SyntheMed, Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company as Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of May 20, 2008
and
American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company
as
Rights
Agent
Dated
as
of May 20, 2008
Rights
Agreement, dated as of May 20, 2008, between SyntheMed, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”),
and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, as Rights
Agent (the “Rights
Agent”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
on April 25, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the adoption
of this Agreement, and has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred
share purchase right (a “Right”)
for
each Common Share (as defined in Section 1.6) of the Company outstanding at
the
close of business on June 2, 2008 (the “Record
Date”)
and
has authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment
as
provided herein) with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date and the
Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in Sections 3.1 and 7.1), each Right
initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to
adjustment) of a share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred
Shares”),
of
the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form
of
Certificate of Designation attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth;
provided, however,
that
Rights may be issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance
with
Section 22.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein
set
forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section
1.
Certain Definitions.
For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
1.1.
“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 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding but shall
not include (i) an Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) or (ii)
if, as of the date hereof, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of
the Common Shares outstanding (an “Existing
Holder”),
such
Existing Holder shall not be or become an “Acquiring Person” unless and until
such time as such Existing Holder shall become the Beneficial Owner of one
or
more additional Common Shares of the Company (other than pursuant to a dividend
or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares
in
Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common
Shares), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common
Shares, such Existing Holder is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of
the Common Shares then outstanding. 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 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding;
provided, however
, that
if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding solely by reason of share purchases
by
the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the Company (other
than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on
the
outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision
of the outstanding Common Shares), then such Person shall be deemed to be an
“Acquiring Person” unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional
shares of Common Stock such Person does not beneficially own 15% or more of
the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. 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 Section 1.1, has become such inadvertently (including,
without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially
owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to
be
an “Acquiring Person” or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its
Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement), and without
any
intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, 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 Section 1.1, then such Person shall not be deemed
to be or have become an “Acquiring Person” at any time for any purposes of this
Agreement. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number
of
Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of
which
any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”),
as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
1.2.
“Affiliate”
and
“Associate”
shall
have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this
Agreement.
1.3.
A
Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial
Owner”
of
and
shall be deemed to “beneficially
own”
any
securities:
(i)
which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns,
directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement);
(ii)
which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or
indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately, or only after the passage of time, compliance with regulatory
requirements, fulfillment of a condition or otherwise) pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (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, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise;
provided, however
, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
(w)
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, (x) securities which
such Person has a right to acquire upon the exercise of Rights at any time
prior
to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (y) securities issuable
upon the exercise of Rights from and after the time that any Person becomes
an
Acquiring Person if such Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3.1 or Section 22 (“Original
Rights”)
or
pursuant to Section 11.9 or Section 11.15 with respect to an adjustment to
Original Rights or (z) securities which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates may acquire, does or do acquire or may be deemed to
acquire or may be deemed to have the right to acquire, pursuant to any merger
or
other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or
more
of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) if prior to such Person becoming an
Acquiring Person the Board of Directors of the Company has approved such
agreement and determined that such Person shall not be or be deemed to be the
beneficial owner of such securities within the meaning of this Section 1.3;
or
(B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing);
provided, however
, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
any
security under this clause (B) if the agreement, arrangement or understanding
to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given
to
such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange
Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act
(or any comparable or successor report); or
2
(iii)
which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or
any Affiliate or Associate thereof) and with respect to 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), whether or not in writing, for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in the
proviso to Section 1.3(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company;
provided,
however,
that no
Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be
deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the
“Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “beneficially
own” any securities that are “beneficially owned” (as defined in this Section
1.3), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt
Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt
Person.
1.4.
“Business
Day”
shall
mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking
institutions in the States of New Jersey or New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
1.5.
“close
of business”
on
any
given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on such
date;
provided, however,
that if
such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York, New York
time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
1.6.
“Common
Shares”
when
used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par
value $0.001 per share, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock with the
greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having
power to control or direct the management, of such other Person or, if such
Person is a Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person,
and
which has issued and outstanding such capital stock, equity securities or equity
interest.
1.7.
“Exempt
Person”
shall
mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including, without
limitation, its fiduciary capacity, or any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity or trustee holding shares
of
capital stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan,
or
for the purpose of funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company.
1.8.
“Person”
shall
mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company,
firm, corporation, unincorporated association, trust or other entity, and shall
include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
1.9.
“Shares
Acquisition Date”
shall
mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this
definition, shall include, without limitation, the filing of a report pursuant
to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor
statute) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such or that discloses information which reveals the existence of an
Acquiring Person, or such earlier date as a majority of the Board of Directors
shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
3
1.10.
“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 interests is owned,
of
record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
1.11.
A
“Trigger
Event”
shall
be deemed to have occurred upon any Person becoming an Acquiring
Person.
1.12.
The
following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections
set forth below:
|
|
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
Adjustment
Shares
|
|
11.1.2
|
common
stock equivalent
|
|
11.1.3
|
Company
|
|
Preamble
|
current
per share market price
|
|
11.4
|
Current
Value
|
|
11.1.3
|
Distribution
Date
|
|
3.1
|
equivalent
preferred stock
|
|
11.2
|
Exchange
Act
|
|
1.1
|
Exchange
Consideration
|
|
27.1
|
Existing
Holder
|
|
1.1
|
Expiration
Date
|
|
7.1
|
Final
Expiration Date
|
|
7.1
|
Nasdaq
|
|
9
|
Original
Rights
|
|
1.3
|
Preferred
Shares
|
|
Recitals
|
Principal
Party
|
|
13.2
|
Purchase
Price
|
|
4
|
Record
Date
|
|
Recitals
|
Redemption
Date
|
|
7.1
|
Redemption
Price
|
|
23.1
|
Reduced
Threshold
|
26
|
|
Right
|
|
Recitals
|
Right
Certificate
|
|
3.1
|
Rights
Agent
|
|
Preamble
|
Security
|
|
11.4
|
Spread
|
|
11.1.3
|
Substitution
Period
|
|
11.1.3
|
Summary
of Rights
|
|
3.2
|
Trading
Day
|
|
11.4
|
4
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, 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. In the event the Company appoints one or
more co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any
co-Rights Agent shall be as the Company shall determine. Contemporaneously
with
such appointment, if any, the Company shall notify the Rights Agent
thereof.
