We are seeking stockholder approval of an amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors on April 29, 2019.1, 2021. The amendment and restatement will increase the number of shares reserved under the 2003 Plan by 3,500,000 shares from approximately 19,400,000 to approximately 22,900,000.
The Board and the Compensation Committee believe that awards linked to common stock and awards with terms tied to our performance provide incentives for the achievement of important business objectives and promote the long-term success of the Company. In this regard, the 2003 Plan has been, and will continue to be, a key element of our overall compensation program. The Board believes that the number of shares remaining available for grants under the 2003 Plan is inadequate to achieve the stated purposes of the 2003 Plan in the future.
Information on the total number of shares available under our existing equity compensation plans (including our 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”)) and unissued shares deliverable under outstanding options and RSUs as of the end of the last fiscal year is presented above under the caption “Equity Compensation Plan Information.” The following table reflects the aggregate number of shares subject to outstanding equity awards (excluding the shares available under the ESPP), and the shares that would be available for future awards if stockholders approve this proposal — referred to as “overhang” — as of December 31, 2018 because2020. Because the aggregate number of shares will increase under the proposed amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan, the level of overhang reflected in the table increases from 7.80%7.7% to 10.93%10.7% (based on awards and shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018)2020) if stockholders approve the amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan:
For additional information concerning our historical granting practices and outstanding equity-based compensation awards, see Note 1817 to our consolidated financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20182020 and other information in this Proxy Statement.
The following table presents information on our “burn rate,” showing the rate at which equity awards have been newly granted or earned during the past three years. For this purpose, equity award usage in a given year includes (1) the number of new equity awards granted solely with service-based vesting terms plus (2) the number of performance-based equity awards as to which, in the given year, the performance conditions were satisfied.
Based on the burn rates shown in the table above, the average burn rate for the period 2016-20182018-2020 was 2.41%2.65%. An alternative burn rate methodology, used by a proxy voting advisory firm, counts each RSU as using two shares rather than one, to account for the higher grant date fair value of RSUs as compared to stock options. Using that methodology and based on the equity grants shown in the table above, the average annual burn rate for the period 20162018 to 20182020 was 3.84%.
The selection of the individuals who will receive grants under the proposed amended and restated 2003 Plan, and the number of shares to be granted to such individuals, are determined by the Compensation Committee in its discretion. Therefore, it is not possible to predict the amounts that will actually be received by or allocated to particular individuals or groups of individuals under the 2003 Plan as proposed to be amended and restated.amended. The following tables set forth information with respect to options and other awards granted under the 2003 Plan during 20182020 and options granted under the 2003 Plan since its original adoption through March 29, 2019.23, 2021. For the value of the equity awards received by our named executive officers and non-employee directors during 2018,2020, please see the Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table and Director Compensation Table, respectively. As of March 29, 2019,23, 2021, the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ Stock Market was $20.42$42.42 per share.
We seek approval of the proposed amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan by our stockholders in order to continue to provide equity incentives linked to common stock and tied to our performance to promote the long-term success of the Company. We believe the ability and flexibility to offer equity-based compensation is critical to attracting and retaining the talent we need to achieve our business objectives, especially the continued innovation to provide best in class content and systems and support growth in our gaming, lottery, social and digital product lines and services worldwide. In addition to attracting and retaining executives and other key talent, providing employees with equity-based compensation also incentivizes performance that is in the long-term interests of our stockholders. Our Board and Compensation Committee believe that continuing to provide equity-based compensation is essential to the execution of the Company’s long-term strategy, and, as we continue to review and improve our executive compensation program, expect that equity-based compensation will be an increasingly key component of our recruiting, retention and incentive efforts. In particular, if we were not able to provide equity-based compensation, we would be at a competitive disadvantage in attracting and retaining key talent, would not be as effective at aligning the interests of our key employees with those of our stockholders and would
may be longer or shorter depending on the future price performance of our common stock. Our Compensation Committee regularly reviews our burn rate and overhang and actively tries to minimize the amount of dilution created for shareholdersstockholders from the 2003 Plan, including by reducing annual equity grants in years when our stock price had underperformed.
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE 2003 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN, AS AMENDED AND RESTATED
You may obtain a copy of the 2003 Plan free of charge by writing to the Corporate Secretary, Scientific Games Corporation, 6601 Bermuda Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119. If stockholders decline to approve the proposed amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan, the 2003 Plan as previously approved by stockholders would remain in effect.
market value of the underlying stock, in exchange for another option (including on a delayed basis), restricted stock or other equity, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, spin-off or other similar corporate transaction. Adjustments to the exercise price or number of shares subject to an option to reflect the effects of a stock split or other extraordinary corporate transaction will not constitute a “repricing.”
Shares that are subject to awards under the 2003 Plan that expire, terminate or are cancelled or forfeited or settled in cash, and shares that are tendered by a participant or withheld by the Company as full or partial payment of the exercise price relating to an option or shares subject to a SAR in excess of thenumber delivered upon exercise of the SAR, and shares withheld in satisfaction of tax obligations relating to any award, will not be deemed to be deliverable or delivered and therefore will be available for other awards under the 2003 Plan. Under the 2003 Plan, shares repurchased in the open market with the proceeds from the exercise of an option do not become available for awards. Awards may be outstanding relating to a greater number of shares than the aggregate remaining available under the 2003 Plan so long as the Compensation Committee ensures that awards will not result in delivery and vesting of shares in excess of the number then available under the 2003 Plan. Shares delivered under the 2003 Plan may be either newly issued or treasury shares. All shares available for issuance under the 2003 Plan may be granted as incentive stock options (“ISOs”).
corporate transaction, equity restructuring, as defined under applicable accounting rules, or other similar event affecting our common stock. We are also obligated to adjust outstanding awards (and share-related performance terms, such as share-price targets) upon the occurrence of events (such as these) that constitute an “equity restructuring” under accounting rules to preserve (without enlarging) the rights of 2003 Plan participants with respect to their awards. The Compensation Committee may adjust performance conditions and other terms of awards in response to these kinds of events or to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles. Furthermore, in the event of a transaction or event as described above, the Compensation Committee may provide for the termination of an award in exchange for a payment of cash or other property, provide for the assumption or substitution of an award by a successor or survivor corporation or replace an award with other rights or property.
and conditions of such awards, prescribe forms of award agreements, interpret and specify rules and regulations relating to the 2003 Plan and make all other determinations which may be necessary or advisable for the administration of the 2003 Plan. Nothing in the 2003 Plan precludes the Compensation Committee from authorizing payment of compensation outside of the 2003 Plan, including bonuses based upon performance, to executive officers and other employees. The Compensation Committee is permitted to delegate authority to executive officers for the granting of awards, but action pursuant to delegated authority generally will be limited to grants to employees who are below the executive officer level. The 2003 Plan provides that Compensation Committee members will not be personally liable, and will be fully indemnified, in connection with any action, determination or interpretation taken or made in good faith under the 2003 Plan unless such action resulted from such person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission.
outstanding awards or other property having a fair market value equal to the exercise price, as the Compensation Committee may determine. This may include withholding of option shares to pay the exercise price. The Compensation Committee also is permitted to establish procedures for broker-assisted cashless exercises. Methods of exercise and settlement and other terms of SARs will be determined by the Compensation Committee. SARs may be exercisable for shares or for cash, as determined by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee can require that outstanding options be surrendered in exchange for a grant of SARs with economically matching terms.
Deferred stock gives a participant the right to receive shares at the end of a specified vesting and/or deferral period. Deferred stock subject to forfeiture conditions may be denominated as an award of RSUs. The Compensation Committee will establish any vesting requirements for deferred stock/RSUs granted for continuing services. One advantage of RSUs, as compared to restricted stock, is that the period during which the award is deferred as to settlement can be extended past the date the award becomes non-forfeitable, so the Compensation Committee can require or permit a participant to continue to hold an interest tied to common stock on a tax-deferred basis. Prior to settlement, deferred stock awards, including RSUs, carry no voting or dividend rights or other rights associated with stock ownership, but dividend equivalents (which will be subject to the same forfeiture conditions as the underlying deferred stock) will accrue and become payable on vested shares, if authorized by the Compensation Committee.
Compensation Committee. The business criteria used by the Compensation Committee in establishing performance goals applicable to performance awards may include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Compensation Committee retains discretion to set the level of performance for a given business criterion that will result in the earning of a specified amount under a performance award, to set goals relative to fixed targets, past performance, performance of other companies or performance relative to an index, to adjust any of the business criteria, to target business criteria to a specific business unit, line of business or product and to choose business criteria not included among the foregoing.
The Compensation Committee is authorized to impose non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, non-disparagement and other requirements as a condition on the participant’s right to retain an award or gains realized by exercise or settlement of an award. Awards granted under the 2003 Plan will be subject to the Company’s “clawback” policy and may be subject to recoupment at the discretion of the Committee in the event that the Company’s financial statements are restated
due to fraud or gross misconduct by the applicable executives. See “- Corporate Governance Policies - Clawback Policy” above for additional information. Awards under the 2003 Plan may be granted without a requirement that the participant pay consideration in the form of cash or property for the grant (as distinguished from the exercise), except to the extent required by law. The Compensation Committee may, however, grant awards in substitution for, exchange for or as a buyout of other awards under the 2003 Plan, awards under other Company plans or other rights to payment from the Company, and may exchange or buy out outstanding awards for cash or other property; provided, however, that any such substitution or exchange may only occur in a manner that would not be considered a repricing under the 2003 Plan. The Compensation Committee also may grant awards in addition to and in tandem with other awards or rights.
The 2003 Plan provides that, upon a change in control (as defined in the 2003 Plan), unless the Compensation Committee has limited these rights in the grant agreement, awards will become vested and exercisable and restrictions thereon will lapse. The definition of “change in control” provides that our current largest stockholder, MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, and certain related persons, are permitted to acquire more than 40% of the outstanding voting power without triggering a change in control. The Compensation Committee will determine the extent to which any performance conditions are deemed met upon a change in control, unless otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement.
Unless earlier terminated, the 2003 Plan will terminate at such time that no shares reserved under the 2003 Plan remain available and the Company has no further obligation with respect to any outstanding award.
We believe that under current law the following U.S. federal income tax consequences generally would arise with respect to awards under the 2003 Plan.
The grant of an option or a SAR will create no U.S. federal income tax consequences for the participant or the Company. A participant will not have taxable income upon exercising an option that is an ISO, except that the alternative minimum tax may apply. Upon exercising an option that is not an ISO, the participant generally must recognize ordinary income equal to the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the freely transferable or non-forfeitable shares acquired on the date of exercise. Upon exercising a SAR, the participant must generally recognize ordinary income equal to the cash or the fair market value of the shares received.
Upon a disposition of shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO before the end of the applicable ISO holding periods, the participant must generally recognize ordinary income equal to the lesser of (1) the fair market value of the ISO shares at the date of exercise minus the exercise price and (2) the amount realized upon the disposition of the ISO shares minus the exercise price. For all options, a participant’s sale of shares acquired by exercise of the option generally will result in short-term or long-term capital gain or loss measured by the difference between the sale price and the participant’s tax “basis” in such shares. The tax “basis” normally is the exercise price plus any amount he or she recognized as ordinary income in connection with the option’s exercise (or upon sale of the option shares in the case of an ISO). A participant’s sale of shares acquired by exercise of a SAR generally will result in short-term or long-term capital gain or loss measured by the difference between the sale price and the participant’s tax “basis” in the shares, which normally is the amount he or she recognized as ordinary income in connection with the SAR’s exercise.
We normally can claim a tax deduction equal to the amount recognized as ordinary income by a participant in connection with the exercise of an option or SAR, but no tax deduction relating to a participant’s capital gains. Accordingly, we will not be entitled to any tax deduction with respect to an ISO if the participant holds the shares for the applicable ISO holding periods prior to selling the shares.
Awards other than options and SARs that result in a transfer to the participant of cash or shares or other property generally will have terms intended to meet applicable requirements under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which regulates deferred compensation. If no restriction on transferability or substantial risk of forfeiture applies to amounts distributed to a participant, the participant generally must recognize ordinary income equal to the cash or the fair market
value of shares actually received. Thus, for example, if we grant an award of RSUs that has vested or requires or permits deferral of receipt of cash or shares under a vested award, the participant should not become subject to income tax until the time at which shares or cash are actually distributed, and we would become entitled to claim a tax deduction at that time.
On the other hand, if a restriction on transferability and substantial risk of forfeiture applies to shares or other property actually distributed to a participant under an award (such as, for example, a grant of restricted stock), the participant generally must recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the transferred amounts at the earliest time either the transferability restriction or risk of forfeiture lapses. In all cases, we can claim a tax deduction in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant, except as discussed below. A participant may elect to be taxed at the time of grant of restricted stock or other property rather than upon lapse of restrictions on transferability or the risk of forfeiture, but if the
participant subsequently forfeits such shares or property he or she would not be entitled to any tax deduction, including as a capital loss, for the value of the shares or property on which he or she previously paid tax.
Any award that is deemed to be a deferral arrangement (that is, not excluded or exempted under the tax regulations) will be subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Participant elections to defer compensation under such awards and as to the timing of distributions relating to such awards must meet requirements under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code in order for income taxation to be deferred upon vesting of the award and tax penalties to be avoided by the participant.
Some options and SARs may be subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which regulates deferral arrangements. In such case, the distribution to the participant of shares or cash relating to the award would have to be restricted in order for the participant not to be subject to tax and a tax penalty at the time of vesting. In particular, the participant’s discretionary exercise of the option or SAR could not be permitted over a period extending more than a year in most cases. If the distribution and other award terms meet Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code’s requirements, the participant would realize ordinary income at the time of distribution of shares or cash rather than exercise, with the amount of ordinary income equal to the distribution date value of the shares or cash less any exercise price actually paid. We would not be entitled to a tax deduction at the time of exercise, but would become entitled to a tax deduction at the time shares are delivered at the end of the deferral period.
