RIGHTS AGREEMENT AEP INDUSTRIES INC. AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC AS RIGHTS AGENT Dated as of March 31, 2011

Exhibit 4.1

AEP INDUSTRIES INC.

AND

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC

AS RIGHTS AGENT

Dated as of March 31, 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page

1.	Definitions		1

2.	Appointment of Rights Agent		9

3.	Issuance of Right Certificates		9

4.	Form of Right Certificates		11

5.	Countersignature and Registration		11

6.	Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates		12

7.	Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights		13

8.	Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates		14

9.	Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock		14

10.	Preferred Stock Record Date		16

11.	Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights		16

12.	Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares		24

13.	Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earnings Power		24

14.	Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares		27

15.	Rights of Action		29

16.	Agreement of Right Holders		29

17.	Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Xxxxxxxxxxx		00

00.	Concerning the Rights Agent		30

19.	Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent		31

20.	Duties of Rights Agent		31

21.	Change of Rights Agent		33

22.	Issuance of New Right Certificates		34

23.	Redemption		35

24.	Exchange		35

25.	Notice of Certain Events		37

26.	Notices		38

27.	Supplements and Amendments		39

28.	Successors		39


29.	Benefits of this Rights Agreement	39

30.	Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors	39

31.	Severability	40

32.	Governing Law	40

33.	Counterparts	40

34.	Descriptive Headings	40

35.	Force Majeure	40

EXHIBITS


Exhibit A – Form of Certificate of Designations			A-1

Exhibit B – Form of Right Certificate			B-1

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Rights Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2011 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Rights Agreement”), between AEP Industries Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company (the “Rights Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, on March 31, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) has adopted this Rights Agreement and authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each share of Common Stock (as defined below) of the Company outstanding as of the Close of Business (as defined below) on April 11, 2011 (the “Record Date”), and has authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (each as defined below), with each Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to adjustment) of a share of Preferred Stock (as defined below) upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth; provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22 hereof.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Rights Agreement, the following terms have the meaning indicated:

(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as defined below) who or which, alone or together with all Related Persons (as defined below) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as defined below) of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding but shall not include an Exempt Person (as defined below). The phrase “then outstanding” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.

(b) A Person shall be deemed to be “Acting in Concert” with another Person if such Person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) at any time after the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, in concert or in parallel with such other Person, or towards a common goal with such other Person, relating to changing or influencing the control of the Company or in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, where (i) each Person is conscious of the other Person’s conduct and this awareness is an element in their decision-making processes and (ii) at least one additional factor supports a determination by the Board of

Directors that such Persons intended to act in concert or in parallel, which such additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information, attending meetings, conducting discussions, or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in parallel; provided that the additional factor required shall not include actions by an officer or director of the Company acting in such capacities. A Person who is Acting in Concert with another Person shall also be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also Acting in Concert with such other Person.

No Person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with another Person solely as a result of (i) making or receiving a solicitation of, or granting or receiving, revocable proxies or consents given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (as defined below) by means of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A, or (ii) soliciting or being solicited for tenders of, or tendering or receiving tenders of, securities in a public tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act by means of a tender offer statement filed on Schedule TO.

(c) “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.

(d) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, shall be deemed to have “Beneficial Ownership” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” any securities:

(1) which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Rights Agreement;

(2) which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, directly or indirectly, has

(A) the Right to Acquire; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own”, (x) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (y) securities which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons has a Right to Acquire on the exercise of Rights at any time prior to a Trigger Event, or (z) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and after a Trigger Event if such Rights are Original Rights (as defined below) or pursuant to Sections 11(i) or (n) hereof with respect to an adjustment to the Original Rights; and/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 by reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in

accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); and

(3) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Related Person thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s Related Persons) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in Section 1(d)(2)(B) hereof) or disposing of such securities of the Company; provided, however, that (A) that nothing in this Section 1(d) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities acquired through such Person’s participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting registered under the Securities Act until the expiration of 40 days after the date of such acquisition, and then only if such securities continue to be owned by such Person at such expiration of 40 days; or (B) 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(d)), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.