Section
3.
Issuance of Right Certificates.
3.1.
Rights Evidenced by Share Certificates.
Until
the earlier of the close of business on (i) the tenth calendar day after the
Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day after the date of the
commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other
than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer, the consummation
of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt Person) becoming
the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares of the Company (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein referred to as the “Distribution
Date”),
(x)
the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of Section 3.2) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates for Common
Shares shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive certificates
therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying Common Shares. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, prior to
the
occurrence of a Distribution Date specified as a result of an event described
in
clause (ii) above (or such later Distribution Date as the Board of Directors
of
the Company may select pursuant to this sentence), the Board of Directors may
postpone, one or more times, the Distribution Date which would occur as a result
of an event described in clause (ii) beyond the date set forth in such clause
(ii). Nothing herein shall permit such a postponement of a Distribution Date
after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign and the Company (or, if requested, the Rights Agent) will send,
by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of
the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person
or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more certificates for Rights,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a “Right
Certificate”),
evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each Common
Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely
by such Right Certificates.
3.2.
Summary of Rights.
On the
Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send or
cause
to be sent a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (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 close of business on the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights will be evidenced
by such certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights and the registered holders
of the Common Shares shall also be registered holders of the associated Rights.
Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the surrender
for
transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding at the close of
business on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights,
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented thereby.
5
3.3.
New
Certificates After Record Date.
Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (whether upon issuance
out of authorized but unissued Common Shares, disposition out of treasury or
transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Shares) after the Record Date but
prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, shall
have impressed, printed, stamped, written or otherwise affixed onto them the
following legend:
This
certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights
as
set forth in an Agreement between SyntheMed, Inc. (the “Corporation”) and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent, dated as of May
20, 2008, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Agreement”), the
terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which
is on file at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced
by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
The
Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
As described in the Agreement, Rights which are owned by, transferred to or
have
been owned by Acquiring Persons or Associates or Affiliates thereof (as defined
in the Agreement) shall become null and void and will no longer be
transferable.
With
respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration 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 certificates,
except as otherwise provided herein, 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 canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.
Notwithstanding
this Section 3.3, the omission of a legend shall not affect the enforceability
of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the
Rights.
Section
4.
Form
of Right Certificates.
The
Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares, certification
and assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially
the
same as Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or
designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the
Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of
this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with
any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of
any stock exchange or trading system on which the Rights may from time to time
be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the terms and conditions
hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record
Date, and shall show the date of countersignature by the Rights Agent, and
on
their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price
per one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the
“Purchase
Price”),
but
the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase
Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
6
Section
5.
Countersignature and Registration.
The
Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman
of
the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and may (but need not)
have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which may (but
need not) be attested by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates
shall
be countersigned, either manually or by facsimile signature, by an authorized
signatory of the Rights Agent, but it shall not be necessary for the same
signatory to countersign all of the Right Certificates hereunder. No Right
Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates
shall
cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by 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 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
office designated for such purpose, 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, the certificate
number of each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
Section
6.
Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject
to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 and Section 14, at any time after the close
of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business
on the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other
than
Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant
to Section 11.1.2 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 27) may be
transferred, split up or combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate
or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up or combine or exchange any Right
Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender, together with any required form of assignment and
certificate duly completed, the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to
be
transferred, split up or combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights
Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall
be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any
such
surrendered Right Certificate or Right Certificates until the registered holder
shall have properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate or Right
Certificates and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity
of
the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon
the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto
a
Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment from the holders of Right Certificates of a
sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up or combination or exchange of such Right
Certificates.
Subject
to the provisions of Section 11.1.2, at any time after the Distribution Date
and
prior to the Expiration Date, 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
or the Rights Agent’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
countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
7
Section
7.
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
7.1.
Exercise of Rights.
Subject
to Section 11.1.2 and except as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder
of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole
or
in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and certification on the
reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price for the total number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
(or other securities, cash or other assets) as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the time (the “Expiration
Date”)
that
is the earliest of (i) the close of business on June 2, 2018 (the “Final
Expiration Date”),
(ii)
the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 (the
“Redemption
Date”),
(iii)
the closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the Company
pursuant to an agreement of the type described in Section 13.3 at which time
the
Rights are deemed terminated, or (iv) the time at which the Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 27.
7.2.
Purchase.
The
Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share pursuant to
the
exercise of a Right shall be initially $10.00, shall be subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 13 and 26 and shall be payable
in
lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Section
7.3.
7.3.
Payment Procedures.
Upon
receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form
of
election to purchase and certification duly executed, accompanied by payment
of
the aggregate Purchase Price for the total number of one one-thousandths of
a
Preferred Share to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer
tax or governmental charge required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9, in cash or by certified or 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 (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent)
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) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number
of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a
depository agent, requisition from the depository agent depository receipts
representing interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred
Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent
with the depository agent) and the Company hereby directs the depository agent
to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 or otherwise in accordance with Section
11.1.3, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depository
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, promptly
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant
to
Section 11.1.3, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution
by
the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with this
Agreement.
7.4.
Partial Exercise.
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 and
delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14.
8
7.5.
Full
Information Concerning Ownership.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect
to
a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported exercise
as
set forth in this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate
surrendered for such exercise shall have been duly and properly completed and
signed by the registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided
with such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the
Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section
8.
Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel
and
retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of
the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates (after any retention
period required by the Securities and Exchange Commission), and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section
9.
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
The
Company covenants and agrees that from and after the Distribution Date it will
cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, out of
its
authorized and unissued Common Shares or other securities or out of its shares
held in its treasury) the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) that
will
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
So
long
as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event,
Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights
may
be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable,
all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on such
exchange.