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code currently provides that if, in any year, the compensation that is paid to one of our named executive officers (or any person who was a named executive officer for any year beginning with 2017) exceeds $1,000,000, any amounts that exceed the $1,000,000 threshold will generally not be deductible by us for federal income tax purposes. The recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will expand the number of employees covered by Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, beginning in 2027, to also include the Company’s five most highly compensated employees in addition to our named executive officers. In addition, compensation to certain employees resulting from vesting of awards in connection with a change in control or termination following a change in control also may be non-deductible under Sections 4999 and 280G of the Internal Revenue Code.
The foregoing provides only a general description of the application of U.S. federal income tax laws to certain awards under the 2003 Plan. This discussion is intended for the information of stockholders considering how to vote at the annual meeting and not as tax guidance to participants in the 2003 Plan, as the consequences may vary with the types of awards made, the identity of the recipients and the method of payment or settlement. Different tax rules may apply, including in the case of variations in transactions that are permitted under the 2003 Plan (such as payment of the exercise price of an option by surrender of previously acquired shares). The summary does not address in any detail the effects of other federal taxes (including possible “golden parachute” excise taxes) or taxes imposed under state, local or foreign tax laws.
No awards have been granted at this time subject to the approval of the proposed amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan. If stockholders do not approve the proposed amendment and restatement of the 2003 Plan, the 2003 Plan will remain in effect in accordance with its current terms.
RECONCILIATION OF LOSS FROM EQUITY INVESTMENTS TO EBITDA FROM EQUITY INVESTMENTS
| | | | | | | | |
($ in millions) | | Year Ended December 31, 2020 |
| | |
EBITDA from equity investments: | | |
Loss from equity investments | | $ | (6) | |
Add: Income tax expense | | 4 | |
Add: Depreciation and amortization | | 31 | |
Add: Interest income, net and other | | 8 | |
EBITDA from equity investments | | $ | 37 | |
APPENDIXAppendix B
AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of January 10, 2018
between
SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION
2003 Incentive Compensation Planand
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC
as Rights Agent
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of January 10, 2018 (the “Agreement”), between SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to secure and maintain in good standing all licenses, contracts, franchises and other regulatory approvals related to the operation of gaming and related businesses now or heretoafter engaged in by the Company or any of its Affiliates within or without the United States of America, which licenses, contracts, franchises or other approvals are conditioned upon some or all of the holders of the Company’s Common Stock (as defined below) possessing prescribed qualifications; and, in furtherance of such objective, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement;
WHEREAS, in connection with that certain Rights Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2017, between Scientific Games Corporation, a Delaware corporation and predecessor to the Company (“SG Delaware”), and the Rights Agent (the “Initial Rights Agreement”), the Board of Directors of SG Delaware authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each share of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SG Delaware (the “SG Delaware Common Stock”) outstanding as of the Close of Business (as defined below) on June 29, 2017 (the “Record Date”), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one ten-thousandth (subject to adjustment as provided in the Initial Rights Agreement) of a share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of SG Delaware, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Initial Rights Agreement, and further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided in the Initial Rights Agreement) with respect to each share of SG Delaware Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22.
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, dated as of September 18, 2017, between SG Delaware and the Company, following the effective time of the reincorporation merger between SG Delaware and the Company (the “Reincorporation Merger Effective Date”), (i) each share of SG Delaware Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date shall be converted into one share of Common Stock of the Company and (ii) the Rights shall remain outstanding as and be converted into rights to acquire Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has adopted resolutions creating a series of preferred stock designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock”; and
WHEREAS, in compliance with the terms of Section 27 of the Initial Rights Agreement, the Company has (i) delivered to the Rights Agent a certificate of an appropriate officer of SG Delaware which states that this amendment and restatement is in compliance with the terms of Section 27 of the Initial Rights Agreement and (ii) instructed the Rights Agent to execute this Agreement;
ACCORDINGLY, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree that the Initial Rights Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
SECTION 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meaning indicated:
(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) other than an Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which satisfies each condition described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) below:
(i) is the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
(ii) is not organized under the laws of an Exempt Jurisdiction (or in the case of a natural person, is not a legal resident of an Exempt Jurisdiction) unless the ultimate parent of such Persons is organized under the laws of an Exempt Jurisdiction,
(iii) has not delivered to the Company, as promptly as possible, but in no event later than 10 days after becoming the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, a consent to jurisdiction, in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto, and
(iv) does not hold, as promptly as possible, but in no event later than 10 days after becoming the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, all of such Person’s Beneficially Owned shares of Common Stock as a registered holder directly through the Transfer Agent in certificated form (other than shares of Common Stock that are Beneficially Owned because they are subject to an option, call or other right to acquire Common Stock, or underlie a security that is convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock, or otherwise Beneficially Owned under a Derivatives Contract, but only until such option, call or other right to acquire is exercised, such conversion or exchange occurs, or such Derivatives Contract is settled, in each case, in a manner that results in direct or indirect ownership of shares of Common Stock by such Person); provided, however, that
(A) if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” became such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned that number of shares of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person” or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement), (an “Inadvertent Acquiror”), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement unless and until such Person shall have failed to take action, as soon as practicable (as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith), so that such Person would no longer otherwise qualify as an “Acquiring Person”;
(B) if, as of June 19, 2017 (the “Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date”), any Person was the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock outstanding, such Person shall not be deemed to be or to become an “Acquiring Person” unless and until such time as such Person shall, after the Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock)(and such Person otherwise meets the criteria in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the definition of “Acquiring Person”), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding;
(C) no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” solely as a result of any unilateral grant of any security by the Company or through the exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests (including restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and employees;
(D) no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” solely as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, increases the proportion of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person to 5% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and shall thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock)(and such Person otherwise meets the criteria in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the definition of “Acquiring Person”), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person does not beneficially own 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; and
(E) no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” solely as the result of the acquisition by such Person of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock from an individual who, on the Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date, was the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding if such shares of Common Stock are received by such Person upon such individual’s death pursuant to such individual’s will or pursuant to a charitable trust created by such individual for estate planning purposes unless and until such time as such Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the
Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock)(and such Person otherwise meets the criteria in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the definition of “Acquiring Person”), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
With respect to any Person, 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 the outstanding shares of Common Stock of which such Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall include the number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding at the time of such calculation that such Person is otherwise deemed to beneficially own for purposes of this Agreement, but the number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding that such Person is otherwise deemed to beneficially own for purposes of this Agreement shall not be included for the purpose of computing the percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by any other Person (unless such other Person is also otherwise deemed to beneficially own for purposes of this Agreement such shares of Common Stock not outstanding).
For purposes of this definition of “Acquiring Person”, “Transfer” means the sale, transfer, pledge, exchange, assignment, tender or other disposition, directly or indirectly, of any 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 Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter defined).
(c) “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, shall be deemed to have “Beneficial Ownership” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rule l3d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has: (A) the right or obligation to acquire (whether such right is exercisable, or such obligation is required to be performed, immediately or only after the passage of time, upon compliance with regulatory requirements, upon the satisfaction of conditions (whether or not within the control of such Person) or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, provided, further, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security by reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such other Person) and with respect to which such first Person or any of such first Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of such securities; or
(iv) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty (or any of such Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract (without regard to any short or similar position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract) to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is a Receiving Party (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that the number of shares of Common
Stock that a Person is deemed to beneficially own pursuant to this clause (iv) in connection with a particular Derivatives Contract shall not exceed the number of Notional Common Shares (as such term is hereinafter defined) with respect to such Derivatives Contract; provided further that the number of securities beneficially owned by each Counterparty (including its Affiliates and Associates) under a Derivatives Contract shall for purposes of this clause (iv) be deemed to include all securities that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Counterparty (or any of such other Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract to which such first Counterparty (or any of such first Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) is a Receiving Party, with this proviso being applied to successive Counterparties as appropriate;
provided, however, that no Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “beneficially own” any securities that are “beneficially owned” (as defined in this Section l(d)), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.
(e) “Book Entry” shall mean an uncertificated book entry for the Common Stock.
(f) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) “Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(h) “Common Stock” when used with reference to the Company or without reference shall mean (i) before the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date, the SG Delaware Common Stock, and (ii) as of and after the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date, the common stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company. “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the common stock (or, in the case of any entity other than a corporation, the equivalent equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(i) “Common Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(j) “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(k) “Current Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(l) “Derivatives Contract” shall mean a contract between two parties (the “Receiving Party” and the “Counterparty”) that is designed to produce economic benefits and risks to the Receiving Party that correspond substantially to the ownership by the Receiving Party of a number of shares of Common Stock specified or referenced in such contract (the number of shares of Common Stock corresponding to such economic benefits and risks, the “Notional Common Shares”), regardless of whether (i) obligations under such contract are required or permitted to be settled through the delivery of cash, shares of Common Stock or other property or (ii) such contract conveys any voting rights in shares of Common Stock, without regard to any short or similar position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract. For the avoidance of doubt, interests in broad-based index options, broad-based index futures and broad-based publicly traded market baskets of stocks approved for trading by the appropriate federal governmental authority shall not be deemed to be Derivatives Contracts.
(m) “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(n) “Equivalent Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(o) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(p) “Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
(q) “Exempt Person” shall mean the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including, without limitation, in its fiduciary capacity, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity or trustee holding (or acting in a fiduciary capacity in respect of) Common Stock for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company.
(r) “Exempt Jurisdiction” shall mean the United States of America or any State of the United States of America.
(s) “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(t) “Final Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(u) “Flip-In Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(v) “Inadvertent Acquiror” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of “Acquiring Person” hereof.
(w) “Initial Rights Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(x) “Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(a)(iv)(B) hereof.
(y) “NASDAQ” shall mean The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
(z) “New York Stock Exchange” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange LLC.
(aa) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) to such entity.
(bb) “Preferred Stock” shall mean the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(cc) “Principal Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(dd) “Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
(ee) “Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(ff) “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(gg) “Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(hh) “Reincorporation Merger Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(ii) “Right” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(jj) “Right Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(kk) “Rights Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(ll) “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(mm) “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(nn) “SG Delaware” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(oo) “SG Delaware Common Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(pp) “Spread” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(qq) “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) of the Exchange Act) by the
Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such, or such earlier date as a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company shall become aware of facts indicating the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(rr) “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other entity that is otherwise controlled by such Person.
(ss) “Substitution Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(tt) “Summary of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(uu) “Trading Day” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(vv) “Transfer Agent” shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, in such capacity.
(ww) “Trust” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
(xx) “Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
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 be the holders of 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 (the term “Rights Agent” being used herein to refer, collectively, to the Rights Agent together with any such co-Rights Agents), upon ten days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agents shall be as the Company shall determine. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
SECTION 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) such date (prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person), if any, as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) of a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt Person) who satisfies the conditions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the definition of “Acquiring Person” and has not publicly announced an intent to hold such Person’s Beneficially Owned shares of Common Stock in such a way as would cause the condition described in clause (iv) of the definition of “Acquiring Person” to not be satisfied, having beneficial ownership or becoming the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”, provided, however, that the Distribution Date shall in no event be prior to the Record Date), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Sections 3(b) and 3(c) hereof) by the certificates representing the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof (or by Book Entry shares in respect of such Common Stock) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each share of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) At the written request of a holder (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Preferred Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail to such holder, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates representing Common Stock (or Book Entry shares of Common Stock) outstanding as of the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date or issued prior to the Distribution Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof (or such Book Entry shares). Until the Distribution Date (or, if earlier, the Expiration Date), the surrender for
transfer of any certificate representing Common Stock (or any Book Entry shares of Common Stock) outstanding on the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby.
(c) Rights shall, without any further action, be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock issued or disposed of by the Company after the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates issued for Common Stock after the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in an Amended and Restated [●]Rights Agreement between Scientific Games Corporation (the “Company”) and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent, dated as of January 10, 2018, and as amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), 2019the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive 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 Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights owned by or transferred to any Person who is or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (in each case as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain transferees thereof will become null and void and will no longer be transferable.
With respect to any Book Entry shares of Common Stock, such legend shall be included in a notice to the record holder of such shares in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, or any notice of the foregoing legend delivered to holders of Book Entry shares, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates or Book Entry shares shall be evidenced by such certificates or Book Entry shares alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate or Book Entry share, except as otherwise provided herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer outstanding.
Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), neither the omission of a legend nor the failure to deliver the notice of such legend required hereby shall affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
SECTION 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or interdealer quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Right Certificate shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the number of such one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
SECTION 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the President or any Vice President of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof and shall be attested by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually or by facsimile countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at an office or agency designated for such purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
SECTION 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates; Uncertificated Rights.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Agreement to provide for uncertificated Rights in addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
SECTION 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the registered holder of any Right Certificate (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as otherwise provided herein, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised, at any time which is both after the Distribution Date and prior to the time (the “Expiration Date”) that is the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on June 19, 2020 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”), (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof or (iv) the Close of Business on the day that the Board of Directors determines that this Agreement is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Company’s good standing in its licenses, contracts, franchises and other regulatory approvals related to the operation of gaming and related businesses of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(b) The purchase price for each one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right shall be initially $109.00 (the “Purchase Price”). The Purchase Price and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or other securities or property to be acquired upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section 7.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, in cash or by certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock, or make available if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock, certificates for the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from a depositary agent appointed by the Company depositary receipts representing interests in such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent), and the Company hereby directs any such depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all of the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment or form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such transfer or 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 Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, and any Right Certificate representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) surrendered for any purpose shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company. Subject to applicable law and regulation, the Rights Agent shall maintain in a retrievable database electronic records of all canceled or destroyed Rights Certificates which have been canceled or destroyed by the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall maintain such electronic records for the term of this Agreement and any additional time period required by applicable law and regulation. Upon written request of the Company (and at the expense of the Company), the Rights Agent shall provide to the Company or its designee copies of such electronic records relating to Rights Certificates canceled or destroyed by the Rights Agent.
