RIGHTS AGREEMENT
________________
MAYTAG CORPORATION
and
XXXXXX TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
Rights Agent
________________
Dated as of February 12, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 7
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates 7
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates 10
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Right Certificates 13
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights 14
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of
Right Certificates 17
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares 18
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date 19
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares or Number of Rights 20
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
or Number of Shares 35
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power 35
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 37
Section 15. Rights of Action 40
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders 41
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder 42
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 00
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Xxxxxxx 00. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent 44
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 46
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 51
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates 53
Section 23. Redemption 53
Section 24. Exchange 55
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events 58
Section 26. Notices 60
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments 61
Section 28. Successors 62
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 62
Section 30. Severability 62
Section 31. Governing Law 63
Section 32. Counterparts 63
Section 33. Descriptive Headings 63
Signatures 64
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares
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Agreement, dated as of February 12, 1998, between Maytag
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxxxx Trust
and Savings Bank (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right")
for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company
outstanding at the close of business on May 2, 1998 (the "Record
Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-
hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further
authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each
Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and
the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term
is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates
and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person,
shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of
20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but
shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" 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 to 20% or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however,
that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the
Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares
of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise
be an "Acquiring Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and
such Person divests as promptly as practicable 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 (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
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Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) 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;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates 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), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, ex-
change rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or
options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made
by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) 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
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revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a
public proxy or consentsolicitation 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); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indi-
rectly, by any other Person 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) for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any
securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership 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
own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in State of
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Illinois are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., Chicago time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date
is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the
next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.25 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.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation
or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or
otherwise) of such entity.
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(j) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Company.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an
Acquiring Person has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation
or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting
equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly,
by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as 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 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.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the
earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii)
the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by
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action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the
intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer
the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 20% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is after the
date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates 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 (y) the right to receive Right Certificates will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares.
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,
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insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address
of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right
Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. 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 a Summary of Rights to
Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit B
hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on 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, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the
names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of
Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier
of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender
for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the
Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby.
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(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to
in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but
prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or
the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written
on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Maytag
Corporation and Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank, dated as of
February 12, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which
is on file at the principal executive offices of Maytag
Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
Maytag Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a
copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone, 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 Distribution Date, any Rights associated
with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that
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the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated
with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
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 A hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and
as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as
may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any
stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or
to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof,
the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set
forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its
Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer,
its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either
manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
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Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or
by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless 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 the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and
delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the
person who signed such 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 Rights Agreement any such person was not such an
officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep
or cause to be kept, at its principal shareholder services office,
books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights
evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date
of each of the Right Certificates.
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Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any
time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or
prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date
or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that
have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) 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-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder 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 or an equivalent duly executed, at the principal
shareholder services office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall 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 of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
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with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
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 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 make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to
the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate
may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) 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 duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal shareholder services
office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase
Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share as to which the
Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of
business on May 2, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time
at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
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"Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall
initially be $165.00, and 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 duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares
to be purchased 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 hereof by certified check, cashier's check
or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent
of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred
Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B)
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing
such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent
with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the
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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 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.
(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) 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.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right
Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of
exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if
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surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to
the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if
surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights 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. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. 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 Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable
shares.
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
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Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax 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
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
is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in
whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the
holder of record of the Preferred Shares 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 Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer books
of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
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evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as such, 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.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares
or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred
Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section
11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after
the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred
Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the 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), the Purchase Price
in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such
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date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any
Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time
when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he
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.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event
any Person becomes 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 Purchase Price multiplied by the number of
one one-hundredths 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
Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable 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 of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person
shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be
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outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would
eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that
are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person
(or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void
and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to
exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. 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 an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be
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 shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall take all such action as
may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance
upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after
good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
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necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company
shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be
issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or
fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one
Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the
current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
(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 Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price
in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of 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
-21-
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to
be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the de-
nominator 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 sub-
scription 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 of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares
(including any such distribution made in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
-22-
surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other
than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the 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 of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or
evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of
the Preferred Shares; 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 Purchase Price shall
again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the
purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be
-23-
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, 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 reflect the current market price per share equivalent of
such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the 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
-24-
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 of the Company. 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 the method set forth in Section
11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, 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
one hundred. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares
are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market
price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
-25-
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at
least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall
be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-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 or (ii) the date of the
expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the
Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such
other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive,
-26-
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 Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time
hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further
adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price
as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each
Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment
shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted
Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
(calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a
share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y)
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of
the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the
Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in
substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of
-27-
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-hundredths 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 ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the
Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its
election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date
for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the
Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the 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,
-28-
if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.
Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and
countersigned in the manner provided for herein 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
Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths 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 Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par
value, if any, 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 nonassessable Preferred
Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that
an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record
date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right
-29-
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 Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due
xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right
to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary not-
withstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in
the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly
required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole
discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly
for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities
which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders
of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i)
-30-
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 than by payment of
dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common
Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise
of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one
one-hundredths 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 (B) 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.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of
the facts 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) mail a brief
-31-
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance
with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on such certificate and any adjustment contained therein
without further inquiry and shall not be responsible for calculating
any adjustments nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any
time after a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company
shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b)
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, all or
part of the 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 (c) 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 other Person other than
the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and
in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each
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 Purchase Price multiplied by the num-
-32-
ber of one one-hundredths 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 such
other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the
surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer 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;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such
issuer; and (iv) such issuer 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 shall not consummate any such xxxxxxx-
dation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into
-33-
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.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (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, there shall be paid 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 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
-34-
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 of the Company. If on any such date no such
market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of
one one-hundredth 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-
hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in
integral multiples of one one-hundredth 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
-35-
beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are
not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders 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. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current
market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Pre-
ferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in
respect of this Agreement, excepting 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), 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), may, in his own
behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
-36-
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the
Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate 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 of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and
the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common
Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal shareholder services office of the Rights
Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer; and
(c) 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
-37-
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.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. 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.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company
agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all
-38-
services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other
disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold
it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises. The reasonable costs and expenses of
enforcing the indemnification obligations of the Company set forth in
this Section 18 shall be paid by the Company. The indemnification
provided for in this Section 18 shall survive expiration of the Rights
and termination of this Agreement.
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
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common 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, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons,
-39-
or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20
hereof.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, 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.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or
consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer
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 corporation would be xxx-
gible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions
of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the
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
-40-
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 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, 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.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement and no
implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement
against the Rights Agent upon the following terms and conditions, by
all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by
their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting,
the Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
-41-
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as
to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance
with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that
any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to
taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or
the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and
such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for
any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the
Company and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason
of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this
Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature
thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements
-42-
and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility
in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent)
or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for
any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in
this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be
responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the
manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13,
23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of a
certificate delivered pursuant to Section 12 that such change or
adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed
to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred
Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.
-43-
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed,
acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts,
instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice
Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice
President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply
to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action or lack of action
taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions
of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those
instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written
instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent,
set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the
Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after
which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective.
The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or
omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included
in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days
after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such
-44-
application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing
to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the
effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall
have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any 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 legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder
either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss
to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or
misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
-45-
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for
believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice
or be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination
(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.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its
duties under this Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to
the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and at the expense
of the Company to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. 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 or Preferred Shares by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or
shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
-46-
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 holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his 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 a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of
Illinois (or of any other state of the United States so long as such
corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in
the State of Illinois, the State of New York or the State of Iowa, in
good standing, having an office in the State of Illinois, the State of
New York or the State of Iowa, which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has
at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $50 million. After appointment, the successor
Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent
without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the
time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further
assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not
-47-
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 or Preferred Shares, and
mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the
legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent
or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the
Rights 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
Purchase 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.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all
the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 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
-48-
effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the
Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public
notice 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 redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, 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. Each such
notice of redemption will 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, and other than in
connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the
Distribution Date.
