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BESTFOODS
and
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
Rights Agent
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Rights Agreement
Dated as of January 4, 1999
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Table of Contents
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions ...............................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent .......................................5
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates ......................................5
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates .......................................7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration .................................8
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates ...................................9
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.....10
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates ..............13
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock ....................14
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date ......................................16
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights ...............................................16
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares .......27
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power ...............................................28
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares ..........................31
Section 15. Rights of Action .................................................32
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders ......................................33
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder ...............34
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent ......................................34
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Page
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent ........35
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent ...........................................36
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent ...........................................38
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates ..............................39
Section 23. Redemption and Termination .......................................40
Section 24. Exchange .........................................................41
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events .........................................43
Section 26. Notices ..........................................................44
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments .......................................45
Section 28. Successors .......................................................46
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc ........46
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement .......................................47
Section 31. Severability .....................................................47
Section 32. Governing Law ....................................................47
Section 33. Counterparts .....................................................48
Section 34. Descriptive Headings .............................................48
Exhibit A -- Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of January 4, 1999 (the "Agreement"), between
Bestfoods, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust
Company of New York, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on November 17, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized and declared a dividend distribution to be effective as of January 4,
1999 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date") of one Right for each share of
common stock, par value $.25 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock")
outstanding at the close of business on January 4, 1999 (the "Record Date"), and
has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be
adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company issued (whether originally issued or delivered from
the Company's treasury) between the Record Date and the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase, under certain
circumstances, one two-hundredths of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights attached hereto
as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth
(the "Rights");
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but
shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any
Person organized, appointed or established by the Company or any Subsidiary
of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any Per-
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son who becomes an Acquiring Person solely as a result of a reduction in
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of
shares of Common Stock by the Company, unless and until such Person shall
purchase or otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of
Common Stock constituting 1% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the
date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase
or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any
time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date
or pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant
to Section 11(i) or Section 22 hereof in connection with an adjustment
made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose
of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
l3d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Ex-
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change Act), or has a "pecuniary interest" or an "indirect pecuniary
interest" in (as determined pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), in any event
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not
also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing),
for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of
this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall
cause a Person ordinarily 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 pursuant to an underwriting
agreement with the Company until the expiration of forty days after
the date of such acquisition.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized
or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall
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mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $.25 per
share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such
Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other
equity interest having power to control or direct the management of such
Person.
(g) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership
or other entity.
(h) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company
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, par value
$1.00 per share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing
terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(i) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof.
(j) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x),
(y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(k) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(l) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation (or other entity) of which an amount of voting securities (or
comparable ownership interests) sufficient to elect at least a majority of
the directors (or comparable individuals) of such corporation (or other
entity) is beneficially owned or otherwise controlled, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.
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(m) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business
Day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day after the
Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on
the Record Date) or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as the Board shall determine) after the date that a tender or
exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is
first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if, upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share
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of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of
distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary
and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof)
so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in substantially
the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for the Common Stock and the 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 (as such term is defined
in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of
Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock 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. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed
to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Bestfoods (the
"Company") and First Chicago Trust Company of New York (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of January 4, 1999, as may be amended (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy
of which is on file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy
of the
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Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. The failure
to print the foregoing legend on any such Common Stock certificate or any other
defect therein shall not affect in any manner whatsoever the application or
interpretation of the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof,
the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number
of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth
therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
two-hundredths of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or
any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee or nominee
of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee or nominee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof, upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned
by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such
Rights Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually
or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or
a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not
be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the
Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be
such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless,
may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by
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the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such
Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any
Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at
the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
In case any authorized signatory of the Rights Agent who shall have
countersigned any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be so authorized
before delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be
issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the
person who countersigned such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be so
authorized; and any Rights Certificate may be countersigned on behalf of the
Rights Agent by any person who, at the actual date of the countersignature of
such Rights Certificate, shall be properly authorized to countersign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
person was not so authorized.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place
for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or
prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case
of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split
up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights
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Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 20(k) hereof, countersign and deliver
to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as
the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights
Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security 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 Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one two-
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hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable at or prior to the earliest of (i) the
close of business on January 4, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the
time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, or
(iii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof
(the earliest date being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $200, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of Common
Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or
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upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment
of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made (x) in cash or by certified bank check or bank
draft payable to the order of the Company, or (y) subject to applicable law, by
delivery of a certificate or certificates (with appropriate stock powers
executed in blank attached thereto) evidencing a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the
Trading Date immediately preceding the date of such exercise. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or
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effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without
any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 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 Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock. (a) The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Common Stock and/or other securities) or out of
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its authorized and issued shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and issued Common Stock
and/or other securities) held in its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement including Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights (it being understood that any of the foregoing shares or
securities may also be reserved for other purposes) or will take such other
steps as are appropriate to assure that the number of such shares or securities
(or their equivalents) sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights will be available upon such exercise.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence
of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, 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 upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, an the
case may be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Act"), with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the
Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate
under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the
various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company
may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days