SECTION 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred 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 or any shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, free from preemptive rights or any right of first refusal, the number of shares of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such shares of Preferred Stock under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws (to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 120 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities Act shall have been declared effective, unless an exemption therefrom is available.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates therefor (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
(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 Right Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by that holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
SECTION 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or other distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
SECTION 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares and Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare and pay 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 of Preferred Stock 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), the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of a Right as of the record date for such dividend or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, the holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person (the first occurrence of such event being referred to hereinafter as the “Flip-In Event”), then (A) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the Flip-In Event multiplied by the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such Flip-In Event, whether or not such Right was then exercisable, and (B) each holder of a Right, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the Purchase Price (as so adjusted), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as so adjusted) by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such Flip-In Event; provided, however, that the Purchase Price (as so adjusted) and the number of shares of Common Stock so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall, following the Flip-In Event, be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, however, from and after the Flip-In Event, any Rights that are beneficially owned by (x) any Person that, as of or after the Flip-In Event, is or was an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person), (y) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes such a transferee after the Flip-In Event or (z) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate) who became such a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Flip-In Event pursuant to either (I) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from such Acquiring Person (or from such Affiliate or Associate) to holders of its equity securities or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined in good faith is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of avoiding the provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent transferees, either direct transferees or transferees through one or more intermediate transferees, of the Persons identified in clauses (y) and (z) of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall be null and void without any further action and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person, its Affiliates or Associates or its or their transferees hereunder. From and after the Flip-In Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) The Company may at its option substitute for a share of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) a number of shares of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one share of Preferred Stock multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Board of Directors of the Company shall, with respect to such deficiency, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party, (A) determine the excess (such excess, the “Spread”) of (1) the value of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) (the “Current Value”) over (2) the Purchase Price (as adjusted in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii)), and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the foregoing subparagraph (ii)), make adequate provision to substitute for the shares of Common Stock issuable in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) upon exercise of the Right and payment of the Purchase Price (as adjusted in accordance therewith), (1) cash, (2) a reduction in such Purchase Price, (3) shares of Preferred Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the shares of Common
Stock are determined by the Board of Directors of the Company to have substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such shares of Preferred Stock and shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock are hereinafter referred to as “Common Stock Equivalents”, and, when used with reference to any Person other than the Company, shall have a correlative meaning in respect of such Person’s Common Stock)), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having a value which, when added to the value of the shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in such Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the Company shall not make adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the Flip-In Event (the date of the Flip-In Event being the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of such Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and then, if necessary, such number or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If, upon the occurrence of the Flip-In Event, the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then, if the Board of Directors of the Company so elects, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the “Substitution Period”). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the second and/or third sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii) 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 second sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the per share value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or fractional value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the current per share market price of the Common Stock. The Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among the holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).
(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 (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock (“Equivalent Preferred Shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Shares at a price per share of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Shares (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security” for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed on a national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market as reported by any system then in use, or, if not so quoted, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, if the Preferred Stock is publicly traded, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly traded but the Common Stock is publicly traded, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Stock as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) multiplied by the then applicable Adjustment Number (as defined in and determined in accordance with the Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Stock). If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly traded, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock or other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment and (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than the Preferred Stock, thereafter the Purchase Price and the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(e), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m) hereof, as applicable, 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 ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) 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 11(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 ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one ten-thousandths of a share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right immediately prior to such adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to Sections 11(b) or 11(c) hereof to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-hundredth) 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. Such record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the fraction of Preferred Stock or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of a Right, 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 shares of Preferred Stock or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare and pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend payable in Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then, in each such case, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(o) The Company agrees that, after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
SECTION 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof (if so required under Section 25 hereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity of such adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
SECTION 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
(a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after the Flip-In Event (i) the Company shall consolidate with or shall merge into any other Person, (ii) any Person shall merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or of the Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company), then upon the first occurrence of such event, proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each holder of a Right (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock of the Company, 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 equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided, however, that the Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof to reflect any events occurring in respect of the Common Stock of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party; and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(b) “Principal Party” shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (i) or (ii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the shares of Common Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of the shares of Common Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the shares of Common Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (iii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause (b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, the term “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stock of all of which is and has been so registered, the term “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements of Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ or on another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ or a national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be authorized for quotation on any other system then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
(d) In case the Principal Party has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other instrument governing its affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price, or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Flip-In Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in clauses (i) through (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof if (i) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section 13(b) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
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 in accordance with Section 11(n) hereof) or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, 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 any 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 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 ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. Interests in fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised or exchanged as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Preferred Stock (as determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 14(a) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates 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 purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock for which a Right is exercisable shall be deemed to be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with 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 Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right (except as provided above).
SECTION 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on his own behalf and for his own benefit, may enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, such Common Stock) in the manner provided therein and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.
SECTION 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock and the Right associated with each such share of Common Stock shall be automatically transferred upon the transfer of each such share of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable, subject to Section 11(a)(ii), only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates properly completed and duly executed; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock certificate (or Book Entry shares in respect of Common Stock)) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the Common Stock certificate (or notices provided to holders of Book Entry shares of
Common Stock) made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
(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. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in this Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.
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 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 gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction) 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 arising therefrom, directly or indirectly.
(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 Right Certificate or certificate representing the Preferred Stock, the Common Stock or any 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, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
(c) The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 hereof shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the redemption, exercise or expiration of the Rights and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent.
SECTION 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any entity into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any entity resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any entity succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such entity 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 Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
SECTION 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(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 be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the President or any Vice President 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 gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary and to the fullest extent permitted by law, in no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be limited to the amount of annual fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 and 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12, describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or other securities will, when 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, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the President or any Vice President 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 by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof) or a transferee thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
SECTION 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and, in the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is not also the transfer agent for the Company, to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and, in the event that the Rights Agents or one of its Affiliates is not also the transfer agent for the Company, to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. In the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is also the transfer agent for the Company and the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned as the Rights Agent automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement as of the effective date of such termination (subject to the appointment of a successor Rights Agent pursuant to this Section 21), and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required notice. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be an entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any state of the United States of America so long as such entity is authorized to do business as a banking institution in such state, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus, along with its Affiliates, of at least $100 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall mail notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
SECTION 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such forms as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold (a) pursuant to the exercise of stock options, (b) under any employee plan or arrangement, (c) upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company or (d) pursuant to a contractual obligation of the Company, in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof and (iii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
SECTION 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at any time prior to the Flip-In Event, elect to redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring in respect of the Common Stock after the Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date (the redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish. The Redemption Price shall be payable, at the option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other form of consideration as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 (or at such later time as the Board of Directors of the Company may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or such later time as the Board of Directors of the Company may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
SECTION 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after the Flip-In Event, exchange all or part of the then outstanding Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring in respect of the Common Stock, after the Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date (such amount per Right being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after an Acquiring Person shall have become the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of the Common Stock then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a). The exchange of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish. Prior to effecting an exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Board of Directors of the Company may direct the Company to enter into (i) such arrangements or implement such procedures as it deems necessary or appropriate for ensuring that Common Stock (or such other consideration contemplated by Section 24(c) below) issuable upon an exchange pursuant to this Section 24 is not received by any holders of Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and/or (ii) a Trust Agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board of Directors of the Company shall then approve (the “TrustAgreement”). If the Board of Directors of the Company so directs the Company to enter into a Trust Agreement, the Company shall enter into the Trust Agreement and shall issue to the trust created by such agreement (the “Trust”) all of the shares of Common Stock (or such other consideration) issuable pursuant to the exchange, and all Persons entitled to receive shares (or such other consideration) pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive such shares (or such other consideration) (and any dividends or distributions made thereon after the date on which such shares are deposited in the Trust) only from the Trust and solely upon compliance with the relevant terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock (or such other consideration contemplated by Section 24(c) below) equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of the Rights so exchanged at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock (or such other consideration) for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) The Company may at its option substitute, and, in the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights for Common Stock as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof (or Equivalent Preferred Shares, as such term is defined in Section 11(b)) such that the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one share of Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) as of the date of such exchange.
SECTION 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision or combination of outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (v) to pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such dividend or distribution or offering of rights or warrants, or the date on which such liquidation, dissolution, winding up, reclassification, subdivision, combination or consolidation is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier. The failure to give notice required by this Section 25 or any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.
(b) In case any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 shall occur then (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution Date, the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 13 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 Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Scientific Games Corporation
6601 Bermuda Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Attention: General Counsel
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
6201 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Attention: Executive Vice President
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate 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. Except as provided in the third sentence of this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights. At any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as provided in the third sentence of this Section 27, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights, provided that no such supplement or amendment may (a) adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other holder of Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), (b) cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this sentence or (c) cause the Rights again to become redeemable. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment, provided that such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the rights, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent under this Agreement.
SECTION 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
SECTION 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common 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 Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).
SECTION 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company (and any committee thereof) shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend or not amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations that are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company (and any committee thereof) in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties.
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 at any time following a Flip-In Event, 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 twentieth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Nevada and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State.
SECTION 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signature to this Agreement transmitted electronically shall have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature.
SECTION 34. Effectiveness. The Initial Rights Agreement became effective as of the Close of Business on the Initial Rights Agreement Effective Date. This Agreement shall be effective as of the Reincorporation Merger Effective Date.
SECTION 35. 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.
SECTION 36. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
| | | | | | | | |
| SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION |
| | |
| By: | /s/ Michael C. Eklund |
| | Name: Michael C. Eklund |
| | Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary |
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent |
| | |
| By: | /s/ Jennifer Donovan |
| | Name: Jennifer Donovan |
| | Title: SVP |
| | |
Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION
(Pursuant to Section 78.1955 of the Nevada Revised Statutes)
Scientific Games Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Corporation”), in accordance with the provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”) 78.195 and 78.1955, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with the provisions of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada on January 10, 2018 (as heretofore amended and as may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors adopted the following resolution creating a series of 20,000 shares of preferred stock of the Corporation designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock”:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors by the Articles of Incorporation and by the provisions of NRS 78.195 and 78.1955, the Board of Directors hereby establishes a series of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation and hereby sets forth the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of such series of preferred stock and the number of shares of such series (in addition to any provisions set forth in the Articles of Incorporation applicable to the preferred stock of all series), as set forth as follows:
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
1. Designation and Amount. There shall be a series of preferred stock, par value $0.001, of the Corporation (the “Preferred Stock”) that shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,” and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 20,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock to less than the number of shares then issued and outstanding plus the number of shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Corporation.
2. Dividends and Distributions.
(i) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation 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, in preference to the holders of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in respect thereof, 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 last day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10.00 and (b) the sum of (1) the Adjustment Number (as defined below) times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends plus (2) the Adjustment Number times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”), or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), in each case declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. The “Adjustment Number” shall initially be 10,000. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after January 10, 2018 (i) declare and pay 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 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.
(ii) 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).
(iii) 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 sixty (60) days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(i) Each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to a number of votes equal to the Adjustment Number on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. Except as otherwise provided herein, in another certificate of designation authorizing a series of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation or as required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation.
(ii) Except as required by law, by the Articles of Incorporation and by Section 10 hereof, 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.
4. Certain Restrictions. 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 (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock other than (A) such redemptions or purchases that may be deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or similar rights or grant, vesting or lapse of restrictions on the grant of any other performance shares, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards to the extent that such shares represent all or a portion of (x) the exercise or purchase price of such options, warrants or similar rights or other equity awards and (y) the amount of withholding taxes owed by the recipient of such award in respect of such grant, exercise, vesting or lapse of restrictions; (B) the repurchase, redemption, or other acquisition or retirement for value of any such shares from employees, former employees, directors, former directors, consultants or former consultants of the Corporation or their respective estate, spouse, former spouse or family member, pursuant to the terms of the agreements pursuant to which such shares were acquired;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on 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; or
(iii) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity 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 Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or to such holders and holders of any such shares ranking on a parity therewith, upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(iv) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, 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 an amount per share (the “Series A Liquidation Preference”) equal to the greater of (i) $10.00 plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, and (ii) the Adjustment Number times the per share amount of all cash and other property to be distributed in respect of the Common Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
(i) 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 classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
(ii) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
7. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the outstanding shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment Number 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.
8. No Redemption. Shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall not be subject to redemption by the Corporation.
9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all series of Preferred Stock , as to the payment of dividends and as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, unless, in the case of any other series of Preferred Stock, the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.