A Person who or which, together with all of such Person’s Related Persons, shall be the “Beneficial Owner” (within the meaning of Sections 1(d)(1) through 1(d)(3) hereof) of 5% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding, shall also be deemed to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own,” the full notional amount of any securities (as specified in a filing by such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons with the Securities and Exchange Commission or determined by the Board of Directors in good faith) that, directly or indirectly, underlie any Synthetic Equity Position (as defined below) and that are, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Person, or any of such Person’s Related Persons; provided, that any Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) (other than a Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to Beneficially Own the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Person arising in the ordinary course of such Person’s business as a derivatives dealer. For the avoidance of doubt, a Person shall be deemed to have acquired Beneficial Ownership of additional shares of Common Stock upon settlement of a Synthetic Equity Position for shares of Common Stock or upon entry into, or acquisition of, any Synthetic Equity Position that was not held or maintained by such Person as of immediately prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement.

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(d)), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, no Person shall be deemed to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own” any securities which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, would otherwise be deemed to “Beneficially Own” pursuant to this Section 1(d) solely as a result of any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons), or any tender, voting or support agreement entered into by such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons) in connection therewith, if, prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors has approved such merger or other acquisition agreement, or such tender, voting or support agreement.

(e) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the State of New Jersey, are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

(f) “Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New Jersey time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New Jersey time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

(g) “Common Stock” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company. “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary (as defined below) 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.

(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of the Agreement.

(i) “Exempt Person” shall mean the following:

(1) the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries, or any entity or trustee holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for the purpose of funding any such plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(2) any Person who or which, alone or together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, has become and is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock at the time outstanding solely as the result of:

(A) a change in the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding since the last date on which such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of any shares of Common Stock, provided, however, that if such Person (together with all Related Persons) thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than (i) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the

outstanding Common Stock, pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock or (ii) as a result of the exercise of any options or the vesting of any restricted shares, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance share units or other equity securities granted prior to or after the date hereof to such Person under any employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), then such Person (together with all Related Persons) shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person,” subject to Section 1(i)(2)(B) hereof (unless upon the consummation of the acquisition of such additional shares of Common Stock such Person together with its Related Persons does not beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding); or

(B) the acquisition by such Person or one or more of such Person’s Affiliates and Associates of Beneficial Ownership of additional shares of Common Stock if the Board of Directors determines that such acquisition was made in good faith without the knowledge by such Person or one or more of its Affiliates and Associates that such Person would thereby become an Acquiring Person, which determination of the Board of Directors shall be conclusive and binding on such Person, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons; provided, however, that if any Person that is not an Acquiring Person due to this Section 1(i)(2)(B) does not reduce its percentage of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock to less than 15% by the Close of Business on the tenth calendar day after notice from the Company (the date of notice being the first day) that such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock would make it an Acquiring Person, such Person shall, at the end of such ten calendar day period, become an Acquiring Person (and this Section 1(i)(2)(B) shall no longer apply to such Person);

(3) any Person who would, as of the Close of Business on the date hereof, be an “Acquiring Person”, unless and until such Person (together with all Related Persons) shall acquire after the date hereof, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors, Beneficial Ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than (A) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock, pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock or (B) as a result of the exercise of any options or the vesting of any restricted shares, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance share units or other equity securities granted prior to or after the date hereof to such Person under any employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries); and

(4) any Specified Person upon an acquisition of Specified Shares; provided that:

(A) following an acquisition of Specified Shares, which results in such Specified Person beneficially owning 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, (i) within 90 days from such acquisition (or such earlier or later time as the Board of Directors may determine and so advise the Specified Person in writing), such Specified Person and/or any or all of its Related Persons take the necessary actions to reduce their aggregate Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock to less than 20% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, (ii) until such Beneficial Ownership is so reduced and solely with respect to the Common Stock beneficially owned by such Specified Person and its Related Persons in excess of 20% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, such Specified Person and its Related

Persons vote, with respect to any matter submitted to a vote of the holders of Common Stock, all such excess Common Stock on a pro rata basis proportionate to all other votes of Common Stock actually cast on the matter; and

(B) following such acquisition and so long as their aggregate Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock is 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, such Specified Person and its Related Persons, taken together, do not, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors, acquire Beneficial Ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than (i) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock, pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock or (ii) as a result of the exercise of any options or the vesting of any restricted shares, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance share units or other equity securities granted prior to or after the date hereof to such Person under any employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries).