The
Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence
of
a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise
of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized
and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
From
and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the Company shall use its
best
efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of Preferred Shares upon
the
exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such Preferred Shares under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”)
and
any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws (to the extent exemptions
therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement and
qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing and
keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier of the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and
the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time
not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare
and
file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension
is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until
a registration statement under the Securities Act (if required) shall have
been
declared effective.
9
The
Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable
any
and all Federal and state transfer taxes and governmental charges which may
be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or
of
any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case
may
be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required
to
pay any transfer tax or governmental charge which may be payable in respect
of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of,
the
registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares (or Common
Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that
of
the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until any such transfer
tax or governmental charge shall have been paid (any such transfer tax or
governmental charge being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at
the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s
satisfaction that no such transfer tax or governmental charge is
due.
Section
10.
Preferred Shares Record Date.
Each
Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of
the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case
may
be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes and
governmental charges) was made;
provided, however,
that if
the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares
(or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books
of
the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall
be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of
the
Company are open; and
further provided, however,
that if
delivery of shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Shares and/or other securities,
as the case may be) is delayed pursuant to Section 9(c), such Person shall
be
deemed to have become the record holder of such securities only when such
securities first become deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled
to
any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other
securities, as the case may be) for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or
other distributions, 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 or other securities or property
purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding
are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section
11.
11.1.
Post-Execution Events.
11.1.1.
Corporate Dividends, Reclassifications, Etc.
In the
event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare
and pay 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 11.1, 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 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. If an event occurs which would require
an
adjustment under both Section 11.1.1 and Section 11.1.2, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11.1.1 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior
to,
the adjustment required pursuant to, Section 11.1.2.
10
11.1.2.
Acquiring Person Events; Triggering Events.
Subject
to Sections 23.1 and 27, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from
and after the first occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right, except
as
provided below, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof
at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by
the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2), in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this
Section 11.1.2) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the current per share
market price of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on
the
first of the date of the occurrence of, or the date of the first public
announcement of, a Trigger Event (the “Adjustment
Shares”);
provided
that the
Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall thereafter be subject
to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event, any
Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by (1) any Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof, (2) a transferee of any Acquiring
Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after
the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (3) a transferee of any Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or
to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance
of this Section 11.1.2, and subsequent transferees, shall become null and void
without any further action, and any holder (whether or not such holder is an
Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) of such
Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement or otherwise. From and after the Trigger Event,
no
Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 that
represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights
Agent that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant
to
the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled.
The
Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this
Section 11.1.2 are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of
Right Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make
any determinations with respect to any Acquiring Person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
11
From
and
after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that
theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11.1.2 shall
thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant
to
this Section 11.1.2.
11.1.3.
Insufficient Shares.
The
Company may at its option substitute for a Common Share issuable upon the
exercise of Rights in accordance with the foregoing Section 11.1.2 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. In the event that upon
the occurrence of a Trigger Event there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
authorized but unissued, or held by the Company as treasury shares, to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing Section
11.1.2, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights;
provided, however
, that
if the Company determines that it is unable to cause the authorization of a
sufficient number of additional Common Shares, then, in the event the Rights
become exercisable, the Company, with respect to each Right and to the extent
necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments
in
effect on the date hereof to which it is a party, shall: (A) determine the
excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise
of a
Right (the “Current
Value”),
over
(2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the “Spread”)
and
(B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become null and
void pursuant to Section 11.1.2), make adequate provision to substitute for
the
Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash,
(2)
a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Preferred Shares or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or fractions
of shares, of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend and
liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Shares,
the
Board of Directors of the Company has deemed in good faith to have substantially
the same value as Common Shares) (each such share of preferred stock or
fractions of shares of preferred stock constituting a “common
stock equivalent”),
(4)
debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of
the
foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company;
provided, however
, that
if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant
to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of a
Trigger Event, then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the extent
necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments
in
effect on the date hereof to which it is a party, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common
Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, such number or
fractions of Preferred Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.
If
the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it
is
unlikely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary, but not
more than ninety (90) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, in
order
that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period as may be extended, the “Substitution
Period”).
To
the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant
to the second and/or third sentences of this Section 11.1.3, the Company (x)
shall provide that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights,
and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of
the
Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to
such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes
of this Section 11.1.3, the value of a Common Share shall be the current per
share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of
the
occurrence of a Trigger Event and the value of any “common stock equivalent”
shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date. The
Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, establish
procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares upon the exercise
of
the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.1.3.
12
11.2.
Dilutive Rights Offering.
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 securities having the same rights, privileges
and
preferences as the Preferred Shares (“equivalent
preferred stock”))
or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred stock
at a
price per Preferred Share or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having
a conversion or exercise price per share, if a security convertible into or
exercisable for Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred stock) less than the
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant
to Section 11.4) 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 and shares of equivalent preferred
stock
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares and shares
of equivalent preferred stock which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or shares of equivalent preferred stock to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current per share market
price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
and
shares of equivalent preferred stock outstanding on such record date plus the
number of additional Preferred Shares and/or shares of equivalent preferred
stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible);
provided, however
, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right
be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be
paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash,
the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board
of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the
holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred
stock
owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed;
and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if
such
record date had not been fixed.
11.3.
Distributions.
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 surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or
assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Shares (which dividend,
for
purposes of this Agreement, shall be subject to the provisions of Section
11.1.1(A)) or convertible securities, or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11.2), the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the current per share market price of the Preferred
Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) 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 cash, assets, securities 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 (as determined pursuant
to Section 11.4);
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.
13
11.4.
Current Per Share Market Value.
11.4.1.
General.