10. Amendment. At any time that any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Articles of Incorporation shall not be amended, by merger, consolidation or otherwise, 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 of the outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Designation this 10th day of January, 2018.
| | | | | | | | |
| SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: |
| | Title: |
| | |
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-______
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JUNE 19, 2020, OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (EACH AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION
This certifies that ____________________________ or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 10, 2018, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), between Scientific Games Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, at the earliest of (a) June 19, 2020 or (b) the Close of Business on the day that the Board of Directors determines that the Rights Agreement is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Company’s good standing in its licenses, contracts franchises and other regulatory approvals related to the operation of gaming and related businesses of the Company or any of its Affiliates. (the earliest of the events (a) or (b) being referred to as the “Expiration Date”), at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or of its successor as Rights Agent, one ten-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company at a purchase price of $109.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of January 10, 2018, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights and the number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
If the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are at any time beneficially owned by or transferred to any person who is or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (each as defined in the Rights Agreement) or certain transferees thereof, such Rights will become null and void and will no longer be transferable.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned office or agency of the Rights Agent. The Company will mail to the holder of this Right Certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, shares of Preferred Stock, or Equivalent Preferred Shares (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will be issued upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement) or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _________ __, 20 .
| | | | | | | | |
| SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION |
| | |
| By: | |
| | [Title] |
ATTEST:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
FOR VALUE RECEIVED | | hereby sells, assigns | |
and transfers unto | | |
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_______ Rights represented by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______________________________ Attorney, to transfer said Rights on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee medallion program.
..............................................................................................................
(To be completed)
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by or are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (2) this Right Certificate is not being sold, assigned or transferred to or on behalf of any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate thereof and (3) the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate – continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate)
To Scientific Games Corporation:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares of Preferred Stock (or such other securities) be issued in the name of:
| | |
(Please print name and address)
|
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number
| | |
(Please print name and address)
|
Dated:________________________
(Signature must conform to holder specified on Right Certificate)
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee medallion program.
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by or are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (2) this Right Certificate is not being sold, assigned or transferred to or on behalf of any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof and (3) the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
Exhibit C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (EACH AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SHARES OF PREFERRED STOCK OF
SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION
On January 10, 2018, Scientific Games Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Rights Agent”). The Rights Agreement amends the terms of the outstanding preferred share purchase rights (the “Rights”) previously distributed by Scientific Games Corporation, a Delaware corporation and predecessor to the Company (“SG Delaware”), to its stockholders of record as of June 29, 2017 and subject to that certain Rights Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2017, between SG Delaware, and the Rights Agent. The Rights are currently evidenced by the existing certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof (or book entry shares) representing outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and are not exercisable and do not trade separately from such shares. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one ten-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) at a price of $109.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement.
The Board of Directors adopted the Rights Agreement in an effort to protect stockholder value by attempting to secure and maintain the Company’s good standing in its licenses, contracts, franchises and other regulatory approvals related to the operations of gaming and related businesses now or heretoafter engaged in by the Company or any of its Affiliates, which licenses, contracts, franchises or other approvals are conditioned upon some or all of the Company’s holders of the Company’s securities possessing prescribed qualifications.
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 business days from (a) the public announcement that a person has become an Acquiring Person (as defined below) or (b) such earlier date on which a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company becomes aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) such date (prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person), if any, as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates representing the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof (or by book entry shares in respect of such Common Stock). “Acquiring Person” means, subject to certain exceptions, a person or entity that (i) alone or together with a group of affiliated persons, has acquired beneficial ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, (ii) is not a legal resident of or organized under the laws of the United States of America, (iii) does not deliver to the Company a consent to Nevada jurisdiction in the form attached to the Rights Agreement and (iv) does not (A) hold all of its Common Stock (subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Rights Agreement) as a registered holder in certificated form directly through the Company’s transfer agent.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuances of Common Stock will contain a legend incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and notice of
such legend will be furnished to holders of book-entry shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of Common Stock (or book entry shares of Common Stock) outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such legend or a copy of this Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate or registered in book-entry form. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on the earlier of (i) June 19, 2020 and (ii) the Close of Business on the day that the Board of Directors determines that the Rights Agreement is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Company’s good standing in its licenses, contracts franchises and other regulatory approvals related to the operation of gaming and related businesses of the Company or any of its Affiliates (the “Expiration Date”), unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below, or upon the occurrence of certain transactions.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights is subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights is subject to adjustment in the event of a stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled, when, as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of the greater of (a) $10.00 per share, and (b) an amount equal to 10,000 times the dividend declared per share of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to a minimum preferential payment of the greater of (a) $10.00 per share (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends), and (b) an amount equal to 10,000 times the payment made per share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will have 10,000 votes, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which outstanding shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 10,000 times the amount received per share of Common Stock. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock’s dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one ten-thousandth interest in a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, prior to the occurrence of one of the events described in the paragraph immediately below and unless the Rights are exchanged as described in the second paragraph below, each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person, affiliates and associates of the Acquiring Person and certain transferees thereof (which will thereupon become null and void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a Right that number of shares of Common Stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
In the event that, after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, proper provisions will be made so that each holder of a Right (other than Rights beneficially owned
by an Acquiring Person, affiliates and associates of the Acquiring Person and certain transferees thereof which will have become null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive upon the exercise of a Right that number of shares of common stock of the person with whom the Company has engaged in the foregoing transaction (or its parent) that at the time of such transaction have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the earlier of the occurrence of one of the events described in the previous paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring Person and certain transferees thereof which will have become null and void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (or a series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or a fractional share of Preferred Stock (or other preferred stock) equivalent in value thereto, per Right.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will be issued (other than fractions of shares of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), and in lieu thereof an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock.
At any time prior to the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.0001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”) payable, at the option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other form of consideration as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine. The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may, except with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner. After the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, except with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner that does not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights (other than holders of Rights owned by or transferred to any person who is or becomes an Acquiring Person or affiliates and associates of an Acquiring Person and certain transferees thereof).
Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 10, 2018. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Exhibit D
Form of Consent to Jurisdiction
____________________ and its affiliates and advisory clients (collectively, the “Investor”) hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court within the State of Nevada for purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding relating to (i) Article VIII of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (as amended, the “Charter”) of the Company or (ii) the stockholder rights plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company on [Date]. The Investor hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such suit, action or other proceeding for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. The Investor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such action or proceeding (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for any reason, (b) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from the jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in any such court (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) any claim that (1) the suit, action or other proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (2) the venue of such suit, action or other proceeding is improper or (3) the subject matter of such suit, action or other proceeding may not be enforced in or by such courts. The Investor hereby irrevocably agrees that service of process in connection with any such suit, action or other proceeding shall be duly served upon the Investor if delivered personally or sent by pre-paid recorded delivery, special delivery or registered post to the address specified below:
[Address:
Attention:
Phone:]
Dated:________________________
Appendix C
AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Amendment, dated as of June 16, 2020 (this “Amendment”), to the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 10, 2018, between SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC (the “Rights Agent”) (the “A&R Rights Agreement”), is made between the Company and the Rights Agent. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the A&R Rights Agreement.
WHEREAS,the Company desires to amend the A&R Rights Agreement to extend the Final Expiration Date of the A&R Rights Agreement; and
WHEREAS,in compliance with the terms of Section 27 of the A&R Rights Agreement, (i) an appropriate officer of the Company has delivered a certificate to the Rights Agent which states that this Amendment is in compliance with the terms of Section 27 of the A&R Rights Agreement and (ii) the Company has instructed the Rights Agent to execute this Amendment.
NOW THEREFORE,in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
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| 1. | Clause (i) of Section 7(a) of the A&R Rights Agreement is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows: |
“(i) the Close of Business on June 19, 2023 (the “Final Expiration Date”),”
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| 2. | Exhibits B and C to the A&R Rights Agreement are deemed amended in a manner consistent with this Amendment such that the references therein to “June 19, 2020” are hereby replaced with “June 19, 2023”. |
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| 3. | This Amendment shall be deemed effective as of June 16, 2020. Except as amended hereby, the A&R Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall be otherwise unaffected hereby. |
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| 4. | This Amendment shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Nevada 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. |
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| 5. | This Amendment may be executed in counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signature to this Amendment executed and/or transmitted electronically shall have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature. |
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
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| SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION | |
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| By: | /s/ Michael C. Eklund | |
| | Name: | Michael C. Eklund | |
| | Title: | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary | |
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AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent | |
| | | |
| By: | /s/ Paula Caroppoli | |
| | Name: | Paula Caroppoli | |
| | Title: | Senior Vice President, Director, Relationship Management | |
Appendix D
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2003 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
1.Purpose. The purpose of this 2003 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated (the “Plan”), is to assist Scientific Games Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries in attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding executives, directors, employees, and other persons who provide services to the Company and/or its subsidiaries, to provide for equitable and competitive compensation opportunities, to encourage long-term service, to recognize individual contributions and reward achievement of Company goals, and promote the creation of long-term value for stockholders by closely aligning the interests of participants with those of stockholders. The Plan authorizes stock-based and cash-based performance incentives for participants, to encourage such persons to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of stockholder value.
2.Definitions. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such terms defined in Section 1 hereof:
(a)“409A Awards” means Awards that constitute a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A.
(b)“Award” means any award of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Stock granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award, Dividend Equivalents, Other Stock-Based Award or Performance Award together with any other right or interest granted to a Participant under the Plan.
(c)“Bally Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 1, 2014 by and among the Company, Scientific Games Nevada, Inc., Scientific Games International, Inc. and Bally Technologies, Inc.
(d)“Bally Stock” means shares of common stock of Bally Technologies, Inc., par value $0.10 per share.
(e)“Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust, or trusts which have been designated by a Participant in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon such Participant’s death to the extent permitted under Section 10(b) hereof. If, upon a Participant’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term Beneficiary means the person, persons, trust, or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.
(f)“Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.
(g)“Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors.
(h)“Change in Control” means Change in Control as defined with related terms in Section 9 hereof.
(i)“Change in Control Price” means the amount calculated in accordance with Section 9(c) hereof.
(j)“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations, proposed regulations and other applicable guidance or pronouncement of the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service.
(k)“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, the composition and governance of which is established in the Committee’s Charter as approved from time to time by the Board and other corporate governance documents of the Company, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board as appointed by the
Board, the extent permitted by applicable law. No action of the Committee shall be void or deemed to be without authority due to the failure of any member, at the time the action was taken, to meet any qualification standard set forth in the Committee’s Charter or the Plan.
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(l) | “Continuing Company” means the entity resulting from the consummation of a transaction involving the Company, including a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries. |
(l)“Continuing Company” means the entity resulting from the consummation of a transaction involving the Company, including a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries.
(m)“Deferred Stock” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(e) hereof, to receive Stock, at the end of a specified vesting and/or deferral period.
(n)“Dividend Equivalent” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(g) hereof, to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock.
(o)“Effective Date” means June 23, 2003.
(p)“Effective Time” shall have the meaning set forth in the Bally Merger Agreement.
(q)“Eligible Person” means each executive officer and other officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including each such person who may also be a director of the Company, each non-employee director of the Company, each other consultant or adviser who provides substantial services to the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates and who is designated as eligible by the Committee, and any person who has been offered employment by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, provided that such prospective employee may not receive any payment or exercise any right relating to an Award until such person has commenced employment with the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate. An employee on leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate for purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.
(r)“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.
(s)“Fair Market Value” means, as of any given date, the fair market value of Stock, Awards, or other property as determined in good faith by the Committee or under procedures established by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of Stock shall be the average of the high and low sales prices of Stock on a given date or, if there are no sales on that date, on the latest previous date on which there were sales, reported for composite transactions in securities listed on the principal trading market on which Stock is then listed. Fair Market Value relating to the exercise price or grant price of any Option or SAR that is intended to be a Non-409A Award shall conform to requirements under Code Section 409A.
(t)“Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Code Section 422 or any successor provision thereto.
(u)“Legacy Bally Awards” means awards of restricted stock units granted under the Legacy Bally Plan prior to the Merger Closing Date, and which remain outstanding as of the Effective Time.
(v)“Legacy Bally Plan” means the Bally Technologies, Inc. 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan (amended and restated as of October 22, 2013), which was consolidated with and into the Plan and became a sub-plan under the Plan as of the Effective Time.
(w)“Legacy Bally Shares” means Stock equal to the sum of (A) 3,400,000 (which represents that number of shares of Bally Stock from the Legacy Bally Plan, as converted, assumed under the Plan and not related to Legacy Bally Awards) and (B) the product of (i) the number of shares of Bally Stock subject to outstanding Legacy Bally Awards as of the Effective Time and (ii) the quotient of (x) the per share closing price of Bally Stock on the Merger Closing Date (or if such day is not a trading day, the trading day immediately preceding the Merger
Closing Date and (y) the per share closing price of Stock on the Merger Closing Date (or if such day is not a trading day, the trading day immediately preceding the Merger Closing Date), with any fractional shares rounded down to a whole number of shares of Stock.
(x)“Legacy WMS Plan” means the Scientific Games Corporation Incentive Plan (2013 Restatement), which was assumed by the Company upon consummation of the merger in which WMS Industries, Inc. became a subsidiary of the Company (on October 18, 2013).
(y)“Merger Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Bally Merger Agreement.
(z)“Non-409A Awards” means Awards that do not constitute a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A. Although the Committee retains authority under the Plan to grant Awards on terms that will qualify them as 409A Awards, Awards will be interpreted in a manner such that they will qualify as Non-409A Awards (with conforming terms, as provided in Section 10(h) hereof) unless otherwise expressly specified by the Committee.
(aa)“Option” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(b) hereof, to purchase Stock or other Awards at a specified price during specified time periods.
(bb) “Other(ab)“Other Stock-Based Awards” means Awards granted to a Participant under Section 6(h) hereof.
(cc) “Participant”(ac)“Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under the Plan which remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.
(dd) “Performance(ad)“Performance Award” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 7 hereof, to receive cash, Stock or other Awards or payments, as determined by the Committee, based upon the achievement of performance criteria specified by the Committee.