-49-
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, 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 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 entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate
and the only right thereafter of 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;
-50-
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 the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be
unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such
additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each
Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a
Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the
current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by
such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price
-51-
of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred
Shares or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with
regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be
issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this
paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall
be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the
Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any
class 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
-52-
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, (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 each holder of a Right
Certificate, 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 of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and
the date of participation therein by the holders of the 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.
-53-
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter
give to each holder of a Right Certificate, 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.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of
any 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:
Maytag Corporation
Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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 certified or registered mail
deemed given upon receipt and addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Shareholder Services Division
-54-
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.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may
from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Right Certificates 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, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement
or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and
the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be
amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of
the holders of Rights. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company
may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in
Sections 1(a) and 3(a) hereof from 20% to not less than the greater of
(i) any percentage greater than the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially
owned by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
-55-
the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%. Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that
changes the rights and duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement
will be effective against the Rights Agent without execution of such
supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions
of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights
Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective
successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation
other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
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 Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant
or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no
way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
-56-
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement 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 such State
applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such
State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for
all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. 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.
-57-
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.
MAYTAG CORPORATION
Attest:
By By
Title: Title:
XXXXXX TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
Attest:
By By
Title: Title:
-58-
Exhibit A
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- __________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 2, 2008 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE
SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO
EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
MAYTAG CORPORATION
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 12, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Maytag
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxxxx Trust
and Savings Bank (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at
any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the
Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Chicago time, on May 2, 2008
at the principal shareholder service office of the Rights Agent, or at
the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a
fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"),
of the Company, at a purchase price of $165.00 per one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to
Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the
Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as
of February 12, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at
such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price
and the number of one one-hundredths 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.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the
terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which
terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by
A-1
reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement
reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of
the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right
Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned
offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other
Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal shareholder ser-
vices 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 Rights Agreement,
the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the
Company at a redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be
exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred Shares or shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $1.25 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon
the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
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 Rights Agreement.
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
hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate
action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the
Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
A-2
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or
obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by
the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper
officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of
_________ , 199_.
ATTEST: MAYTAG CORPORATION
By
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
XXXXXX TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
By
Name:
Title:
A-3
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.
Dated: _____________, 199_
________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of
a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust
company having an office or correspondent in the United States.
------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
____________________________
Signature
-------------------------------------------------------------
A-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: MAYTAG CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to
exercise ____________________________Rights represented by this Right
Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the
exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred Shares 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:_____________, 199_
_________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of
a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust
company having an office or correspondent in the United States.
A-5
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
-------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
____________________
Signature
-------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of
Election to Purchase, as the case may be, 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 or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case
may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem
the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to
Purchase will not be honored.
A-6
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On February 12, 1998, the Board of Directors of
Maytag Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend of one pre-
ferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of
common stock, par value $1.25 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the
Company. The dividend is payable on May 2, 1998 (the "Record Date")
to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of
$165.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase
Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated
or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares 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 or group of
affiliated persons 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 20% 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 Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of
Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights),
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 transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights 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 con-
stitute 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 such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the
Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on May 2, 2008 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or
unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in
each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Pre-
ferred 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 evi-
dences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash
dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or 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-hundredths 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 minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share
but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 times the
dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the
holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum
preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per
Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting
together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger,
consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are
exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 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-
hundredth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of
each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a
merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its
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consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group
has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that
each holder of a Right 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 which
at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times
the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or
group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other
than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will
thereafter be 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.
At any time after any person or group becomes an
Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group
of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of
Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights
owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole
or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-
hundredth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of
the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Pur-
chase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an
adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional
Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth 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 acquisition by a person
or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership
of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such
basis 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 may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders
of the Rights, including an amendment to lower the threshold for
exercisability of the Rights from 20% to not less than the greater of
(i) any percentage greater than the largest percentage of outstanding
Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by
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any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%,
except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such
amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the
Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as
such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including,
without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration
Statement on Form 8-A dated February 12, 1998. A copy of the Rights
Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary
description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which
is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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