For the
purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current
per share market price”
of
any
security (a “Security”
for
the
purpose of this Section 11.4.1) on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of
the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately
prior
to but not including such date;
provided, however
, that
in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is
determined during any period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares
of
such Security or securities convertible into such shares or (ii) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to
the
expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after but not including the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the “current per
share market price” shall be appropriately adjusted to 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 average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
OTC
Bulletin Board 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. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value
of
the Security on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors
of the Company shall be used. The term “Trading
Day”
shall
mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Security is not publicly
held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date the Security is not
so
quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the Security, “current per
share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company or, if at the time of such
determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors, which shall have
the
duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent
and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
11.4.2.
Preferred Shares.
Notwithstanding Section 11.4.1, for the purpose of any computation hereunder,
the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be determined
in the same manner as set forth above in Section 11.4.1 (other than the last
sentence thereof). If the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares
cannot be determined in the manner described in Section 11.4.1, the “current per
share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be
an amount equal to one thousand (1,000) (as such number may be appropriately
adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations
with respect to the Common Shares occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the current per share market price of the Common Shares (as
determined pursuant to Section 11.4.1). If neither the Common Shares nor the
Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, or if on any such
date neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are so quoted and no
such market maker is making a market in either the Common Shares or the
Preferred Shares, “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, or, if at the time of such determination there is
an
Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected
by
the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall have the duty to make such
determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall
be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive
for
all purposes. For purposes of this Agreement, the “current per share market
price” of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share shall be equal to the “current
per share market price” of one Preferred Share divided by one thousand
(1,000).
14
11.5.
Insignificant Changes.
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. Any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11.5 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-thousandth of a Preferred Share or the nearest one-thousandth
of
a Common Share or other share or security, as the case may be.
11.6.
Shares Other Than Preferred Shares.
If as a
result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11.1, 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
Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.13, and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply
on
like terms to any such other shares.
11.7.
Rights Issued Prior to Adjustment.
All
Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to
the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted
Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
11.8.
Effect of Adjustments.
Unless
the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11.9,
upon
each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made
in
Sections 11.2 and 11.3, 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-thousandths of a Preferred
Share
(calculated to the nearest one-hundred thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained
by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the 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.
11.9.
Adjustment in Number of Rights.
The
Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price
to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number
of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a 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-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
ten (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 11.9, the Company may, 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, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment,
or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders
of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates
so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record
of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
15
11.10.
Right
Certificates Unchanged.
Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number
of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue
to
express the Purchase Price per share and the number of one one-thousandths
of a
Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
11.11.
Par
Value Limitations.
Before
taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price
below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares
or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue
fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares or other such shares at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
11.12.
Deferred Issuance.
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 issuance to the holder
of any Right exercised after such record date of that number of Preferred Shares
and shares of other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable
upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and shares of other
capital stock or other securities, assets or cash 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.
11.13.
Reduction in Purchase Price.
Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall
be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those
adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that
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 of the 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 this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to
holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
11.14.
Company Not to Diminish Benefits of Rights.
The
Company covenants and agrees that after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition
Date or Distribution Date it will not, except as permitted by Section 23,
Section 26 or Section 27, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action
if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action
will substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to
be
afforded by the Rights.
16
11.15.
Adjustment of Rights Associated with Common Shares.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the date hereof and prior to
the
Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on its outstanding Common
Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) effect a subdivision or consolidation
of
its outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by the
payment of dividends payable in Common Shares), or (iii) combine its outstanding
Common Shares into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any
such
case, the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding,
or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date or in
accordance with Section 22, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number
of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following
the
occurrence of such event. Alternatively, in lieu of adjusting the number of
Rights associated with each Common Share, upon the occurrence of any of the
events referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Company may provide
that (a)
the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable after
such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying
the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such
event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares of the Company
outstanding immediately after such event, and (b) each Common Share of the
Company outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect
to it that number of Rights which each Common Share of the Company outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it.
The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11.15 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 Sections 11 or 13, the Company
shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and
a
brief statement of the computations and facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail
a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 25. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed
to
have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received
such certificate.
Section
13.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
13.1.
Certain Transactions.
In the
event that, from and after the first occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly
or
indirectly, (A) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any
other Person and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation, (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 the Company or any other Person or cash or any other property,
or
(C) the Company shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one
or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, exchange, mortgage 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 or Persons (other than the Company or one or more
wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11.14), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights
which have become null and void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per Right equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently
adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12), in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares
or
Common Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as
such
term is hereinafter defined) not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
17
rights
of
first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained
by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently
adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12) and
(y)
dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share market price of
the
Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11.4)
on
the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer;
provided,
that
the price per Right so payable and the number of Common Shares of such Principal
Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be subject to
further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6 to reflect
any
events covered thereby occurring in respect of the Common Shares of such
Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (ii) such Principal Party 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 Principal Party; and (iv)
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to,
the
reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with
Section 9) 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 its Common Shares thereafter deliverable
upon
the exercise of the Rights;
provided
that,
upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
of
assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party,
each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise
of
a Right and payment of the Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13.1,
such
cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would have
been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction,
owned
the Common Shares of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a
Right
pursuant to this Section 13.1, and such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be
necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with
the
terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property. The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that
the
requirements of this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 shall promptly be performed
in accordance with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer of assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under
this Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party
pursuant to this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 and providing that, as soon
as
practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the
Principal Party, at its own expense, shall
(1)
prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, if
necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause
such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of
the
Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and similarly comply with applicable
state securities laws;
18
(2)
use
its best efforts to cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise
of the Rights to be listed or admitted for trading on a national securities
exchange or such other system then in use;
(3)
deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the
Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act;
and
(4)
obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect
of
the Common Shares of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon exercise
of
outstanding Rights.
In
case
the Principal Party has provision in any of its authorized securities or in
its
certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other instrument governing its
corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such
Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this
Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of
a
transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Shares or common stock
equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current market price
per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) or securities
exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or common stock equivalents
of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price (other
than
to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), or (ii) providing for any
special payment, taxes or similar provision in connection with the issuance
of
the Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provision of Section
13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights
that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the
Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights
Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of
such
Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will
have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation
of
the proposed transaction.