Any Person subject to Section 1(i) shall, for so long as such Person complies with the requirements of such section, be considered an “Exempt Person” for purposes of Section 1(i); provided, however, that such Person’s qualification as an “Exempt Person” under this Section 1(i) shall be terminated if, at a later date, such Person, together with its Related Persons, reduces their aggregate Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock to less than 15% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.

(j) “Immediate Family Members” shall mean a Person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and anyone (other than employees) who resides at such Person’s home.

(k) “NASDAQ” shall mean The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.

(l) “Original Rights” shall mean Rights that were acquired by a Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Sections 3 or 22 hereof.

(m) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

(n) “Preferred Stock” shall mean the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

(o) “Related Person” shall mean, as to any Person, any Affiliates or Associates of such Person, and any other Person with whom such Person or such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is Acting in Concert (or any Affiliate or Associate of such other Person).

(p) “Right to Acquire” shall mean a legal, equitable or contractual right to acquire (whether directly or indirectly and whether 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 (excluding customary agreements entered into in good faith with and between an underwriter and selling group members in connection with a firm commitment underwriting registered under the Securities Act), or upon the exercise of any option, warrant or right, through conversion of a security, pursuant to the power to revoke a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement, pursuant to the power to terminate a repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, or pursuant to the automatic termination of a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement.

(q) “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(r) “Specified Person” shall mean (i) an Immediate Family Member of any Person transferring shares of Common Stock and any trust for the benefit of (or the trustees of which include) such Immediate Family Member or such Person, which Immediate Family Member or trust acquires Common Stock from such Person, and (ii) an executor or trustee for the estate of a Person transferring shares of Common Stock or of such Immediate Family Member, which executor or trustee acquires Common Stock from such Person or Immediate Family Member.

(s) “Specified Shares” shall mean any shares of Common Stock acquired by any Specified Person from a Person for no consideration, whether (i) by will; (ii) pursuant to applicable laws of decent and distribution; (iii) by gift; or (iv) other estate planning methods.

(t) “Stock 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.

(u) “Subsidiary” shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other entity that is otherwise controlled by such Person.

(v) “Synthetic Equity Position” shall mean any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act); provided, that for the purposes of this Section 1(v), the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future

occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination.

(w) A “Trigger Event” shall be deemed to have occurred upon any Person becoming an Acquiring Person.

The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the sections set forth herein:


Term		Section
Adjustment Shares		11(a)(ii)
Authorized Officer		5(a)
Board of Directors		Recitals
Common Stock Equivalents		11(a)(iii)
current per share purchase price		11(d)(i)
Current Value		11(a)(iii)
Distribution Date		3(a)
Equivalent Preferred Stock		11(b)
Exchange Ratio		24(a)
Expiration Date		7(a)
Final Expiration Date		7(a)
Principal Party		13(b)
Purchase Price		7(b)
Record Date		Recitals
Redemption Price		23(a)
Right		Recitals
Right Certificate		3(a)
Security		11(d)(i)
Spread		11(a)(iii)
Substitution Period		11(a)(iii)
Trading Day		11(d)(i)
Trust		24(a)
Trust Agreement		24(a)

2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable upon 10 days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for the acts or omissions of, any such co-Rights Agent.