after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section
9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension the
-15-
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have
been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law
or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for 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 (a) to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a
name other than that of the registered bolder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or (b) to issue or deliver any
certificates for shares of 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 such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for a number of shares of 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 such
whole and/or fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) rep-
-16-
resented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment
of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer 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 Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to
any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote,
to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of
Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
-17-
securities) transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. 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) In the event:
(A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any
Acquiring Person, at any time after the date of this Agreement, directly or
indirectly, shall merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the
Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such merger or combination and the Common Stock of the Company shall remain
outstanding and unchanged, or
(B) any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become
an Acquiring Person and a Stock Acquisition Date with respect to such
Person shall have occurred, unless the event causing such Person to become
an Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or
is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or
an exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and
on terms determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board of
Directors who are not officers of the Company and who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person,
after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be (a)
at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking into account all factors
which such members of the Board deem relevant including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and
(b) otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders,
then, subject to Section 24 hereof, promptly following five (5) days after
the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof and
promptly following the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii)(A) hereof, proper provision
-18-
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and
in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of one two-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that
product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of
this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are
not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), over (2) the Purchase Price (such
excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon exercise of the Rights
and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock
which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock, "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
of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided,
however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the later
of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on
which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) ex-
-19-
xxxxx (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon
the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith
that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in
order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and
to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the value of the Common Stock shall be the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be
deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("Equivalent
Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less
than the current market price (as determined
-20-
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or
the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding an 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). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall
not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be
-21-
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not so made the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market
price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior
to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the "current
market price" per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend
or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights),
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10)
Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market price"
shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading, or,
-22-
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use,
or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making
a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, "current market price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as
set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other
than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per share of
Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 200 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits or
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring
after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per
share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock
is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of one
two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the
-23-
"current market price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 200.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments 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 ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a)
through (q), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14
hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such
other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x)
-24-
the number of one two-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the
Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one ten-thousandth) 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 Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
-25-
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue
to express the Purchase Price per one two-hundredths of a share and the number
of one two-hundredths of a share which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
two-hundredths 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 two-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the Company
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, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11,
-26-
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any
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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.
(q) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior
to the Distribution Date, the Company may, in lieu of making any adjustment to
the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock eligible for
purchase on exercise of each Right or the number of Rights outstanding, which
adjustment would otherwise be required by Section 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h)
or 11(i), make such other equitable adjustment or adjustments thereto as the
Board of Directors (whose determination shall be conclusive) deems appropriate
in the circumstances and not inconsistent with the objectives of the Board of
Directors in adopting this Agreement and such Sections.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of
Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power. (a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or
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surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with
such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any
other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other
than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions
each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case,
proper provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as
provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully
paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one two-hundredths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current
market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the
Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section
13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such
Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such
Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection
with the consummation of any such transaction as
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may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common
Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the
Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its
Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless
prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms
set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing
that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale
of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party
will:
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(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive Section 13
Events. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore
been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in
Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the
foregoing provisions of this Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction
described in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction
is consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock which complies with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof
(or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per
share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per
share of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares
were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the
form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common
Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution
Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates
which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall
be paid to the registered holders of the
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Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
two-hundredths 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 two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one two-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one two-hundredths of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii)
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hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
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(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer
and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the
Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for
all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent,
subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to
be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any
holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order
promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or
otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however,
the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or
ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder,
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in
-34-
any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (a) 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 disbursements and other disbursements incurred in
the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the
premises.
(b) 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 Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. (a)
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the 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 Agreement without the
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execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, however, 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 Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of "current market price") be proved or established by
the Company prior to taking or suffering any
-36-
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 the Chairman of the
Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant
Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by
the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in
any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall
it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as
to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock
will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed,
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executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts,
instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for
any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or
lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it
were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude
the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for
any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or
by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of
any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from
any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable
care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of
such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is
not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the
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certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to
purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an
affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall
not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be: (a) a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of
any other State of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized
to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York), in good
standing, having a principal office in the State of New York, 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 corporation or the parent corporation thereof has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$100,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a) above.