The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Trigger
Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in clauses (A) through
(C) of this Section 13.1 if (i) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights,
warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect
which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended
to be afforded by the Rights, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the
stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal
Party for purposes of Section 13.2 shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii)
the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or
limit the exercisability of the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall
similarly apply to successive transactions of the type described in clauses
(A)
through (C) of this Section 13.1.
13.2.
Principal Party.
“Principal
Party”
shall
mean:
(i)
in
the case of any transaction described in (A) or (B) of the first sentence of
Section 13.1: (i) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which
the
Common Shares are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is
more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common Shares of which have the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (ii) if no securities
are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the merger, if such
Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the
Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value
of
shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the merger
does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including
the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation;
and
19
(ii)
in
the case of any transaction described in (C) of the first sentence in Section
13.1, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets
or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions,
or,
if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives
the
same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred or if the Person
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be
determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares having
the
greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding;
provided, however
, that
in any such case described in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) of this Section
13.2, if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time or have not
been
continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12
of
the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary
of
another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered,
the
term “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person, or (2) if such Person
is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common
Shares of all of which are and have been so registered, the term “Principal
Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares
having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if
such
Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person,
the
rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners
having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture
was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal
Party
in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in
the
same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such
interests.
13.3.
Approved Acquisitions.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, upon the consummation
of any merger or other acquisition transaction of the type described in clause
(A), (B) or (C) of Section 13.1 involving the Company pursuant to a merger
or
other acquisition agreement between the Company and any Person (or one or more
of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) which agreement has been approved by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to any Person becoming an Acquiring
Person, this Agreement and the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall
be
terminated in accordance with Section 7.1.
Section
14.
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
14.1.
Cash
in Lieu of Fractional Rights.
The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights (except prior to the
Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11.15). 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 14.1, 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 with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which
the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board 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 current market value of the Rights on such date shall
be the fair value of the Rights as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, or, if at the time of such determination there is
an
Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected
by
the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall have the duty to make such
determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall
be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive
for
all purposes.
20
14.2.
Cash
in Lieu of Fractional Preferred Shares.
The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other
than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share) upon exercise or exchange of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Interests in
fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of
a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depository selected by it;
provided,
that
such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depository receipts shall
have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled
as
beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depository
receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples
of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
or exchanged as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of
the current per share market price of one Preferred Share (as determined in
accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the
date
of such exercise or exchange.
14.3.
Cash
in Lieu of Fractional Common Shares.
The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares upon the
exercise or exchange of Rights. 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 (as determined in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading
Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
14.4.
Waiver of Right to Receive Fractional Rights or Shares.
The
holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right
to
receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange
of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section
15.
Rights of Action.
All
rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except the rights of action
given
to the Rights Agent under Section 18, 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 this Agreement, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce this
Agreement, or otherwise enforce or 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 shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of, the obligations of any Person (including, without limitation, the Company)
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:
21
(a)
prior
to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b)
as of
and after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only
on
the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer with all required certifications completed;
(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 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; and
(d)
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company
nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other
Person as the result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under
this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other
order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a
governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute,
rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligations;
provided that
the
Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling
lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section
17.
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 24), 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 as full compensation for the services
rendered by it hereunder such amount as
shall
be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent and,
from
time to time and on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, execution,
delivery, amendment and administration 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 any action taken, suffered or omitted by the
Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and expenses of defending
against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or
indirectly.
The
Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its acceptance
and administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate
or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or the Common Shares or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, instruction, 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.
22
Section
19.
Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
Any
Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged
or with which it may be consolidated, or Person resulting from any merger or
consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall
be a
party, or any Person succeeding to the business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the
part of any of the parties hereto,
provided
that
such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent
and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of
the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and
in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the
Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In
case
at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time
any
of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
the
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature 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
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.
20.1.
Legal
Counsel.
The
Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel selected by it (who may be legal
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, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.
20.2.
Certificates as to Facts or Matters.
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, suffering or omitting to take any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved
and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board
of
Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial
Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant
Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
20.3.
Standard of Care.
The
Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith
or
willful misconduct.
20.4.
Reliance on Agreement and Right Certificates.
The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements
of
fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates
(except as to its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same,
but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made
by the Company only.
23
20.5.
No
Responsibility as to Certain Matters.
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
null and void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) or any adjustment required under
the
provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 27 or responsible for the manner, method
or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts
that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise
of
Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such change
or
adjustment); 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 or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement
or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when so
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
20.6.
Further Assurance by Company.
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.
20.7.
Authorized Company Officers.
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 of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the
Chief
Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Company, and to apply to
such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties under this
Agreement, and such instructions shall be full authorization and protection
to
the Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it
in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for these 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 with respect to its duties or obligations under this 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 to the Company 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 therein (which
date shall not be less than three business days after the date any such officer
actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented
in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking of any such action (or
the effective date in the case of omission), the Rights Agent shall have
received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken or omitted.
20.8.
Freedom to Trade in Company Securities.
The
Rights Agent and any stockholder, affiliate, director, officer or employee
of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which
the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under
this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
20.9.
Reliance on Attorneys and Agents.
The
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested
in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys
or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for
any
act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents
or
for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, omission, default,
neglect or misconduct,
provided
that
reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
24
20.10.
Incomplete Certificate.
If,
with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for
exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of assignment or
the
form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case
may
be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person
(or
an Affiliate or Associate thereof), the Rights Agent shall not take any further
action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first
consulting with the Company.
20.11.
Rights Holders List.
At any
time and from time to time after the Distribution Date, upon the request of
the
Company, the Rights Agent shall promptly deliver to the Company a list, as
of
the most recent practicable date (or as of such earlier date as may be specified
by the Company), of the holders of record of Rights.
Section
21.
Change of Rights Agent.