3. ISSUANCE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.

(a) Rights Evidenced by Share Certificates. Until the Close of Business on the earlier of the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined from time to time by action of the Board of Directors prior to the Distribution Date) after (i) the Stock Acquisition Date and (ii) the date of the commencement by any Person (other than a Person in clause (1) of the definition of Exempt Person) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of such Person (other than a Person in clause (1) of the definition of Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person (other than a Person in clause (1) of the definition of Exempt Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (including, in the case of both clause (i) and (ii), any such date which is after the date of this Rights Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights) (the earlier of such dates in clauses (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (A) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Sections 3(b) and (c) hereof) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock and not by separate certificates, and (B) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, in the event that any such tender or exchange offer described in clause (ii) is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Distribution Date without the purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such offer shall be deemed, for purposes of this Section 3(a), never to have been made. 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 Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more certificates for Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. As of, and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. Receipt of a Right Certificate by any Person shall not preclude a later determination that such Rights are null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof. To the extent applicable, the Company may implement such procedures as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, to minimize the possibility that Rights are received by Persons with respect to whom Rights would be null and void under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

(b) Summary of Rights. The Company will make available, as promptly as practicable following the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights to any holder of Rights who may so request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, or issued subsequent to the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights will be

evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.

(c) New Certificates After Record Date. Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company’s treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:

“THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN AEP INDUSTRIES INC. AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, AS RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF MARCH 31, 2011, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED, SUPPLEMENTED OR OTHERWISE MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE “RIGHTS AGREEMENT”), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF AEP INDUSTRIES INC. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE. AEP INDUSTRIES INC. WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY RELATED PERSON THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, SHALL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.”

In the event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock which are no longer outstanding.

Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.

4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) each shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Rights 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 automated quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 11 and 22 hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date on their face and shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price (as determined pursuant to Section 7 hereof), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.

(a) Execution. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, the President, an Executive Vice President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (each, an “Authorized Officer”), either manually or by facsimile signature and shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, if any, which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.

(b) Books and Records. 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 and the date of each of the Right Certificates.

6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.

(a) Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and 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(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following such time, other securities, cash or assets as the case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender, together with any required form or assignment and certificate duly completed, the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate or Certificates until the registered holder thereof shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of each such Right Certificate or Certificates and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or any Related Person thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon, the Rights Agent, subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of such Right Certificates.

(b) Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement, 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 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 execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS, PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.

(a) Exercise of Rights. Subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter 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 share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or assets, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised, at any time which is both after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on March 31, 2014, or such later date as may be established by the Board of Directors prior to the expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be extended by the Board of Directors, the “Final Expiration Date”), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or exchanged as provided in Sections 23 and 24 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Date”).

(b) Purchase Price. The purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right initially shall be $150.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 13 and 26 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Section 7(c) hereof.

(c) Payment Procedures. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and an amount equal to the any applicable tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(j) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased (and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests), or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depository agent, requisition from the depositary agent appointed by the Company depositary receipts representing interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with 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 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such Preferred Stock certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or, upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be

designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt thereof, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company issues other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pays cash and/or distributes other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.

(d) 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 exercisable 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 hereof.

(e) Full Information Concerning Ownership. Notwithstanding anything in this Rights 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 hereof unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or any Related Person thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

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 cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

9. AVAILABILITY OF SHARES OF PREFERRED STOCK.

(a) Reservation of Securities. The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and, following a Trigger Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock and/or other securities or out its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following a Trigger Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

(b) Listing of Securities. So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following a Trigger Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable upon

the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or quoted in the over-the-counter market, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quoted in the over-the-counter market upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

(c) Registration of Securities. 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 shares of Preferred Stock (and following a Trigger Event, shares of Common Stock and other securities) upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such shares of Preferred Stock (and following the time that a Trigger Event, shares of Common Stock and other securities) under 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 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 Rights 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.

(d) Authorization of Securities. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and, following a Trigger Event, shares of Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

(e) Payment of Taxes and Charges. The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock 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 or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.

10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to such shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, 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.

11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock 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.

(a) Post-Execution Events.

