price of a
Right an amount of cash or securities equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right; provided, that if the Company fails to meet
such obligation within 30 days following the date a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company must deliver, upon exercise of a Right but without requiring payment of the exercise price then in effect, Common Shares (to the extent available) and
cash equal in value to the difference between the value of the Common Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of a Right and the exercise price then in effect. The Board of Directors may extend the 30-day period described above for up to an
additional 60 days to permit the taking of action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional Common Shares to permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction with another company and the Company is not the surviving corporation or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold or transferred to another company, proper provision will be made so that each registered
holder of a Right (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of
the acquiring company or the ultimate parent of such other company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by any person or group of a majority of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Exercise Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of
at least 1% in such Exercise Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the time any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.0001 per Right (the “Redemption
Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made
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effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except
that from and after such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).
Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Agreement, including a copy of the form of Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Shares, has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated February 9, 2024. A copy of the 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 Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference. This summary description of the rights, powers, preferences and other terms of the Preferred Shares does not purport to be complete and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Designation, as the same may be amended from time to time, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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