The
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from
its
duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing mailed to
the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, as applicable, by registered or certified mail. Following the
Distribution Date, the Company shall promptly notify the holders of the Right
Certificates by first-class mail of any such resignation. The Company may remove
the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case
may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares,
as
applicable, 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 resigning, removed, or
incapacitated Rights Agent shall remit to the Company, or to any successor
Rights Agent designated by the Company, all books, records, funds, certificates
or other documents or instruments of any kind then in its possession which
were
acquired by such resigning, removed or incapacitated Rights Agent in connection
with its services as Rights Agent hereunder, and shall thereafter be discharged
from all duties and obligations hereunder. Following notice of such removal,
resignation or incapacity, the Company shall appoint a successor to such Rights
Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of
thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a 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
an
entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, in
good
standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or
corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal
or state authority and which has individually or combined with an affiliate
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 later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent
of
the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable, and, following the
Distribution Date, 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.
25
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. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following
the
Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall, with
respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded, or upon
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale;
provided, however
, that
(i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the
Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued and (ii) no such Right
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section
23.
Redemption.
23.1.
Right
to Redeem.
The
Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to
a
Trigger Event, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $0.0005 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the “Redemption
Price”),
and
the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based
on the “current per share market price,” determined pursuant to Section 11.4, of
the Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption
of
the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on
such
basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish.
23.2.
Redemption Procedures.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering
the redemption of the Rights (or at such later time as the Board of Directors
may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further
action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive
the
Redemption Price for each Right so held. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of such redemption;
provided, however,
that
the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the
validity of such redemption. The Company shall promptly give, or cause the
Rights Agent to give, notice of such redemption to the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders 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 shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may
redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner
other
than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 27, and other
than in connection with the purchase, acquisition or redemption of Common Shares
prior to the Distribution Date.
26
Section
24.
Notice of Certain Events.
In case
the Company shall propose at any time after the earlier of the Shares
Acquisition Date and the Distribution Date (a) to pay any dividend payable
in
stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other
distribution to the holders of Preferred Shares (other than a stock dividend
on,
or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Common Shares), or
(b)
to offer to the holders of Preferred Shares rights, options or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights, options or warrants, or (c) to
effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares), or (d) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or
more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a
whole) to, any other Person (other than pursuant to a merger or other
acquisition agreement of the type described in Section 1.3(ii)(A)(z)), or (e)
to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (f) to
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or
to
effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and to
each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares and/or Common 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 (a) or (b) above at least ten (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 ten (10) days prior
to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares and/or Common Shares, whichever
shall be the earlier.
In
case
any event set forth in Section 11.1.2 or Section 13 shall occur, then, in any
such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
the
Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with
Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Section 11.1.2 and Section 13, and (ii) all references in this Section 24 to
Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or,
if
appropriate, other securities.
Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior to the Distribution Date
a
filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission shall
constitute sufficient notice to the holders of securities of the Company,
including the Rights, for purposes of this Agreement and no other notice need
be
given.
Section
25.
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)
or
by facsimile transmission as follows:
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
Subject
to the provisions of Section 21 and Section 24, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) or by facsimile transmission as
follows:
27
American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company
00
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile
No. (000) 000-0000
Attention:
Executive Vice President
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 (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing Common Shares)
shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage-prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as
shown
on the registry books of the Company.
Section
26.
Supplements and Amendments.
For so
long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute
discretion, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement
or
amend any provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of
any
holders of Rights or Common Shares. From and after the time that the Rights
are
no longer redeemable, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct
or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein or (ii) to make any other changes or provisions
in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable, including but not limited to extending the Final
Expiration Date;
provided, however,
that no
such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Rights as such (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person), and no such supplement or amendment may cause the
Rights again to become redeemable or cause this Agreement again to become
amendable other than in accordance with this sentence;
provided further,
that
the right of the Board of Directors to extend the Distribution Date shall not
require any amendment or supplement hereunder. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Without
limiting the foregoing, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an
Acquiring Person, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Agreement
to
lower the thresholds set forth in Sections 1.1 and 3.1 to not less than 10%
(the
“Reduced Threshold”); provided,
that no
Person who beneficially owns a number of Common Shares equal to or greater
than
the Reduced Threshold shall become an Acquiring Person unless such Person (other
than an Exempt Person) shall, after the public announcement of the Reduced
Threshold, increase its beneficial ownership of the then outstanding Common
Shares (other than as a result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company) to an amount equal to or greater than the greater of (i) the Reduced
Threshold or (ii) the sum of (x) the lowest beneficial ownership of such Person
as a percentage of the outstanding Common Shares as of any date on or after
the
date of the public announcement of such Reduced Threshold plus (y) .001%.
Section
27.
Exchange.
27.1.
Exchange of Common Shares for Rights.
The
Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after the
occurrence of a Trigger Event, exchange Common Shares for all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) by
exchanging 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 amount per Right being hereinafter
referred to as the “Exchange
Consideration”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered
to
effect such exchange at any time after any Acquiring Person shall have become
the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
From
and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights
that
theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1 shall
thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be
exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1. The exchange of the Rights by the
Board
of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.
28
27.2.
Exchange Procedures.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering
the exchange for any Rights pursuant to Section 27.1 and without any further
action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate
and the only right thereafter of the holders of such Rights shall be to receive
the Exchange Consideration. The Company shall promptly give public notice of
any
such exchange;
provided, however
, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear
upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange shall 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
the Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11.1.2) held by each holder of Rights.
27.3.
Insufficient Shares.
If
there are not sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized
but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance
with
this Section 27, the Company will take all such action as may be necessary
to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
If 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 (or
equivalent preferred stock, as such term is defined in Section 11.2) such that
the current per share market price of one Preferred Share (or equivalent
preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current
per share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to Section
11.4)
as of the date of such exchange.
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 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.
Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors.
The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may
be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of
this
Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the
administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination
to redeem or not redeem the Rights or amend this Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done
or
made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith shall (x) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights, as such, and all other Persons, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
29
Section
31.
Severability.
If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court
of
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated.
Section
32.