(i) Corporate Dividends, Reclassifications, Etc. In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the shares of Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), 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, as the case may be, 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 Stock transfer books of the Company were open, the holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, 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 this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

(ii) Acquiring Person Events; Triggering Events. Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Rights Agreement, and except as provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from and after the occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then-current Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and (B) dividing that product by 50% of the then-current per share market price of the Company’s Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of the Trigger Event (the “Adjustment Shares”); provided, however, that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of Trigger Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring Person (or any Related Person thereof), (y) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any such Related Person thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Trigger Event or (z) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any Related Person thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Trigger Event and receives such Rights pursuant to either (I) 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 (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) which has as a primary purpose or effect of avoiding this Section 11(a)(ii), and subsequent transferees of such Persons, shall be null and void without any further action and any holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or Related Person thereof) of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Rights Agreement. From and after the Trigger Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Sections 3 or 6 hereof 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 cancelled. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to any Acquiring Person or its Related Persons or transferees hereunder. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 hereof and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).

(iii) Insufficient Shares. The Company may at its option substitute for a share of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof such number or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock having an aggregate current market value equal to the current per share market price of a share of Common Stock. In the event that upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock authorized but unissued, or held by the Company as treasury shares, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock, then, in the event the Rights become exercisable, the Company, with respect to each Right and to the extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements or instruments then in effect to which it is a party, shall (A) determine the excess of (x) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”) over (y) the then-current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of shares of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the time that the Acquiring Person became such (such excess, the “Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for Adjustment Shares and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) shares of Preferred Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the shares of Common Stock, are deemed in good faith by the Board of Directors to have substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock and shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock, the “Common Stock Equivalents”), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good faith by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following but not including the date of the Trigger Event, then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any material agreements or instruments then in effect to which it is a party, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and then, if necessary, such number or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then the 30 day period set forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary, but not more than 90 days after but not including the date of the 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(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), 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 second 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(a)(iii), the value of a share of Common Stock shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the date of the Trigger Event and the per share value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to

have the same value as the Common Stock on such date. The Board of Directors may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).

(b) 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 Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having similar rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock (“Equivalent Preferred Stock”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion or exercise price per share, if a security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the then-current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of such shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holder of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) Distributions. In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (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 or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Stock), or subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then-current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of such assets or

evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights, options or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(d) Current Per Share Market Value.

(i) General. Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security” for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to but not including such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of the 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 by (w) the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ or, (x) if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ, 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 (y) 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 NASDAQ or such system then in use, or, (z) 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. 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 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.

(ii) Preferred Shares. Notwithstanding Section 11(d)(i) hereof, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above in Section 11(d)(i) hereof (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current per share market price of the Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner described in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, the current per share market price of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Rights Agreement) multiplied by the current per share market price per share of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof). If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock are so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in either the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, of, 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, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

(e) 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; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or the nearest one-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) (3) three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

(f) Shares Other Than Preferred Shares. If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than the Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in this Section 11 and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

(g) 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 share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

(h) Effect of Adjustments. Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, 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 share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by (i) multiplying (A) the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (B) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

(i) 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 lieu of any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company 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 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after 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 as a result of such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and delivered by the Company, and countersigned and delivered by the Rights Agent in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

(j) Right Certificates Unchanged. Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a share and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

(k) Par Value Limitations. Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order

that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.

(l) 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 the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

(m) Reduction in Purchase Price. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11 to the contrary, 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 (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (v) dividends on Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock or (vi) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

(n) Company Not to Diminish Benefit of Rights. The Company covenants and agrees that, after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

(o) Adjustment of Rights Associated with Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company shall, at any time after the date of this Rights Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, (i) declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or (ii) effect a subdivision or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by the payment of a dividend payable in Common Stock), (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in any such case, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.

12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment or describing such event, and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts, computations and methodology accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNINGS POWER.

(a) Certain Transactions. In the event that, from and after the first occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly or indirectly, (1) the Company shall consolidate with or merge with and into any other Person (other than one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries), (2) any Person (other than one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries), shall consolidate with the Company, or any Person (other than one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries), shall 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 Stock 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 (3) 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, cash flow or earning power aggregating to 50% or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11 hereof), 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(a)(ii) hereof) 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 share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (each as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant to Section 11 hereof in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as defined below) not subject to any liens, encumbrances, 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 share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted thereafter pursuant Section 11 hereof) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the then-current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided that the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal

Party issuable upon exercise of each Right shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof 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 Rights Agreement;

(iii) the term “Company” as used herein 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 shares of its Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the shares of its Common Stock 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(a), 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 Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13(a), 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.