(ee) “Performance(ae)“Performance Goals” means: (1) earnings per share (basic or fully diluted); (2) revenues; (3) earnings, before or after taxes, from operations (generally or specified operations), before or after interest expense, depreciation, amortization, incentives, or extraordinary or special items or other adjustments; (4) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on investment (discounted or otherwise), net cash provided by operations, or cash flow in excess of cost of capital; (5) return on net assets, return on assets, return on investment, return on capital, return on equity; (6) economic value created; (7) operating margin or operating expense; (8) net income; (9) Stock price or total stockholder return; and (10) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, new products, ventures or facilities, cost targets, internal controls, compliance, customer satisfaction and services, human resources management, supervision of litigation and information technology and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures of subsidiaries, affiliates, joint ventures or facilities, in each case, in absolute terms, as a goal relative to performance in prior periods or as a goal compared to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index covering multiple companies.
(ff) “Permitted Transferees” means, with respect to any person that is a natural person (and any Permitted Transferee of such person), (i) such person’s immediate family, including his or her spouse, ex-spouse, children, step-children and their respective lineal descendants (ii) the estate of Ronald O. Perelman and (iii) any other trust or other legal entity the beneficiary of which is such person’s immediate family, including his or her spouse, ex-spouse, children, stepchildren or their respective lineal descendants.
(gg) “Plan(af)“Plan Merger Date” means the date on which Company stockholders approved the 2013 amendment and restatement of the Plan, which is the effective date of the merger of the Legacy WMS Plan into the Plan.
(hh) “Plan(ag)“Plan Consolidation Date” means the date on which the Company stockholders approve the amendment to the Plan, which was approved by the Board on April 24, 2015.
(ii) “Preexisting(ah)“Preexisting Plan” mean the Company’s 1997 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated.
(jj) “Restricted(ai)“Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to a Participant under Section 6(d) hereof, that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.
(aj)“Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(ll) “Stock”(ak)“Stock” means the Company’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value, and such other securities as may be substituted (or resubstituted) for Stock pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.
(mm) “Stock(al)“Stock Appreciation Rights” or “SAR” means a conditional right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.
(nn) “Voting(am)“Voting Securities” means voting securities of an entity, which in the case of a corporation, shall mean those securities eligible to vote for the election of the corporation’s board of directors.
3.Administration.
(a)Authority of the Committee. Except as otherwise provided below, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and final authority, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to select Eligible Persons to become Participants, grant Awards, determine the type, number, and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards, prescribe Award agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, construe and interpret the Plan and Award agreements and correct defects, supply omissions, or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and to make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Board shall perform the functions of the Committee for purposes of granting Awards under the Plan to non-employee directors, and may perform any function of the Committee under the Plan for any purpose (subject to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)), including for the purpose of ensuring that transactions under the Plan by Participants who are then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company are exempt under Rule 16b-3. In any case in which the Board is performing a function of the Committee under the Plan, each reference to the Committee herein shall be deemed to refer to the Board, except where the context otherwise requires. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries, Participants, Beneficiaries, transferees under Section 10(b) hereof, or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant, and stockholders.
(b)Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. The Committee may act through subcommittees, including for purposes of perfecting exemptions under Rule 16b-3, in which case the subcommittee shall be subject to and have authority under the charter applicable to the Committee, and the acts of the subcommittee shall be deemed to be acts of the Committee hereunder. The Committee may otherwise act with members of the Committee abstaining or recusing themselves to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements or to promote effective governance, as determined by the Committee. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions, including administrative functions, as the Committee may determine, to the fullest extent permitted under Section 78.200 and other applicable provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes. The Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.
(c)Limitation of Liability. The Committee and each member thereof, and any person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, shall be entitled, in good faith, to rely or act upon any report or other information furnished by any executive officer, other officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, the Company’s independent auditors, certified public accountants, consultants or any other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee, any person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, and any officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee or a delegee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action or determination. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either
case not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of the person seeking indemnity giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s organizational documents relating to the creation and governance of the Company or the Committee, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
4.Shares Available Under the Plan.
(a)Number of Shares Available for Delivery. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c) hereof, the total number of shares of Stock reserved and available for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan, all of which may be granted as ISOs, shall be equal to the sum of (i) 3,500,000 plus (ii) 17,000,000 plus the number of shares that, under the Preexisting Plan, were available at the Effective Date or thereafter have or will become available plus, (ii)(iii) from and after the Plan Merger Date, the number of shares that, under the Legacy WMS Plan, were available at the Plan Merger Date for delivery in connection with outstanding awards and 0.555 times the number of shares that, under the Legacy WMS Plan, remained available for future grants of equity awards, plus (iii)(iv) the Legacy Bally Shares. Any shares of Stock delivered under the Plan shall consist of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.
(b)Share Counting Rules. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4(b), the Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award. Any shares which are (i) underlying an Option or SAR which is cancelled or terminated without having been exercised, including due to expiration or forfeiture, (ii) subject to an Award (other than an Option or SAR) which is cancelled, terminated or forfeited, (iii) not delivered to a Participant because all or a portion of the Award is settled in cash, (iv) withheld upon exercise of an Option to satisfy the exercise price (including the Option shares equal to the number of shares separately surrendered to pay the exercise price), (v) subject to a SAR but in excess of the number of shares actually delivered to the Participant upon exercise of the SAR, or (vi) withheld in connection with an Award to satisfy tax withholding obligations, shall in each case again be available for Awards under the Plan. Shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds from the exercise of an Option may not again be made available for Awards under the Plan. For purposes of determining the number of shares that become available under the Preexisting Plan or the Legacy WMS Plan, the share counting rules applicable to outstanding Awards under this Plan shall apply in the same way to outstanding awards originally granted under the Preexisting Plan or the Legacy WMS Plan. The payment of dividends and Dividend Equivalents, other than in shares of Stock, in conjunction with outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the shares available for Awards under the Plan. In addition, in the case of any Award granted in substitution for an award of a company or business acquired by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, shares issued or issuable in connection with such substitute Award shall not be counted against the number of shares reserved under the Plan, but shall be available under the Plan by virtue of the Company’s assumption of the plan or arrangement of the acquired company or business except as may be required by reason of Section 422 of the Code. (however, the shares subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Legacy WMS Plan and the Legacy Bally Awards are not subject to this provision as a result of the merger of the Legacy WMS Plan and the Legacy Bally Plan into this Plan). This Section 4(b) shall apply to the number of shares reserved and available for ISOs only to the extent consistent with applicable regulations relating to ISOs under the Code. This Section 4(b) will apply to Awards and awards outstanding, and transactions and events relating to Awards and awards, on and after June 7, 2011; with regard to transactions and events relating to Awards and awards before June 7, 2011, the share counting rules in the 2003 Plan as then in effect applied. Because shares will count against the number reserved in Section 4(a) upon delivery (or later vesting) and subject to the share counting rules under this Section 4(b), the Committee may determine that Awards may be outstanding that relate to more shares than the aggregate remaining available under the Plan, so long as Awards will not result in delivery and vesting of shares in excess of the number then available under the Plan.
5.Eligibility; Per-Person Award Limitations.
(a)Grants to Eligible Persons. Awards may be granted under the Plan only to Eligible Persons.
(b)Annual Per-Person Award Limitations. In each calendar year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, an Eligible Person may be granted Awards under each of Sections 6(b), 6(c), 6(d), 6(e), 6(f), 6(g), and 6(h) (including Performance Awards under Section 7 based on Awards authorized by each referenced subsection) relating to a number of shares of Stock up to his or her Annual Limit. A Participant’s Annual Limit, in any year during any part of which the Participant is then eligible under the Plan, shall equal 1,500,000 shares plus the amount of the Participant’s unused Annual Limit relating to the same type of Award as of the close of the previous year, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c). In the case of a cash-denominated Award for which the limitation set forth in the preceding sentence would not operate as an effective limitation (including a cash Performance Award under Section 7), an Eligible Person may not be granted Awards authorizing the earning during any calendar year of an amount that exceeds the Participant’s Annual Limit, which for this purpose shall equal $3,000,000 plus the amount of the Participant’s unused cash Annual Limit as of the close of the previous year (this limitation is separate and not affected by the number of Awards granted during such calendar year subject to the limitation in the preceding sentence). For this purpose, (i) “earning” means satisfying performance conditions so that an amount becomes payable, without regard to whether it is to be paid currently or on a deferred basis or continues to be subject to any service requirement or other non-performance condition, and (ii) a Participant’s Annual Limit is used to the extent a cash amount or number of shares may be potentially earned or paid under an Award, regardless of whether such amount or shares are in fact earned or paid.
(c)Non-Employee Director Limits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in each calendar year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, the maximum aggregate amount of cash and other property (valued at its Fair Market Value at grant), including Awards, that may be paid or delivered to any one non-employee director shall be equal to $750,000. For the avoidance of doubt, the Board may award compensation in excess of this limit for individual non-employee directors in consideration for additional services provided to the Company (e.g., consulting services), as the Board may determine in its discretion.
6.Specific Terms of Awards.
(a)General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Sections 10(e) and 10(h) hereof), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award. The Committee shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive or modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under the Plan, subject to Section 10(h) hereof. The Committee shall require the payment of lawful consideration for an Award to the extent necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Nevada Revised Statutes, and may otherwise require payment of consideration for an Award except as limited by the Plan.
(b)Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(i)Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that such exercise price shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of such Option except that, in connection with a merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Committee may grant Options with an exercise price per share less than the market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant if such Options are granted in exchange for, or upon conversion of, options to purchase capital stock of any other entity which is a party to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, and such Option so granted does not enlarge the aggregate in-the-money value of the original award at the acquisition date.
(ii)Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the term of the Option, subject to Section 8(b) hereof, and the time or times at which or the circumstances under which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), whether or not the Option will be a 409A Award or Non-409A Award, the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid, the form of such payment (subject to Sections 10(h) and (i) hereof), including, without
limitation, cash, Stock (including Stock deliverable upon exercise, other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or other property (including through broker-assisted “cashless exercise” arrangements, to the extent permitted by applicable law), and the methods by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered in satisfaction of Options to Participants (including, to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A, deferred delivery of shares as mandated by the Committee, with such deferred shares subject to any vesting, forfeiture or other terms as the Committee may specify).
(iii)ISOs. The terms of any ISO granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Code Section 422. ISOs may be granted only to employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of the Stock with respect to which ISOs granted under this Plan and all other plans of the Company and any subsidiary are first exercisable by any employee during any calendar year shall exceed the maximum limit (currently, $100,000), if any, imposed from time to time under Code Section 422, such Options shall be treated as Options that are not ISOs.
(c)Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(i)Right to Payment. A SAR shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise over (B) the grant price per share of the SAR as determined by the Committee, which grant price shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of such SAR.
(ii)Other Terms. The Committee shall determine, at the date of grant or thereafter, the term of each SAR, subject to Section 8(b) hereof, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which an SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not the SAR will be a 409A Award or Non-409A Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. The
Committee may require that an outstanding Option be exchanged for a SAR exercisable for Stock having vesting, expiration, and other terms substantially the same as the Option.
(d)Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(i)Grant and Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine at the date of grant or thereafter. Except to the extent restricted under the terms of the Plan and any Award agreement relating to the Restricted Stock, a Participant granted Restricted Stock shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote the Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirement imposed by the Committee). During the restricted period applicable to the Restricted Stock, subject to Section 10(b) hereof, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, margined, or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.
(ii)Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Stock.
(iii)Certificates for Stock. Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the
Participant, the Committee may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, that the Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and/or that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.
(iv)Dividends and Splits. As a condition to the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee may require that any cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock or applied to the purchase of additional Awards under the Plan. Stock distributed in connection with a Stock split or Stock dividend, and cash or other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Stock, cash or other property has been distributed.
(e)Deferred Stock. The Committee is authorized to grant Deferred Stock to Participants, which are rights to receive Stock at the end of a specified vesting and/or deferral period, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(i)Award and Restrictions. Settlement of an Award of Deferred Stock shall occur upon satisfaction of the vesting criteria and/or expiration of the deferral period specified for such Deferred Stock by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). Deferred Stock shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine.
(ii)Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment during the applicable vesting and/or deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award agreement evidencing the Deferred Stock), all Deferred Stock that is at that time subject to vesting and/or deferral (other than a deferral at the election of the Participant) shall be forfeited; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Deferred Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Deferred Stock. Deferred Stock subject to a risk of forfeiture may be called “restricted stock units” or otherwise designated by the Committee.
(iii)Dividend Equivalents. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at date of grant, Dividend Equivalents on the specified number of shares of Stock covered by an Award of Deferred Stock shall be awarded. Such Dividend Equivalents shall either accrue with respect to such Deferred Stock at the dividend payment date in cash or in shares of Stock or additional Awards of Deferred Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, in each case, subject to the same vesting and/or deferral conditions as the underlying Award of Deferred Stock to which such Dividend Equivalents relate. Dividend Equivalents accrued in cash may be deemed invested in such investment vehicles as the Committee shall determine or permit the Participant to elect.
(f)Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations. The Committee is authorized to grant Stock as a bonus, or to grant Stock or other Awards in lieu of obligations of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate to pay cash or deliver other property under the Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the Committee.
(g)Dividend Equivalents. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to a Participant, entitling the Participant to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equivalent to all or a portion of the dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Stock, Awards, or other investment vehicles, and subject to restrictions on transferability, risks of forfeiture and such other terms as the Committee may specify. The foregoing notwithstanding, (i) dividends and dividend equivalents
will not be credited or payable with respect to an Option or SAR, except that this provision will not limit adjustments authorized under Section 10(c) hereof; and (ii) in the event Dividend Equivalents are awarded in connection with another Award, the Participant shall receive such Dividend Equivalents only to the extent that the applicable vesting criteria for such Award have been satisfied and, in the case of Dividend Equivalents relating to a Performance Award, such Dividend Equivalents shall be forfeitable to the extent the related Performance Award remains forfeitable upon failure to achieve the specified performance conditions.