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
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the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board 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 Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance
or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to
the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect
to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, 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 of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth Business Day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if
the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the
close of business on the tenth Business Day fol-
-40-
lowing the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not
less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.0001 per
Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price").
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The
Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common
Stock (based on the "current market price," as defined in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held.
(c) Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and notify the holders of the then outstanding Rights of such
redemption by either (i) mailing a notice to all such holders, which notice will
state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made, or
(ii) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights
in accordance with this Agreement and mailing payment of the Redemption Price to
all such holders. In either case, such mailing shall be made to each holder's
last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the
Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Upon payment of the
Redemption Price, all outstanding Rights and Rights Certificates shall be null
and void without any further action by the Company.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time and from time to time on or after a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which
-41-
shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(p) hereof to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) 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. Promptly after the action
of the Board of Directors ordering an exchange of the Rights, the Company shall
give notice of any such exchange to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's
last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. 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 void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute shares of Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock,
as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for shares of Common Stock
exchangeable for the Rights, at the initial rate of one two-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of
Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the dividend
rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
or Preferred Stock issued, but not outstanding, or authorized but unissued, to
permit any exchange of Rights in accordance with this Section 24 or that any
regula-
-42-
tory actions or approvals are required in connection therewith, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractional shares of Common
Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock pursuant to this Section 24. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common
Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would
otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this
Section 24(e), the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall
be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
(f) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute for any share of Common Stock exchangeable for a Right
(i) Common Stock Equivalents, (ii) cash, (iii) debt securities of the Company,
(iv) other assets, or (v) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate
value which the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good
faith to be equal to the current market price of one share of Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately
preceding the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall
propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any
other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or
(ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe
for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving
only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to
effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of
its Subsidiaries to effect any
-43-
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such case,
(i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a
Rights 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 Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock
shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate,
other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Bestfoods
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
International Plaza
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Tenders and Exchanges
Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Shares Acquisition Date and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock.
From and after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Shares Acquisition
Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and/or the benefits to,
-45-
the holders of Rights. 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
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which
changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or
the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
is exercisable; provided, however, that at any time prior to (i) the existence
of an Acquiring Person or (ii) the date that a tender or exchange offer by any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company or a Subsidiary of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, the Board of Directors of the Company may amend this Agreement to
increase the Purchase Price. Prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or
the Shares Acquisition Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be
deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this
-46-
Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret
the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed
necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All
such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which
are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall
(x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to
any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement, but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company 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 day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of
the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring that a
determination be made by less than the entire Board of Directors of the Company
(or at a time or with the concurrence of a group of Directors consisting of less
than the entire Board) is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such determination shall then be
made by the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with applicable law
and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws.
-47-
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of 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.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
-48-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BESTFOODS
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President, Title: Chairman, President
General Counsel and Chief Executive
and Secretary Officer
[SEAL]
Attest: FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice Title: Vice President
President
[SEAL]
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION,
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF SERIES A
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
BESTFOODS
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
We, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, President, and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Secretary, of
Bestfoods, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103
thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said Board of
Directors on November 17, 1998, adopted the following resolution to be effective
as of January 4, 1999 creating a series of 2,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock
designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of this corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be
and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the
voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations
or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall initially be 2,000,000, par value $1.00
per share, such number of shares to be subject to increase or decrease by action
of the Board of Directors as evidenced by a certificate of designation.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) Subject to the prior and
superior rights of the holders of any
A-2
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the 25th day of January, April, July and October of each year (each such date
being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a)
$10.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 200
times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 200 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, par value $.25 per share, of the
Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after January 4, 1999 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on
A-3
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior
to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date, for the determination of holders of shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend
and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount
less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on
such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the
date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle
the holder thereof to 200 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to
which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which
A-4
is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class an all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C)(i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly
dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall xxxx the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous
quarterly dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on
all shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock then
outstanding shall have been declared and or set apart for payment. During
each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in
arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting
as a class, irrespective of series, shall have the right to elect two (2)
Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at
a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section
3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that neither such voting right nor the
right of the holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to
increase, in certain cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be
exercised unless the holders of ten percent in number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The
absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the
exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such voting right. At any
meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting
right initially during an existing default period, they shall have the
right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such vacancies, if
any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2) Directors
or, if such right is exercised at an annual
A-5
meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number which may be so elected
at any special meeting does not amount to the required number, the holders
of the Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the
number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election by them of
the required number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have
exercised their right to elect Directors in any default period and during
the continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not be
increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock as
herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity securities ranking
senior to or pari passu with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an existing
default period, have previously exercised their right to elect Directors,
the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders owning
in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request,
the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock, which
meeting shall thereupon be called by the President, a Vice President or the
Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual
meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant
to this subparagraph (iii) of Section 3(C) shall be given to each holder of
record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his
last address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not later
than 60 days after such order or request or in default of the calling of
such meeting within 60 days after such order or request, such meeting may
be called on similar notice by any stockholder or stockholders owning in
the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subparagraph (iii) of Section 3(C), no such special meeting shall be called
during the period within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for
the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and other
classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be
entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders of
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors
voting as a class, after the exercise of which
A-6
right (x) the Directors so elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall
continue in office until their successors shall have been elected by such
holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy
in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of
this Section 3(C)) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining
Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock which
elected the Director whose office shall have became vacant. References in
this Section 3(C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class
of stock shall include Directors elected such Directors to fill vacancies
as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the right
of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Preferred
Stock as a class shall terminate, and (a) the number of Directors shall be
such number as may be provided for in the certificate of incorporation or
by-laws irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 3(C) (such number being subject, however,
to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the certificate of
incorporation or by-laws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected
by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be
filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any
corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other
dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until
all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior
A-7
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends and 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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares
of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock
in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a party with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of
such shares upon such term 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.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be
A-8
retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be
created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
$225 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the
"Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of
the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made
to the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 200 (as appropriately
adjusted as set forth in subparagraph C below to reflect such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock)
(such number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment
in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their
ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the
ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred Stock and
Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which
rank an a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then
such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of
A-9
the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably
to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) in the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stocks or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment 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,
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 200 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or
change of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets; unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
A-10
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) or more of the outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a
class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this
Certificate and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury
this 4th day of January, 1999.
---------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
President
Attest:
--------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Secretary
EXHIBIT B
Form of Rights Certificate
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JANUARY 4, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $.0001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND
ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.](*)
Rights Certificate
BESTFOODS
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 January 4, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Bestfoods, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New
York corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time
prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on January 4, 2009 at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as
Rights Agent, one two-hundredths of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred
----------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
to an Acquiring Person.
B-2
Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $200 per one two-hundredths of a
share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The Purchase Price shall be paid, at the election of the holder, in
cash or, subject to applicable law, in shares of Common Stock of the Company
having an equivalent value. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are
the number and Purchase Price as of January 4, 1999, based on the Preferred
Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the
Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares
of Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the
Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii)
under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Triggering Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agree-
B-3
ment. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office
of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights
Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be (i) redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.0001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the
close of business on (a) the tenth business day following the Stock Acquisition
Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and
(b) the Final Expiration Date and (ii) exchanged by the Company in whole or in
part for shares of common stock of Preferred Stock.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable, on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right
B-4
or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of January 4, 1999
ATTEST: BESTFOODS
----------------------------------- By: _____________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST
COMPANY OF NEW YORK
By: ______________________________
Authorized Signature
(Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED_____________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto_______________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and
interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoints
____________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the
books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _____________________________
______________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company or by a
member of the New York Stock Exchange.)
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:______________________________ ________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company or by a
member of the New York Stock Exchange.)
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: BESTFOODS
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other taxpayer identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other taxpayer identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: ____________________________
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company or by a
member of the New York Stock Exchange.)
-2-
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ___________________________ ___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company or by a
member of the New York Stock Exchange.)
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
The Board of Directors of Bestfoods has declared a dividend of one right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of Bestfoods' Common Stock. The dividend
will be payable to shareholders of record on January 4, 1999. Generally, each
Right consists of the right to purchase, for $200 (the "Exercise Price"), 1/200
of a share of Bestfoods' Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock"). The Rights are more fully described in a Rights Agreement
between Bestfoods and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent.
Distribution Date
The Rights may be exercised only if the Distribution Date occurs. The
Distribution Date is the date 10 business days after (i) the date a person or
group ("Person") announces that it has acquired 15% or more of Bestfoods'
outstanding Common Stock or (ii) the date a Person begins, or announces an
intention to begin, a tender offer for 15% or more of Bestfoods' outstanding
Common Stock, whichever occurs later.