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
33.
Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such
counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
Section
34.
Descriptive Heading.
Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted
for
convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction
of
any of the provisions hereof.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, as of the day and year first above written.
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
|
Name:
|
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
|
Title:
|
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
||
AMERICAN
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
|
||
|
|
|
By:
|
|
/s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
|
Name:
|
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
|
Title:
|
|
Vice
President
|
30
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF
CERTIFICATE
OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES
D
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
(Pursuant
to Section 151 of the
Delaware
General Corporation Law)
SyntheMed,
Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law
of
the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Corporation”),
hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on April 25,
2008.
RESOLVED,
that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors
of this Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board
of Directors”
or
the
“Board”)
in
accordance with the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of this Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred
Stock”),
of
the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and
fixes the relative rights, powers and preferences, and qualifications,
limitations and restrictions thereof as follows:
Section
1.
Designation and Amount.
The
shares of such series shall be designated as “Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock” (the “Series
D Preferred Stock”)
and
the number of shares constituting the Series D Preferred Stock shall be 200,000.
Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board
of Directors;
provided
, that
no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series D Preferred Stock to
a
number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or
warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
Corporation convertible into Series D Preferred Stock.
A-1
Section
2.
Dividends and Distributions.
(A)
Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any
class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking prior and superior to
the
Series D Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series D Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par
value $0.001 per share (the “Common
Stock”),
of
the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking junior to the Series D Preferred
Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board
of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in
each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a “
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series D Preferred Stock, in an amount
per
share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times
the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share
of
Series D Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
or
effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in
shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series
D
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause
(b)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such
event.
(B)
The
Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series D Preferred
Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section 2 immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided
that, in
the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the
next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on
the
Series D Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C)
Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of
Series D Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding
the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is
prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which
case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue
of
such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
or
is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares
of
Series D Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before
such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid
on
the shares of Series D Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount
of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment
of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not
more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
A-2
Section
3.
Voting Rights.
The
holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall have the following voting
rights:
(A)
Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of
Series D Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on
all
matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the
event
the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination
or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case
the
number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series D Preferred
Stock
were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying
such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(B)
Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Designations
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the
holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general
voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to
a
vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C)
Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series
D
Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall
not
be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of
Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section
4.
Certain Restrictions.
(A)
Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on
the
Series D Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter
and
until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not
declared, on shares of Series D Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been
paid
in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i)
declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution
or
winding up) to the Series D Preferred Stock;
(ii)
declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series D Preferred Stock, except dividends
paid ratably on the Series D Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii)
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series D Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation
may
at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior
stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
(both as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the
Series D Preferred Stock; or
(iv)
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series
D
Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series
D
Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing
or
by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of
such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences
of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result
in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
A-3
(B)
The
Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase
or
otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation
unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase
or
otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section
5.
Reacquired Shares.
Any
shares of Series D Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly
after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation
become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued
as
part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise
required by law.
Section
6.
Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A)
Upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or
otherwise no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series D Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share
(the “
Series D Liquidation Preference”)
equal
to $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment,
provided that the holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision
for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount
to
be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the
holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series D Preferred Stock,
except distributions made ratably on the Series D Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such
shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series D Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause
(1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to
such
event.
(B)
In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Series D Liquidation Preference and the liquidation
preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if
any,
that rank on a parity with the Series D Preferred Stock in respect thereof,
then
the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to
the
holders of the Series D Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares
in
proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
(C)
Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another
corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or
with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
A-4
Section
7.
Consolidation, Merger, etc.
In case
the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or
other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed
into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any
such
case each share of Series D Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount
of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the
case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock,
then
in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect
to
the exchange or change of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be adjusted
by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section
8.
No
Redemption.
The
shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the
Corporation.
Section
9.
Rank.
The
Series D Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends
and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up,
junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock,
except to the extent that any such other series specifically provides that
it
shall rank on a parity with or junior to the Series D Preferred
Stock.
Section
10.
Amendment.
At any
time any shares of Series D Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended
in
any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or
special rights of the Series D Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single
class.
Section
11.
Fractional Shares.
Series
D Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle
the
holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting
rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit
of all other rights of holders of Series D Preferred Stock.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of
the
Corporation by its President and Chief Executive Officer this ___ day of ______,
2008.
By:_______________________________
|
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
|
|
|
President
and CEO
|
A-5
EXHIBIT
B
[Form
of
Right Certificate]
Certificate
No. R- &
#160;
Rights
NOT
EXERCISABLE AFTER JUNE 2, 2018 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
IS
GIVEN OR IF THE COMPANY IS MERGED OR ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT OF THE
TYPE DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1.3(ii)(A)(z) OF THE AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT
TO REDEMPTION AT $0.0005 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH
IN
THE AGREEMENT.
UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION 11.1.2 OF THE AGREEMENT), RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN
THE
AGREEMENT), OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID
AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE
.
Right
Certificate
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 May 20, 2008,
as
the same may be amended from time to time (the “Agreement”), between SyntheMed,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer &
Trust Company, a New York corporation, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date and prior
to
5:00 P.M. New York time on June 2, 2018, at the offices of the Rights Agent,
or
its successors as Rights Agent, designated for such purpose, one one-thousandth
of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Shares”) of the Company, at a
purchase price of $10.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject
to
adjustment (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and certification duly
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above,
are
the number and Purchase Price as of June 2, 2008, based on the Preferred Shares
as constituted at such date. Capitalized terms used in this Right Certificate
without definition shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.
As
provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred Shares
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 Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Agreement reference
is
hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights,
obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company
and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Agreement are on file
at the principal offices of the Company and the Rights Agent.
B-1
This
Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender
at
the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, 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
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Rights evidenced by the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder
to
purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder
shall
be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject
to the provisions of the Agreement, the Board of Directors may, at its option,
(i) redeem the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate at a redemption price
of $0.0005 per Right or (ii) exchange Common Shares for the Rights evidenced
by
this Certificate, in whole or in part.