(h)Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified subsidiaries or affiliates. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Stock delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine.
7.Performance Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards on the terms and conditions specified in this Section 7. Performance Awards may be denominated as a cash amount, number of shares of Stock, or specified number of other Awards (or a combination) which may be earned upon achievement or satisfaction of performance conditions specified by the Committee. In addition, the Committee may specify that any other Award shall constitute a Performance Award by conditioning the right of a Participant to exercise the Award or have it settled, or the timing thereof, upon achievement or satisfaction of such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee, including any Performance Goals; provided that, in the case of non-employee directors, the Committee may grant cash retainers or other fees that are not subject to performance conditions. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions, and may exercise its discretion to reduce or increase the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions, except in the case of any Performance Award denominated in shares at the grant date (i.e., an Award classified as equity under Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification 718 (“FASB ASC Topic 718”)), no discretion to increase the amounts payable (except as provided under Section 10(c) hereof) shall be reserved unless such reservation of discretion is expressly stated by the Committee at the time it acts to authorize or approve the grant of such Performance Award.
8.Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.
(a)Substitute Awards. Subject to the restrictions on “repricing” set forth in Section 10(e) hereof, Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted in substitution or exchange for, any other
Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate.
(b)Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR exceed a period of ten years (or, in the case of an ISO, such shorter term as may be required under Code Section 422).
(c)Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals. Subject to the terms of the Plan (including Sections 10(h) and (i) hereof) and any applicable Award agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a subsidiary upon the exercise of an Option or other Award or settlement of an Award may be made in cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis. The settlement of any Award may be accelerated in the discretion of the Committee or upon occurrence of one or more specified events (in addition to a Change in Control, subject to Sections 10(h) and (i) hereof). Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee (subject to Sections 10(e) and 10(h)
hereof, including the consent provisions thereof in the case of any deferral of an outstanding Award not provided for in the original Award agreement) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock. Any payment deferred pursuant to this Section 8(c) shall represent only an unfunded, unsecured promise by the Company to pay the amount credited thereto to the Participant in the future. In the case of any 409A Award that is vested and no longer subject to a risk of forfeiture (within the meaning of Code Section 83) and deferred at the election of the Participant, such Award will be distributed to the Participant, upon application of the Participant, if the Participant has had an unforeseeable emergency within the meaning of Code Sections 409A(a)(2)(A)(vi) and 409A(a)(2)(B)(ii), in accordance with Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(ii).
(d)Additional Award Forfeiture Provisions. The Committee may condition a Participant’s right to receive a grant of an Award, to exercise the Award, to retain Stock acquired in connection with an Award, or to retain the profit or gain realized by a Participant in connection with an Award, including cash received upon sale of Stock acquired in connection with an Award, upon compliance by the Participant with specified conditions relating to non-competition, confidentiality of information relating to the Company, non-solicitation of customers, suppliers, and employees of the Company, cooperation in litigation, non-disparagement of the Company and its officers, directors and affiliates, the absence of a restatement of the Company’s financial statements, and other restrictions upon, or covenants of, the Participant, including during specified periods following termination of employment or service to the Company.
(e)Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability. With respect to a Participant who is then subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company, the Committee shall implement transactions under the Plan and administer the Plan in a manner intended to cause each transaction with respect to such Participant to be exempt from liability under Rule 16b-3 or otherwise not subject to liability under Section 16(b), except that this provision shall not limit sales by such a Participant, and such a Participant may elect to engage in other non-exempt transactions under the Plan. The Committee may authorize the Company to repurchase any Award or shares of Stock deliverable or delivered in connection with any Award (subject to Section 10(i)) in order to avoid a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act incurring liability under Section 16(b). Unless otherwise specified by the Participant, equity securities or derivative securities acquired under the Plan which are disposed of by a Participant shall be deemed to be disposed of in the order acquired by the Participant.
(f)Prohibition on Loans. No term of an Award shall provide for a personal loan to a Participant.
(g)Forfeiture and Clawback Provisions. Each Award (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Participant upon any receipt or exercise of such Award or upon the receipt or resale of any shares of Stock, cash or other property underlying such Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any clawback policy implemented by the Company, whether or not such clawback policy was in place at the time of grant of such Award, to the extent set forth in such clawback policy and/or in the agreement evidencing such Award.
9.Change in Control.
(a)Effect of “Change in Control.” In the event of a “Change in Control,” the following provisions shall apply unless otherwise provided in the Award agreement:
(i)Any Award carrying a right to exercise that was not previously exercisable and vested shall become fully exercisable and vested as of the time of the Change in Control; except to the extent of any waiver by the Participant and subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof;
(ii)The restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to any other Award granted under the Plan shall lapse, such Awards shall be deemed fully vested as of the time of the Change in Control
and, except as otherwise provided in an award agreement or in the Plan, consideration in respect of such awards shall be payable within 60 days following the time of the Change in Control, in each case, except to the extent of any waiver by the Participant and subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof; and
(iii)With respect to any outstanding Award subject to achievement of performance goals and conditions under the Plan, such performance goals and other conditions will be deemed to be met if and to the extent so provided by the Committee.
The foregoing notwithstanding, any benefit or right provided under this Section 9 in the case of any Non-409A Award shall be limited to those benefits and rights permitted under Code Section 409A, and any benefit or right provided under this Section 9 that would result in a distribution of a 409A Award at a time or in a manner not permitted by Code Section 409A shall be limited to the extent necessary so that the distribution is permitted under Code Section 409A. For this purpose, the distribution of a 409A Award (i) triggered by a Change in Control will occur within 60 days following a Change in Control if the Change in Control also constitutes a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company, in each case, within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) and the applicable regulations thereunder, otherwise distribution will occur at the earliest time permitted under Code Section 409A without incurring additional taxes or penalties; and (ii) triggered by a termination of employment with or service to the Company or a subsidiary following a Change in Control by a specified employee, within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), will not occur until the first business day following the date that is six months after such termination.
(b)Definition of “Change in Control.” A “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:
(i)when any “person” as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and as used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, directly or indirectly, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of at least 40% of the Company’s Voting Securities; or
(ii)the consummation of a transaction requiring stockholder approval for the acquisition of the Company by an entity (e.g., a statutory merger in which the Company’s securities are canceled) or for the purchase by an entity of substantially all of the assets of the Company.
For purposes of the foregoing, neither “person” nor entity shall include the Company, any subsidiary Mafco or any benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary (including any trustee of such plan acting as trustee). “Mafco” means each of (t) MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, its successors and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates, (w) Ronald O. Perelman, (x) The ROP Revocable Trust dated 1/9/2018, (y) any of the directors or executive officers of MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated or its successors or (z) any of their respective Permitted Transferees. Furthermore, a transaction, or acquisition pursuant to such transaction, shall not constitute a “Change in Control” if immediately following such transaction:
(A) substantially all of the “persons” who were “beneficial owners” of the Company’s Voting Securities immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction continue to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the Voting Securities of the Continuing Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such consummation of the Voting Securities; and
(B) a majority of the directors of the Continuing Company were members of the Board immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction.
10.General Provisions.
(a)Compliance with Legal and Other Requirements. The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee and subject to Section 10(h) hereof, postpone the issuance or delivery of Stock
or payment of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or qualification of such Stock or other required action under any federal or state law, rule, or regulation, listing or other required action with respect to any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Stock or other securities of the
Company are listed or quoted, or compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of other benefits in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other obligations. The foregoing notwithstanding, in connection with a Change in Control, the Company shall take or cause to be taken no action, and shall undertake or permit to arise no legal or contractual obligation, that results or would result in any postponement of the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of benefits under any Award or the imposition of any other conditions on such issuance, delivery or payment, to the extent that such postponement or other condition would represent a greater burden on a Participant than existed on the 90th day preceding the Change in Control.
(b)Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries. No Award or other right or interest of a Participant under the Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation or liability of such Participant to any party, or assigned or transferred by such Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and such Awards or rights that may be exercisable shall be exercised during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his or her guardian or legal representative, except that Awards and other rights may be transferred for estate planning purposes to one or more Beneficiaries or other transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and may be exercised by such transferees in accordance with the terms of such Award, but only if and to the extent such transfers are permitted by the Committee pursuant to the express terms of an Award agreement (subject to any term and conditions which the Committee may impose thereon). A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.
(c)Adjustments. In the event that any large and non-recurring dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash or property other than Stock), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, Stock dividend, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Stock such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate or, in the case of any outstanding Award, necessary in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of the Participant, then the Committee shall, in such equitable manner as it may determine, adjust any or all of (i) the number and kind of shares of Stock which may be delivered in connection with Awards granted thereafter, (ii) the number and kind of shares of Stock by which annual per-person Award limitations are measured under Section 5(b) hereof, (iii) the number and kind of shares of Stock subject to or deliverable in respect of outstanding Awards and (iv) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, the Committee may make provision for a payment of cash or property to the holder of an outstanding Option (subject to Sections 10(h) and (i) hereof). In furtherance of the foregoing, a Participant who has a legally binding right to compensation under an outstanding Award shall have a legal right to an adjustment to such Award if the Award constitutes a “share-based payment arrangement” and there occurs an “equity restructuring” as such terms are defined under FASB ASC Topic 718. In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including Performance Awards and performance goals) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets, including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate or other business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committee’s assessment of the business strategy of the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate or business unit thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business conditions, personal performance of a Participant, and any other circumstances deemed relevant; provided that adjustments to Non-409A Awards will be made only to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A. Furthermore, in the event of the occurrence of any transaction or event as described in the preceding sentence, the Committee, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, may: (A) provide for the termination of any Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property with an aggregate value equal to the value of such Award, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; (B) provide that an Award shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or
subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Committee; or (C) replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee.
(d)Taxes. The Company and any subsidiary or affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, or require a Participant to remit, any payment relating to an Award, including from a distribution of Stock, or any other payment to a Participant, amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection therewith, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Stock or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participant’s tax obligations, either on a mandatory or elective basis, in the discretion of the Committee, or in satisfaction of other tax obligations if such withholding will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company. Other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, only the minimum amount of Stock deliverable in connection with an Award necessary to satisfy statutory withholding requirements will be withheld, unless withholding of any additional amount of Stock will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company.
(e)Changes to the Plan and Awards. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under the Plan without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders not later than the annual meeting the record date for which is at or following the date of such Board action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such changes to the Plan to stockholders for approval; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. (For this purpose, actions that alter the timing of federal income taxation of a Participant will not be deemed material unless such action results in an income tax penalty on the Participant.) The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any Award agreement relating thereto; provided that the Committee shall have no authority to waive or modify any Award term after the Award has been granted to the extent the waived or modified term would be mandatory under the Plan for any Award newly granted at the date of the waiver or modification; and provided further, that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under such Award. Without the prior approval of stockholders, the Committee will not amend or replace previously granted Options in a transaction that constitutes a “repricing.” For this purpose, a “repricing” means: (i) amending the terms of an Option or SAR after it is granted to lower its exercise price, except pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof; (ii) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles; and (iii) repurchasing for cash or canceling an Option or SAR at a time when its exercise or grant price is equal to or greater than the fair market value of the underlying Stock, in exchange for another Option, Restricted Stock, or other equity, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, spin-off or other similar corporate transaction. A cancellation and exchange described in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence will be considered a repricing regardless of whether the Option, Restricted Stock or other equity is delivered simultaneously with the cancellation, regardless of whether it is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles, and regardless of whether it is voluntary on the part of the Option holder.
(f)Limitation on Rights Conferred under Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment or service at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and employees, or (iv) conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of an Award.
(g)Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant or obligation to deliver Stock pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts and deposit therein cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan. Such trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant. The trustee of such trusts may be authorized to dispose of trust assets and reinvest the proceeds in alternative investments, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may specify and in accordance with applicable law.
(h)Certain Limitations on Awards to Ensure Compliance with Code Section 409A.409A . For purposes of the Plan, references to an Award term or event (including any authority or right of the Company or a Participant) being
“permitted” “permitted” under Code Section 409A mean, for a 409A Award, that the term or event will not cause the Participant to be liable for payment of interest or a tax penalty under Code Section 409A and, for a Non-409A Award, that the term or event will not cause the Award to be treated as subject to Code Section 409A. Other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, the terms of any 409A Award and any Non-409A Award, including any authority of the Company and rights of the Participant with respect to the Award, shall be limited to those terms permitted under Code Section 409A, and any terms not permitted under Code Section 409A shall be automatically modified and limited to the extent necessary to conform with Code Section 409A. For this purpose, other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, the Company shall have no authority to accelerate distributions relating to 409A Awards in excess of the authority permitted under Code Section 409A, any distribution subject to Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) (separation from service) and the applicable regulations thereunder to a “specified employee” as defined under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), shall not occur earlier than the earliest time permitted under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the applicable regulations thereunder, and any authorization of payment of cash to settle a Non-409A Award shall apply only to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A for such Award. Non-409A Awards that are “grandfathered” under Section 409A and that, but for such grandfathered status, would be deemed 409A Awards shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan as amended and restated as of May 5, 2005 other than Sections 6(b)(ii) and 6(c)(ii), provided that if any provision adopted by amendment to the Plan or an Award Agreement after October 3, 2004, would constitute a material modification of a grandfathered Non-409A Award, such provision will not be effective as to such Award unless so stated by the Committee in writing with specific reference to this provision of Section 10(h). To further ensure compliance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, Awards other than grandfathered Awards shall be subject to the Company’s Section 409A Compliance Rules, if any. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any Award under Code Section 409A or otherwise. The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 10(h) or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Code Section 409A with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Code Section 409A.