If the Distribution Date occurs, Bestfoods will mail to shareholders of
record on such date certificates evidencing the Rights and such shareholders
will be able to transfer the Rights certificates separately from the Common
Stock certificates. Until such time, the Rights will be evidenced only by the
Common Stock certificates (which, if issued after January 4, 1999, will be
imprinted with a legend describing the Rights) and shareholders will only be
able to transfer the Rights together with the Common Stock.
"Flip-in" and "Flip-over" Features
If a Person acquires 15% or more of Bestfoods' outstanding Common Stock
without the prior approval of the Board, then the other shareholders of
Bestfoods (but not the acquirer) will be entitled to purchase, at the Exercise
Price, Common Stock of Bestfoods (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property
or other securities of Bestfoods) with a market value equal to two times the
Exercise Price. This is commonly referred to as the "flip-in" feature of the
Rights.
C-2
If a Person acquires 15% or more of Bestfoods' outstanding Common Stock
without the prior approval of the Board and then either acquires Bestfoods in a
merger or other business combination transaction or causes the sale or transfer
of 50% or more of Bestfoods' assets or earning power, then the other
shareholders of Bestfoods (but not the acquirer) will be entitled to purchase,
at the Exercise Price, common stock of such acquirer with a market value equal
to two times the Exercise Price. This is commonly referred to as the "flip-over"
feature of the Rights.
To illustrate, if the exercise price were $200 and the current market price
of the common stock (either of Bestfoods or the acquirer, as applicable) were
$50 at the time of exercise, a holder who exercises would be entitled to receive
$400 worth of common stock (or 8 shares) for $200 (rather than just 4 shares).
Redemption or Exchange of Rights
The Rights will expire automatically in 10 years, on January 4, 2009, but
Bestfoods has the option of redeeming or exchanging the Rights prior to that
time.
Bestfoods may redeem all of the Rights at any time before a Person
announces that it has acquired 15% or more of Bestfoods' outstanding Common
Stock or, if such acquisition already has taken place, during the 10 business
day period following such acquisition. Bestfoods may extend such 10 business day
period. Each Right may be redeemed at the price of $.0001 per Right. The Rights
cannot be exercised until after the redemption period has passed. If Bestfoods
were to redeem the Rights, the Rights will no longer be exercisable and will
terminate.
Furthermore, Bestfoods may exchange all or a portion of the Rights at any
time after a Person acquires 15% or more of Bestfoods' outstanding Common Stock
at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock of Bestfoods (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of Bestfoods) per Right. If
the Board of Directors were to order the exchange of the Rights, the Rights will
no longer be exercisable and will terminate. Until a Right is exercised or
exchanged, the holder of such Right will not have any rights as a shareholder of
Bestfoods (including the right to vote or receive dividends) simply as a result
of being a holder of such Right.
C-3
Amendment
Bestfoods may amend any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement before
the earlier to occur of (i) the date a Person announces that it has acquired 15%
or more of Bestfoods' outstanding Common Stock or (ii) the Distribution Date.
Thereafter, Bestfoods may only amend the Rights Agreement to eliminate any
ambiguity or defect or to make changes that are not adverse to the interests of
holders of the Rights (other than the acquirer). However, after the earlier of
the two dates referred to above, Bestfoods may not amend the provisions of the
Rights Agreement that relate to the principal economic terms of the Rights.
Adjustments to Exercise Price
In order to prevent dilution, Bestfoods may adjust the Exercise Price or
the number of 1/200 of a share of Preferred Stock (or, in certain circumstances,
Common Stock or other securities of Bestfoods) that may be issued upon exercise.
Such adjustment may be necessary if Bestfoods were to subdivide, combine or
reclassify the Preferred Stock or grant holders of the Preferred Stock rights or
warrants to subscribe for shares of the Preferred Stock or convertible
securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock.
However, Bestfoods need not adjust the Exercise Price until the earlier of three
years or the time when cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Exercise Price.
Terms of the Preferred Stock
Each 1/200 of a share of Preferred Stock that may be issued upon exercise
of a Right is intended to be comparable to one share of Common Stock of
Bestfoods with respect to dividend, voting, liquidation and other rights. The
Preferred Stock will rank junior to all other series of Bestfoods' preferred
stock with respect to dividend payments and distributions of assets in
liquidation. The Preferred Stock will not be redeemable.
The Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November
20, 1998. A copy of the Rights Agreement is also available free of charge to
shareholders upon request to Bestfoods.