No
fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or
Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Shares which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at
the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the 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 Agreement or herein be
construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings
or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Agreement),
or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right
or
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided
in the Agreement.
If
any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of the 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 the
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated.
This
Right Certificate shall not be valid or binding 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 .
SYNTHEMED,
INC.
|
By:
______________________
|
Title:
|
Countersigned:
AMERICAN
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Rights Agent
By:
_________________________
Authorized
Signature
B-2
[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)
Rights
evidenced by 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:
Signature
Signature
Medallion Guaranteed:
Signatures
must be medallion guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined
in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
B-3
The
undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1)
the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by and
are
not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate
thereof; and
(2)
after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did
not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person
who
is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof.
Dated:
B-4
FORM
OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To
be
executed if holder desires to
exercise
the Right Certificate.)
To:
SyntheMed, Inc.
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 (or such other securities or property of the
Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name
of:
(Please
print name and address)
If
such
number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please
insert social security
or
other
identifying number
(Please
print name and address)
Dated:
Signature
Signature
Medallion Guaranteed:
B-5
Signatures
must be medallion guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined
in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
The
undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1)
the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by and
are
not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate
thereof; and
(2)
after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did
not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person
who
is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof.
Dated:
|
|
B-6
NOTICE
The
signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment and Form of Election to Purchase
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 Form of
Election to Purchase is not completed, the Company will deem the beneficial
owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate hereof and such Assignment or Election
to
Purchase will not be honored.
B-7
EXHIBIT
C
As
described in the Rights Agreement, Rights which are
held
by or have been held by an Acquiring Person or Associates
or
Affiliates thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and
certain
transferees
thereof shall become null and void and will no longer be
transferable.
SUMMARY
OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED
SHARES
On
April
25, 2008 the Board of Directors of SyntheMed, Inc. (the“Company”)
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”)
for
each share of common stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common
Shares”),
of
the Company outstanding at the close of business on June 2, 2008 (the
“
Record Date”).
As
long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue
one
Right (subject to adjustment) with each new Common Share so that all such shares
will have attached Rights. When exercisable, each Right will entitle the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share
of
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Preferred
Shares”)
at a
price of $10.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to
adjustment (the “Purchase
Price”).
The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated
as of May 20, 2008, as the same may be amended from time to time (the
“Agreement”),
between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights
Agent (the “Rights
Agent”).
Until
the
earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public announcement that
a
person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired, or obtained
the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Common Shares
(an “Acquiring
Person”)
or
(ii) ten (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
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 15% or more of the Common Shares (the earlier of (i) and (ii) 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 together
with a copy of this Summary of Rights.
The
Agreement provides that until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption,
exchange, termination, 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 close of business on the Record Date upon transfer
or new issuance of the Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating
the
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption,
exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer
of any certificates for Common Shares, with or without such notation or a copy
of this Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon
as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights (“Right
Certificates”)
will
be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business
on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will
evidence the Rights.
The
Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire
on June 2, 2018, subject to the Company’s right to extend such date (the
“Final
Expiration Date”),
unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company or terminated.
C-1
Each
Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will be entitled, when,
as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of
$1.00 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times
the
dividend, if any, declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Shares
will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per
share (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends) but will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each
Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes and will vote 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 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. Preferred Shares
will
not be redeemable. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Share’s dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one
Common Share.
The
Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities
or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment
from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or
a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
upon
the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants
to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares or convertible securities at less
than the current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness,
cash, securities or assets (excluding dividends payable in Preferred Shares
(which dividends will be subject to the adjustment described in clause (i)
above)) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to
above).
In
the
event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company were the
surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any affiliate
or
associate of an Acquiring Person and the Common Shares were not changed or
exchanged, each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are or were acquired
or beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights 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 then current Purchase
Price
of the Right. In the event that, after a person has become an Acquiring Person,
(i) the Company were acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or, if the
surviving corporation, in which
the
Common Shares shall be changed or exchanged
or (ii)
more than 50% of the Company’s assets or earning power were sold, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (other than Rights that
have become void by virtue of a person becoming an Acquiring Person) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock
of
the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction would have a market
value of two times the then current Purchase Price of the Right.
At
any
time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the earlier of
one
of the events described in the last sentence of the previous paragraph or the
acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which will have become void),
in
whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of one Common Share
per
Right (subject to adjustment).
No
adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments
require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional
Preferred Shares or Common Shares will be issued (other than fractions of
Preferred Shares which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depository receipts), and in lieu thereof, a payment in cash will be made based
on the market price of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares on the last trading
date prior to the date of exercise.
C-2
The
Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.0005 per
Right (the “Redemption
Price”)
by the
Board of Directors at any time prior to the time that an Acquiring Person has
become such. The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time,
on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish. 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.
Until
a
Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a
stockholder of the Company beyond those as an existing stockholder, including,
without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
Any
of
the provisions of the Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the
Company for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, and after the Rights
are
no longer redeemable, the Company may amend or supplement the Agreement in
any
manner that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights
(other than an Acquiring Person or an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring
Person). The Company may at any time prior to such time as any person becomes
an
Acquiring Person amend the Agreement to lower the thresholds described above
to
no less than 10% (the “Reduced
Threshold”);
provided,
that no
Person who beneficially owns a number of Common Shares equal to or greater
than
the Reduced Threshold shall become an Acquiring Person unless such Person (other
than an Exempt Person) shall, after the public announcement of the Reduced
Threshold, increase its beneficial ownership of the then outstanding Common
Shares (other than as a result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company) to an amount equal to or greater than the greater of (i) the Reduced
Threshold or (ii) the sum of (x) the lowest beneficial ownership of such Person
as a percentage of the outstanding Common Shares as of any date on or after
the
date of the public announcement of such Reduced Threshold plus (y) .001%.
A
copy of
the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as
an
Exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May___, 2008. A copy
of the Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary
description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified
in
its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
C-3