(i)Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable.
(j)Payments in the Event of Forfeitures; Fractional Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event of a forfeiture of an Award with respect to which a Participant paid cash or other consideration, the Participant shall be repaid the amount of such cash or other consideration. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
(k)Awards to Participants Outside the United States. The Committee may modify the terms of any Award under the Plan made to or held by a Participant who is then resident or primarily employed outside of the
United States in any manner deemed by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate in order that such Award shall conform to laws, regulations, and customs of the country in which the Participant is then resident or primarily employed, or so that the value and other benefits of the Award to the Participant, as affected by foreign tax laws and other restrictions applicable as a result of the Participant’s residence or employment abroad shall be comparable to the value of such an Award to a Participant who is resident or primarily employed in the United States. An Award may be modified under this Section 10(1) in a manner that is inconsistent with the express terms of the Plan, so long as such modifications will not contravene any applicable law or regulation or result in actual liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act for the Participant whose Award is modified.
(l)Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan, and any Award agreement shall be determined in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statutes, the contract and other laws of the State of Nevada without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws, and applicable federal law.
(m)Preexisting Plan. Upon stockholder approval of the Plan as of the Effective Date, no further grants of Awards will be made under the Preexisting Plan
(n)Authorization of Option Exchange. At June 7, 2011, the Company’s stockholders approved the authorization of a “value-for-value” exchange of certain outstanding Options for Deferred Stock. Such approval met the requirements of Section 10(e) of the Plan (relating to “repricing” transactions). Any Option exchange implemented under this authorization must be commenced prior to the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2012, and must
conform to the terms of the option exchange as described in the Company’s Proxy Statement dated April 25, 2011 (subject to any permitted modifications as described in such Proxy Statement). For purposes of Sections 4(a) and (b), any shares deliverable or delivered in connection with Deferred Stock granted in exchange for Options in such option exchange shall not be counted against the limitation on shares available for delivery in connection with Full-Value Awards, but will be counted against the aggregate limit on shares available for delivery under the Plan.
(o)Plan Merger. At the Plan Merger Date, the Legacy WMS Plan was merged with the Plan. The effects of this merger are:
(i)shares reserved and available under the Legacy WMS Plan are incorporated into the reserved Shares under this Plan and available for Awards, as provided in Section 4 above;
(ii)the authorization for further grants under the Legacy WMS Plan (as a separate plan) is terminated; and
(iii)outstanding awards under the Legacy WMS Plan are deemed to be Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that the terms and conditions of such Awards are not modified as a result of the merger of the Legacy WMS Plan into the Plan. In order that the terms and conditions of such Awards are not changed, the Legacy WMS Plan (subject to Section 10(p)(ii) above) shall be deemed to be a sub-plan under the Plan for so long as any Award originally granted under the Legacy WMS Plan remains outstanding, and any agreement evidencing or governing such an Award shall be deemed to be an agreement under this Plan. If a term or condition specified in other provisions of this Plan is inconsistent with a term or condition of such an outstanding Award as in effect immediately before the Plan Merger Date, the term or condition of such outstanding Award shall govern, unless the Award is modified by the Committee by action specifically referencing the modified Award and taken on or after the Plan Merger Date.
(p)Legacy Bally Plan. As of the Plan Consolidation Date, the Legacy Bally Shares was consolidated with and subjected to the same terms as the other reserved Shares under this Plan. The effects of this consolidation are:
(i)the Legacy Bally Shares are available for Awards to Eligible Participants, as provided in Section 5 above, and are subject to Section 4 of the Plan; and
(ii)Legacy Bally Awards and other awards granted in respect of Legacy Bally Shares prior to the Plan Consolidation Date (collectively, “Bally Plan Awards”) will continue to be Awards under the Plan, and the terms and conditions of such Awards are not modified as a result of the consolidation. In order that the terms and conditions of such Awards are not changed, the Legacy Bally Plan shall be deemed to be a sub-plan under the Plan for so long as any Bally Plan Award remains outstanding, and any agreement evidencing or governing such an Award shall be deemed to be an agreement under this Plan;
provided that, as of the Effective Time, no further grants of equity awards will be made under the Legacy Bally Plan. If a term or condition specified in other provisions of this Plan is inconsistent with a term or condition of such an outstanding Award as in effect immediately before the Plan Consolidation Date, the term or condition of such outstanding Award shall govern, unless the Award is modified by the Committee by action specifically referencing the modified Award and taken on or after the Plan Consolidation Date.
(q)Plan Effective Date and Termination. The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on April 24, 2003 and became effective upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders on the Effective Date. The Plan was amended and restated upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders on each of June 14, 2005, June 10, 2008, June 17, 2009, June 7, 2011, June 11, 2014, and June 10, 2015, and further amended, effective January 10, 2018, in connection with the Company’s reincorporation.reincorporation, and further amended and restated upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders on each of June 12, 2019 and June [l], 2021. Unless earlier terminated by action of the Board of Directors, the Plan will remain in effect until such time as no Stock remains available for delivery under the Plan and the Company has no further rights or obligations under the Plan with respect to outstanding Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that no new Awards may be granted more than ten years after the date of the latest approval of the Plan by stockholders of the Company.
Appendix E
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2016 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
SECTION 1. Purpose of Plan. (a) The purpose of the Scientific Games Corporation 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is to provide Eligible Employees with the opportunity to purchase Common Stock of the Company by means of voluntary, systematic payroll deductions and thereby acquire an interest in the future of the Company.
(b) It is the intention of the Company that the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. The provisions of the Plan shall be construed so as to comply in all respects with the requirements of the Code applicable to employee stock purchase plans.
SECTION 2. Definitions.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of Scientific Games Corporation.
“Closing Price” of the Stock means, on any business day, the last sale price for a share of such Stock as reported on the principal market on which the Stock is traded.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or a committee duly authorized by the Board of Directors to administer the Plan.
“Company” means Scientific Games Corporation.
“Compensation” means the Participant’s base wages, or base salary, as applicable, (not including any bonuses, commissions or similar payments) and shall include (and all calculations based upon the Participant’s Compensation shall include) all amounts that would be included in the Participant’s taxable income as base wages or base salary but for the fact that such amount was contributed to a qualified plan pursuant to an elective deferral under Section 401(k) of the Code or contributed under a salary reduction agreement pursuant to Section 125 of the Code or deferred pursuant to a non-qualified deferred compensation plan, in each case, to the full extent permitted by law and applicable regulations, if any.
“Eligible Employee” means an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary who meets the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 5 of the Plan.
“Fair Market Value” means, unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise in good faith, on any given day the Closing Price of the Stock on such day (or, if there was no Closing Price on such day, the latest day prior thereto on which there was a Closing Price). A good faith determination by the Board of Directors as to fair market value shall be final and binding.
“Highly Compensated Employee” means an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary whose Compensation in the immediately preceding calendar year exceeded the greater of $250,000 and the amount provided for under Section 414(q)(1)(B)(i) of the Code.
“Option Period” means each of the periods pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan during which the Plan remains in effect, except as otherwise provided in Section 18(c) of the Plan.
“Options” shall mean a right to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan.
“Participant” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b) of the Plan.
“Plan” means this Scientific Games Corporation 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
“Purchase Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) of the Plan.
“Specified Percentage” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) of the Plan.
“Stock” means the Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company.
“Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation” as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code that the Board of Directors has designated as a subsidiary whose employees are, subject to the specific requirements of the Plan, eligible to participate in the Plan.
SECTION 3. Administration of Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have the right to determine all questions regarding the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Plan and to make, administer, and interpret such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable with respect to the Plan. The Committee’s decisions will be final and binding. At the request of the Committee, the Company may appoint a “Plan Administrator” to carry out the ministerial functions necessary to implement the decisions and actions of the Committee with respect to any offering under the Plan.
SECTION 4. Stock. Under the Plan, there is available an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of Stock (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 17 of the Plan) for sale pursuant to the exercise of Options granted under the Plan to Eligible Employees. The Stock to be delivered upon exercise of Options under the Plan may be either shares of authorized but unissued Stock or shares of reacquired Stock, as the Board of Directors may determine. With respect to the offering applicable to an Option Period, the Committee will specify the number of shares to be made available and such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may, in the opinion of the Committee, be necessary or appropriate; provided, however, that absent a determination by the Committee, the maximum number of shares of Stock then available for purchase under the Plan shall be offered in each Option Period for which such determination was not made. All shares included in any offering under the Plan in excess of the total number of shares of Stock for which Options are granted hereunder and all shares of Stock with respect to Options granted hereunder that are not exercised or are cancelled or deemed to be cancelled as provided herein shall continue to be reserved for the Plan and shall be available for inclusion in any subsequent offering under the Plan.
SECTION 5. Eligible Employees. (a) Except as otherwise provided below, each individual who is an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, who has a customary working schedule of at least twenty (20) hours per week, will be eligible to participate in the Plan.
(b) Any employee who, immediately after the grant of an Option, would own or be considered to own (in accordance with the provisions of Sections 423 and 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or a parent or subsidiary of the Company, will cease to be eligible to receive such Option pursuant to the Plan.
(c) With respect to an Option Period, each employee who, as of the first day of such Option Period, is a Highly Compensated Employee will not be eligible to participate in such Option Period.
(d) The Plan will be operated in compliance with the limitations on purchases of stock contained in Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, as described in Section 8 of the Plan.
SECTION 6. Option Periods; Method of Participation. (a) Unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise, an offering of shares of Stock under the Plan shall be made with respect to each Option Period. Each
Option Period shall be of six-months duration. Each Option Period shall commence on either January 1 or July 1 of the calendar year.
(b) Each person who will be an Eligible Employee on the first day of an Option Period may elect to participate in the Plan by executing and delivering, within a reasonable time frame prior to the first day of the Option Period as specified by the Committee, a payroll deduction authorization form in accordance with Section 7 of the Plan. Such employee will thereby become a participant (“Participant”) in the Plan for that Option Period and each subsequent Option Period unless he or she withdraws from participation in the Plan in accordance with Section 12 of the Plan.
SECTION 7. Payroll Deduction Amounts and Procedures. (a) The payroll deduction authorization form completed by the Participant will request withholding by means of payroll deductions from Compensation payable during the applicable Option Period at a rate, expressed as a whole percentage, of not less than 1%, except as provided in Section 7(b) of the Plan, nor more than 15% of his or her Compensation payable during the applicable Option Period (based on the rate in effect on the first day of the applicable Option Period) (the “Specified Percentage”). The amount equal to the Specified Percentage of the Participant’s Compensation for the applicable Option Period will be withheld from the Participant’s Compensation in installments over the term of the Option Period (one installment each pay period during the Option Period, with the amount of the installments to be as nearly equal as is practicable, subject to adjustment resulting from a change in the Specified Percentage as permitted in Section 7(b) of the Plan). Such withheld amounts will be credited to a withholding account for the Participant. The Participant’s payroll deduction authorization will remain in effect for subsequent Option Periods until amended by the Participant in accordance with Section 7(b) or Section 7(c) of the Plan, or until the Participant withdraws from the Plan in accordance with Section 12 of the Plan.
(b) A Participant may, subject to the provisions set forth elsewhere in the Plan, elect to decrease by one or more whole percentages (including to zero) the Specified Percentage of his or her payroll deductions for the current Option Period by delivering written notice to the Company of such election within a reasonable time period before the April 1 or October 1 that marks the first day of the second three months of such Option Period, as applicable, as specified by the Committee. The reduction in the Specified Percentage will take place as of the applicable April 1 or October 1 date or as soon thereafter as practicable, as determined by the Company, and will remain in effect for subsequent Option Periods unless amended in accordance with this Section 7(b) of the Plan or Section 7(c) of the Plan or the Participant withdraws from the Plan in accordance with Section 12 of the Plan. If a Participant elects to reduce his or her contribution rate to zero percent, amounts contributed to the Plan prior to the date such reduction is effective for the current Option Period will be used to purchase shares of Stock at the end of such Option Period but no further contributions will be made during the balance of the Option Period or during subsequent Option Periods unless the Participant completes a new authorization form in accordance with Section 6(a) of the Plan.
(c) A Participant may increase (but not above 15%) or reduce (but not below 1%) the Specified Percentage of his or her payroll deduction authorization for a future Option Period by written notice delivered to the Company, within a reasonable time period specified by the Committee, prior to the first day of the Option Period as to which the change is to be effective.
SECTION 8. Grant of Options. Each person who is a Participant on the first day of an Option Period will as of such day be granted an Option for such Option Period, and the number of whole shares of Stock subject to such Option shall be the maximum number of shares of Stock the Participant can purchase during the applicable Option Period, as calculated in accordance with the next sentence (subject to any adjustments in accordance with Section 17 of the Plan). Such Option will be for the number of whole shares of Stock determined by dividing (i) an amount equal to 15% of such Participant’s Compensation payable during the applicable Option Period (assuming continued employment throughout such Option Period) at the rate in effect on the first day of the applicable Option Period by (ii) 85% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock as of the first day of the applicable Option Period and disregarding any fractional shares.