(b) Principal Party. “Principal Party” shall mean:

(i) in the case of any transaction described in clauses (1) or (2) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the shares of Common Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of the shares of Common Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (B) 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 shares of Common Stock 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;

(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (3) of the first sentence in Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of

the assets, cash flow or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding; and

(iii) in any such case described in Sections 13(b)(i) or (ii) hereof, if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (A) if such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, the term “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person, or (B) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, and the Common Stock of all of such persons have been so registered, the term “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (C) 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 (A) or (B) 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.

(c) General Conditions on Consolidation, Merger, Sale or Transfer. The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements of Section 13(a) and (b) hereof 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 Rights Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to Section 13(a) and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party will:

(i) 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;

(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, including but not limited to the registration or qualification of such securities under all requisite securities laws of jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such securities on such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate;

(iii) 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

(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.

(d) Restrictions on Transfer Due to Principal Party. In case the Principal Party has a 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, shares of Common Stock or Common Stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then-current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock 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 Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of this 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.

(e) No Diminution of Rights. The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after a Trigger Event enter into any transaction of the type contemplated by Sections 13(a)(1)-(3) hereof 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(b) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Related Persons 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 Sections 13(a)(1)-(3) hereof.

14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.

(a) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date in accordance with Sections 11(i) or (o) hereof) or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular

way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by (i) the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq, or (ii) if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ, 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 (iii) if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or (iv) if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors shall be used.

(b) Cash in Lieu of Fraction Preferred Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised for shares of Preferred Stock as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a share of Preferred Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

(c) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Common Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised or exchanged for shares of Common Stock as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one share of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.

(d) Waiver of Right to Receive Fractional Rights or Shares. The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives the right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right (except as permitted by this Section 14).

15. RIGHTS OF ACTION.

(a) Enforcement of Rights. All rights of action in respect of this Rights Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit, may enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder’s right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, such Common Stock) in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Rights 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 Rights 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 subject to, this Rights Agreement.

(b) Liability of the Company and Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, judgment, decree or ruling issued by a court or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, that the Company must use all reasonable efforts to have any such injunction, order, judgment, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.

16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;

(b) 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 and with the appropriate forms and certificates of transfer; and

(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(a) hereof, 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 Stock 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 Stock certificate made by anyone

other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to Section 7(a) hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

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 Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange 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 this Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.

18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.

(a) Compensation and Indemnification. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Rights 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 gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration, of this Rights Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom.

(b) Limitation of Liability. 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 administration of this Rights Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.

19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.

(a) Merger or Consolidation. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Rights Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, 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 such successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Rights Agreement.

(b) Name Change. 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 Rights Agreement.

20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes to perform the duties and obligations imposed by this Rights Agreement (and no implied duties) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

(a) Legal Counsel. The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (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 or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

(b) Certificates as to Facts or Matters. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Rights Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of an Acquiring Person and the determination of the current per share market price of any security) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking 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 Authorized Officer and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

(c) Standard of Care. The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction). Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.

(d) 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 Rights Agreement or in the Right Certificates or be required to verify the same (except its countersignature thereof), and all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

(e) No Responsibility as to Certain Matters. The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Rights 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 Rights 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(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 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 such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Rights Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock or other securities will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(f) Further Performance 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 Rights Agreement.

(g) 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 person believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the Authorized Officers, and to apply to such Authorized Officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties and it shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such Authorized Officer.

(h) Ability 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 Rights Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent or any such stockholder, affiliate, director, officer or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.

(i) 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 (through its directors, officers and employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

(j) Incomplete Certificate. If, with respect to any Right 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 any Related Person thereof) or a transferee thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

(k) Liability. No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if it reasonably believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability, to the extent provided herein, is not reasonably assured to it.

21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Rights Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. In the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to resign automatically on the effective date of such termination; and any required notice will be sent by the Company. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs after the Distribution Date, to the registered 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 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State thereof, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if such appointment occurs after 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.

22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Rights 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 the 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 Rights Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors, 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.

23. REDEMPTION.

(a) Right to Redeem. The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) a Trigger Event, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then-outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (the “Redemption Price”). 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. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the current per share market price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

(b) Redemption Properties. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 (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. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Promptly after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights (or such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then-outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. 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.

(c) Restrictions on Redemption. 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 and other than in connection with the purchase or repurchase by any of them of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.

24. EXCHANGE.

(a) Exchange of Common Shares for Rights. The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time after a Trigger Event, exchange all or part of the then-outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have not become effective or that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock (or one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such amount per Right, the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effectuate such exchange at any time after an Acquiring Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section

13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 hereof and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a). 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. Before effecting an exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Board of Directors may direct the Company to enter into a Trust Agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board of Directors shall then approve (the “Trust Agreement”). If the Board of Directors so directs, the Company shall enter into the Trust Agreement and shall issue to the trust created by such agreement (the “Trust”) all or a portion (as designated by the Board of Directors) of the shares of Common Stock (or other securities) issuable pursuant to the exchange, and all holders of Rights entitled to receive such shares or securities pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive such shares or securities (and any dividends paid or distributions made thereon after the date on which such shares are deposited in the Trust) only from the Trust and solely upon compliance with the relevant terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement. Prior to effecting an exchange and registering shares of Common Stock (or other such securities) in any Person’s name, including any nominee or transferee of a Person, the Company may require (or cause the trustee of the Trust to require), as a condition thereof, that any holder of Rights provide evidence, including, without limitation, the identity of the Beneficial Owners thereof and their Related Persons (or former Beneficial Owners thereof and their Related Persons) as the Company shall reasonably request in order to determine if such Rights are null and void. If any Person shall fail to comply with such request, the Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the Rights formerly held by such Person to be null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and not transferable or exercisable or exchangeable in connection herewith. Any shares of Common Stock or other securities issued at the direction of the Board of Directors in connection herewith shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock or of such other securities (as the case may be), and the Company shall be deemed to have received as consideration for such issuance a benefit having a value that is at least equal to the aggregate par value of the shares so issued.

(b) Exchange Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company promptly shall 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 shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

(c) Substitution. In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) or Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and other similar transactions after the date hereof.

(d) Insufficient Shares. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof (or Equivalent Preferred Stock as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) such that the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one share of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) as of the date of such exchange.

25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.

(a) Notice of Events Affecting Rights. In case the Company shall propose at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock, (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision or combination of outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, (v) 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, cash flow 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(d)(2)(A)(z) hereof) or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution or offering of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clauses (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.

(b) Notice of Acquiring Person Events. In case any event set forth in Sections 11(a)(ii) or 13 hereof shall occur then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Sections 11(a)(ii) and 13 hereof, and (ii) all references in this Section 25 to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.

26. NOTICES.

Notices or demands authorized by this Rights 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 by the Company with the Rights Agent) as follows:

AEP Industries Inc.

Corporate Headquarters

000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000

Attention: Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Rights 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 by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

0000 00^xx Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000

Attention: Admin3

With a copy to:

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

0000 00^xx Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000

Attention: General Counsel

Notices or demands authorized by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution Date, and except as otherwise provided in this Section 27, 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 Rights Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of certificates of representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, and except as otherwise provided in this Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Rights Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof), and no such amendment may cause the Rights again to become redeemable or cause this Rights Agreement again to become amendable as to an Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof other than in accordance with this sentence. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, (a) no supplement or amendment shall be made which decreases the Redemption Price and (b) the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any supplement or amendment that affects the Rights Agent’s own rights, duties, obligations and immunities under this Agreement.

28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this Rights 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.

29. BENEFITS OF THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Rights 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, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Rights Agreement; but this Rights 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, registered holders of the Common Stock).

30. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. For all purposes of this Rights Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock or any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Rights Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Rights Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or

to amend this Rights Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (B) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall (A) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (B) not subject the Board of Directors, or any of the directors on the Board of Directors, to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Rights Agreement or applicable to this Rights Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, null and void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, null and void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a specific group of Directors of the Company to act is held to by any court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, null and void or unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law and the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, each as amended or restated.

32. GOVERNING LAW. This Rights Agreement, each Right and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.

33. COUNTERPARTS. This Rights 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.

34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several sections of this Rights Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

35. FORCE MAJEURE. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunctions of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war or civil unrest.

[SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Rights Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.


AEP INDUSTRIES INC.

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Title: Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent

By:		/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
		Title: Senior Vice President

SIGNATURE PAGE TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT A

FORM OF

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

AEP INDUSTRIES INC.

(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)

AEP Industries Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“General Corporation Law”) hereby certifies that, pursuant to authority granted by Article Fourth of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and in accordance with Section 151 of the General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (hereinafter being referred to as the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) has adopted the following resolutions at a meeting duly called and held on March 31, 2011:

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Corporation, to be designated the “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” and hereby adopts the resolution establishing the designations, number of shares, preferences, voting powers and other rights and the restrictions and limitations thereof, of the shares of such Series A Junior Participating Stock as set forth below:

1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 30,000. 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 the Series A 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 the Series A Preferred Stock.

2. Dividends and Distributions.

(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation (the “Preferred Stock”) (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”) and of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly

A-1

dividends payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter in each year, or such other dates as the Board of Directors shall approve (each such date being referred to herein as a “Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series A Preferred Stock (the “Issue Date”), in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 or (ii) 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, declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date declare and pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) 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 A 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 Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such subsequent Dividend Payment Date.

(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not earned or declared, on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the 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 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 Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

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(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth and except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or required by law, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation or in any other certificate of designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(c) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

4. Certain Restrictions.

(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not earned or declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A 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 A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the

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Corporation ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock; or

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective Series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not earned or declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A 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 (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A 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, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Preferred Stock 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 A Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in the proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of

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shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (i) of this Section 6(a) 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) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or with the Corporation (nor the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation) shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.

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 converted into, exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly converted into, exchanged for 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 converted or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock 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 conversion, exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.

9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, senior to the Common Stock.

10. Amendment. If any proposed amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designations) would alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given to the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series A Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the General Corporation Law.

11. Fractional Shares. Series A 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

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voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed and attested this Certificate of Designations on the 31st day of March, 2011.


AEP INDUSTRIES INC.



By:


Name:


Title:


Attest:


,		Secretary

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EXHIBIT B

FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE


Certificate No. R-		Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 31, 2014, OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.

Right Certificate

AEP INDUSTRIES INC.

This certifies that or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2011 as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), between AEP Industries Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New Jersey time, on March 31, 2014 at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $150.00 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of April 11, 2011, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights and the number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder

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of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company. The Company will send to the holder of this Right Certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.

This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the office or agency 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 shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares, among other things, of Preferred Stock or shares of the Company’s Common Stock.

The Company is not required to issue fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts). At the Company’s election, in lieu of such fractional shares, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement) or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as provided in the Rights Agreement.

This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal, if any. Dated as of , .


ATTEST:		AEP INDUSTRIES INC.

By:		By:

Countersigned:


AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent

By:
	Authorized Signatory

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FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

(To be executed by the registered holder if such

holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfer unto

(Please print name and address of transferee)

Rights represented by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer said Rights on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated: ,

Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee medallion program.

The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by, were not acquired by the undersigned from, and are not being sold, assigned or transferred to, an Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

Signature

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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

(To be executed if holder desires to exercise

Rights represented by the Right Certificate)

To the Rights Agent:

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (or such other securities) be issued in the name of:

(Please print name and address of transferee)

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 of transferee)



Dated: ,
		Signature

		(Signature must conform to holder
		specified on Right Certificate)

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee medallion program.




		Signature

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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued

NOTICE

The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored and the Company may deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof.

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RIGHTS AGREEMENT AEP INDUSTRIES INC. AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC AS RIGHTS AGENT Dated as of March 31, 2011

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