In the event the total maximum number of shares of Stock for which Options would otherwise be granted in accordance with this Section 8 under any offering hereunder exceeds the number of shares of Stock offered or available under the Plan, the Company shall reduce the maximum number of shares of Stock for which Participants may be granted Options to allot the shares of Stock available in such manner as it shall determine, but generally pro rata, and shall grant Options to purchase only such reduced number of shares of Stock. In such event, the payroll deductions to be made pursuant to the authorizations therefor shall be reduced accordingly (without regard to the otherwise applicable minimum contributions) and the Company shall give written notice of such reduction to each Participant affected thereby.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Participant may be granted an Option to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan which, when aggregated with his or her rights to purchase shares of Stock under all other stock option plans of the Company pursuant to Section 423 of the Code, would permit such Participant to purchase shares of Stock with a Fair Market Value (determined as of the first day of the applicable Option Period) in excess of $25,000 in any calendar year.
SECTION 9. Purchase Price. The purchase price for shares of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option will be 85% of Fair Market Value as of the day on which the Option is deemed exercised. The purchase price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the Plan will be payable only by means of payroll deductions as provided herein.
SECTION 10. Exercise of Options. (a) Each employee who is a Participant on the last day of an Option Period will be deemed on such day to have exercised, to the extent of such Participant’s withholding, the Option granted to him or her for that Option Period (such date, the “Purchase Date”). The exercise shall be for the purchase of the maximum number of whole shares of Stock subject to the Option which can be purchased with the entire withholding amount in the Participant’s account, but not to exceed the number of shares determined under Section 8 of the Plan. In the event that the amount of the Participant’s withholding is in excess of the total purchase price for the shares of Stock so issued, the balance of the account shall be returned to the Participant, provided, that if such excess amount is less than the purchase price of one share of Stock, such excess amount shall be retained by the Company in the Participant’s withholding account and shall be available for application toward the purchase price of shares of Stock in a subsequent Option Period. The entire balance of the Participant’s withholding account following the final Option Period shall be returned to the Participant.
(b) As promptly as practicable after the end of the Option Period, the Company will deliver the shares purchased upon exercise of the Option to a brokerage firm, as may be designated by the Committee from time to time, which will hold shares in individual accounts established for the benefit of each Participant. The brokerage account may be in the name of the Participant or, if such Participant so indicates on the appropriate form, in the Participant’s name jointly with another person, with right of survivorship. A Participant may not transfer (other than by inheritance) any shares of Stock acquired by such Participant under this Plan for six months following the date such shares are issued to such Participant, unless the Committee determines otherwise. Any stock certificates issued to a Participant representing the shares of Stock so purchased shall bear a legend referring to this restriction on transfer. Any attempt to transfer any shares of Stock acquired under this Plan other than in accordance with this Plan shall be considered null and void and of no effect.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the obligation of the Company to issue and deliver shares of Stock under the Plan is subject to the approval required of any governmental authority in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale or transfer of said shares of Stock, to any requirements of any national securities exchange applicable thereto, and to compliance by the Company with other applicable legal requirements in effect from time to time, including without limitation any applicable tax withholding requirements.
SECTION 11. Use of Funds; Interest; No Fractional Share Interests. (a) All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions; provided, however, that the Company may elect, at its
sole discretion, to segregate such payroll deductions for the benefit of Participants. Until paid over to the applicable Participant or used to purchase shares of Stock as provided hereunder, the amount of each Participant’s payroll deductions in connection with any applicable offering shall represent an indebtedness of the Company to such Participant.
(b) No interest will be payable on withholding accounts, including upon the return of the balance in a withholding account to the applicable Participant; provided, however, that the Company may elect, at its sole discretion, to pay interest on such withholding accounts on a non-discriminatory basis at a market rate of interest calculated pursuant to procedures established by the Company, all as determined in good faith by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(c) No fractional shares of Stock or fractional share interests will be issued or credited to a Participant’s account under the Plan.
SECTION 12. Withdrawal and Cancellation. (a) A Participant who holds an Option under the Plan may at any time prior to exercise thereof under Section 10 of the Plan withdraw from participation in the Plan by written notice delivered to the Company. Upon such withdrawal, the Participant shall cease to be a Participant, such Option shall be deemed cancelled in its entirety, and the balance in his or her withholding account will be returned to him or her as soon as practicable.
(b) If a Participant reduces to zero his or her future payroll deductions with respect to the then current Option Period pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Plan, the Participant shall continue to be a Participant for such Option Period unless the Participant elects by notice in writing to the Company to withdraw from participation in the Plan as provided in Section 12(a) of the Plan. The Participant’s reduction to zero, however, will be treated as an election by the Participant to withdraw from the Plan with respect to subsequent Option Periods.
(c) Any Participant who withdraws from participation in the Plan as provided herein may, as of the beginning of a subsequent Option Period, again become a Participant in accordance with Section 6 of the Plan.
(d) If a Participant’s payroll deduction terminates for any reason not otherwise provided for in this Section 12 of the Plan, the Participant will be deemed to have withdrawn from participation in the Plan, his or her Option shall be cancelled in its entirety, and the balance in his or her withholding account will be returned to him or her as soon as practicable.
SECTION 13. Termination of Employment. Subject to Section 14 of the Plan, upon the termination of a Participant’s service with the Company or a Subsidiary for any reason, such person will cease to be a Participant, and any Option held by such Participant under the Plan will be deemed cancelled, the balance of his or her withholding account will be returned to him or her, and such person will have no further rights under the Plan.
SECTION 14. Designation of Beneficiary; Death of Participant. (a) A Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares of Stock and cash to the Participant’s credit under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death prior to delivery to him or her of any such shares and cash. Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice. Upon the death of a Participant and upon receipt by the Company of proof of the identity and existence at the Participant’s death of a beneficiary validly designated by the Participant under the Plan, the Company shall deliver such shares and cash to such beneficiary. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such shares and cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the actual knowledge of the Company) the Company shall deliver such shares and cash to the applicable court having jurisdiction over the administration of such estate. No designated beneficiary shall, prior to the death of the Participant by whom he or she has been designated, acquire any interest in the shares of Stock or cash credited to the Participant under the Plan.
(b) In the event of the death of a Participant, any Option held by the Participant at such time shall be deemed to be immediately cancelled and any cash and/or Stock credited to the Participant under the Plan will be delivered to his or her designated beneficiary or, in the absence of a living designated beneficiary, the executor or administrator of his or her estate (or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the actual knowledge of the Company), to the applicable court having jurisdiction over the administration of such estate) as soon as practicable after the end of the current Option Period.
SECTION 15. Participant’s Rights; Rights Not Transferable. All Participants will have the same rights and privileges under the Plan; provided, that the use of Compensation (which varies among Eligible Employees) as the basis for determining the number of shares for which an Eligible Employee electing to participate in an offering under the Plan may be granted an Option shall not be construed to create a difference in such rights and privileges so long as each Eligible Employee has the right to elect the same percentage of his Compensation as a payroll deduction under Section 7 of the Plan. Each Participant’s rights and privileges with respect to any Option may be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him or her, and may not be sold, pledged, assigned, or transferred in any manner. In the event any Participant violates the terms of this Section, any Option held by such Participant may be terminated by the Company and, upon return to the Participant of the balance of his or her withholding account, all his or her rights under the Plan will terminate.
SECTION 16. Employment Rights and Stockholder Rights. (a) Nothing contained in the provisions of the Plan will be construed to give to any employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary or to interfere with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary to discharge any employee at any time. The loss of existing or potential profit in Options will not constitute an element of damages in the event of termination of employment for any reason, even if the termination is in violation of an obligation to the Participant.
(b) Neither an Eligible Employee nor a Participant shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to shares subject to an Option issued hereunder until such Option has been exercised and shares issued in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
SECTION 17. Change in Capitalization. In the event of any change in the outstanding Stock by reason of a stock dividend, spin-off, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, or other capital change, after the effective date of the Plan, the aggregate number of shares of Stock available under the Plan, the number of shares of Stock under Options granted but not exercised, the maximum number of shares of Stock subject to an Option pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Plan, and the Option price shall be appropriately adjusted in an equitable manner, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
SECTION 18. Amendment and Termination of Plan; Rights Upon Termination. (a) The Company reserves the right at any time or times to amend the Plan to any extent and in any manner it may deem advisable by proper action of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any amendment relating to the aggregate number of shares of Stock which may be issued under the Plan (other than an adjustment provided for in Section 17 of the Plan) or to the employees (or class of employees) eligible to receive Options under the Plan will have no force or effect unless it is approved by the shareholders of the Company within twelve months of its adoption; and providedfurther, that no such amendment shall make any change in any Option previously granted which would adversely affect the rights of any Participant without the express written consent of such Participant.
(b) The Plan shall terminate: (i) automatically when all the Stock reserved for the purposes of the Plan has been purchased or (ii) notwithstanding anything in Section 18(a) of the Plan to the contrary, at any time, as the Board of Directors, acting in its sole discretion, shall specify.
(c) If the Plan is terminated, the Board of Directors may elect in its sole discretion to (i) complete the purchase of shares of Stock underlying outstanding Options on the first Purchase Date following the date of termination of the Plan or (ii) deliver to each Participant the then balance of such Participant’s withholding account, if any (or any combination of clauses (i) and (ii) as the Board of
Directors may elect in its sole discretion), in each case, as soon as reasonably practicable following the date of termination of the Plan. Upon such termination, no Participant shall have any right to acquire shares of Stock under the Plan (other than under clause (i) of this Section or in connection with Options exercised with respect to completed Option Periods where the shares of Stock have not yet been delivered to the Participant) and the participation of all Participants shall terminate immediately as of the date of termination of the Plan.
SECTION 19. Governmental Approvals or Consents. The Board of Directors may make such changes in the Plan and include such terms in any offering under the Plan as may be necessary or desirable, in the opinion of counsel, so that the Plan will comply with the rules and regulations of any governmental authority and so that Participants will be eligible for tax benefits under the Code or the laws of any state.
SECTION 20. Costs and Expenses. No brokerage commissions or fees shall be charged by the Company in connection with the purchase of shares of Stock by Participants under the Plan. All costs and expenses incurred in administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amended and Restated Plan to be executed on its behalf this [l]th day of [l], 2021.
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| SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION, |
| By: | /s/ [l] |
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| Its: | ![sgms2019proxystatemen_image1.jpg](https://files.docoh.com/DEF 14A/0000750004-19-000026/sgms2019proxystatemen_image1.jpg) [l] |
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SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION 6601 BERMUDA ROAD LAS VEGAS, NV 89119
| | VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the website and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. |
| ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by Scientific Games Corporation in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years. |
| VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. |
| VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. |
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TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: | |
E42169-P05761
| KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS |
D44670-P54412 | |
| DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY |
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. |
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SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION | | For All | | Withhold All | For All Except | To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. |
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 1: | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ | | | | | | |
1. | To elect ten members of the Board of Directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nominees: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
01) | Jamie R. Odell | 06) | Michael J. Regan | | | | | | | | | | |
02) | Barry L. Cottle | 07) | Timothy Throsby | | | | | | | | | | |
03) | Antonia Korsanos | 08) | Maria T. Vullo | | | | | | | | | | |
04) | Jack A. Markell | 09) | Kneeland C. Youngblood | | | | | | | | | | |
05) | Hamish R. McLennan | 10) | Virginia E. Shanks | | | | | | | | | | |
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The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR each of the following proposals 2, 3, 4 and 5: | | | For | | Against | Abstain |
2. | To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ |
3. | To ratify an amendment of the Company’s regulatory compliance protection rights plan to extend the term of the plan. | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ |
4. | To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ |
5. | To approve an amendment and restatement of the Company’s 2003 Incentive Compensation Plan to increase the shares authorized for issuance thereunder. | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ |
6. | To approve an amendment of the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan to expand the employees who are eligible to participate therein. | ☐ | | ☐ | ☐ |
NOTE: To consider and act upon any other matter that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. |
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Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] | | Date | | Signature (Joint Owners) | | Date |
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SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION | For All | | Withhold All | | For All Except | | To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. | |
| The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 1: | | o | | o | | o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1. | To elect twelve (12) members of the Board of Directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nominees: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 01) | Ronald O. Perelman | 07) | Michael J. Regan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 02) | Barry L. Cottle | 08) | Barry F. Schwartz | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 03) | Peter A. Cohen | 09) | Frances F. Townsend | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 04) | Richard M. Haddrill | 10) | Kneeland C. Youngblood | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 05) | David L. Kennedy | 11) | Jack A. Markell | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 06) | Paul M. Meister | 12) | Maria T. Vullo | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR each of the following proposals 2, 3 and 4: | | | | For | | Against | | Abstain | |
| 2. | To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. | | | | o | | o | | o | |
| 3. | To approve an amendment and restatement of the Company’s 2003 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated, to, among other things, increase the number of shares of stock authorized for issuance thereunder. | | | | o | | o | | o | |
| 4. | To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. | | | | o | | o | | o | |
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| NOTE: To consider and act upon any other matter that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. | | | |
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| Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. | |
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| Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] | | Date | | Signature (Joint Owners) | Date | | | |
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:
The Notice & Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.
D44671-P54412
www.proxyvote.com.
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SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION |
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6601 Bermuda Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119 |
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS –- JUNE 12, 20199, 2021 |
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The undersigned hereby appoints Michael A. QuartieriC. Eklund and James Sottile, or either of them, as Proxy or Proxies of the undersigned with full power of substitution to act for the undersigned and to vote the full number of shares of the Common Stock of Scientific Games Corporation that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the virtual Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Scientific Games Corporation to be held online via the Internet via a live webcast at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, 100 North City Parkway, Suite 1600, Las Vegas, Nevada at 10:00 a.m. local time2:30 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 12, 2019,9, 2021, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof, in accordance with the instructions set forth on this proxy card, and in their discretion, with respect to all other matters that may properly come before the meeting. Any proxy heretofore given by the undersigned with respect to such shares is hereby revoked.
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This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors.
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(Continued and to be signed on reverse side) |
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