1
================================================================================
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF
MAY 5, 1999
BETWEEN
LENOX BANCORP, INC.
AND
THE FIFTH THIRD BANK
AS RIGHTS AGENT
================================================================================
2
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
----
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Certain Definitions..................................... 2
ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
Section 2.1 Summary of Rights........................................ 10
Section 2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates...................... 10
Section 2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights................. 11
Section 2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights.......... 14
Section 2.5 Date on which Exercise is Effective...................... 15
Section 2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating
of Rights Certificates............................... 16
Section 2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange...... 17
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights
Certificates......................................... 18
Section 2.9 Persons Deemed Owners.................................... 19
Section 2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates................ 19
Section 2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders.............................. 20
ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
Section 3.1 Flip-in.................................................. 21
Section 3.2 Flip-over................................................ 24
- ii -
3
ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
Section 4.1 General.................................................. 25
Section 4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name
of Rights Agent..................................... 26
Section 4.3 Duties of Rights Agent................................... 27
Section 4.4 Change of Rights Agent................................... 30
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 5.1 Redemption.............................................. 32
Section 5.2 Expiration.............................................. 33
Section 5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates..................... 33
Section 5.4 Supplements and Amendments.............................. 34
Section 5.5 Fractional Shares....................................... 34
Section 5.6 Rights of Action........................................ 34
Section 5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Stockholder............... 35
Section 5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions.............................. 35
Section 5.9 Notices................................................. 36
Section 5.10 Suspension of Exercisability............................ 37
Section 5.11 Costs of Enforcement.................................... 37
Section 5.12 Successors.............................................. 37
Section 5.13 Benefits of this Agreement.............................. 37
Section 5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc...................................... 38
Section 5.15 Descriptive Headings.................................... 38
Section 5.16 Governing Law........................................... 39
Section 5.17 Counterparts............................................ 39
Section 5.18 Severability............................................ 39
EXHIBIT
Exhibit A Form of Rights Certificate
(Together with Form of Election to Exercise)
- iii -
4
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
---------------------------------------
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (as amended from time to time,
this "Agreement"), dated as of May 5, 1999, between Lenox Bancorp, Inc., an Ohio
Corporation (the "Company"), and The Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent," which term shall include any successor Rights
Agent hereunder).
WITNESSETH:
----------
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (a) authorized and
declared a dividend of one right ("Right") in respect of each share of Common
Stock (as hereinafter defined) held of record as of the close of business on May
27, 1999 (the "Record Time") and (b) as provided in Section 2.4, authorized the
issuance of one Right in respect of each share of Common Stock issued after the
Record Time and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and, to
the extent provided in Section 5.3, each share of Common Stock issued after the
Separation Time;
WHEREAS, subject to Sections 3.1, 3.2, 5.1 and 5.10, each Right entitles
the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase securities of the
Company (or, in certain cases, of certain other entities) pursuant to the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act on behalf
of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing so to act, in connection with
the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as
hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to
herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective
agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
-1-
5
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following
-------------------
terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who is a Beneficial Owner of 20%
or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person (i) who is the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock on the date of
this Agreement or who shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock solely as a result of an acquisition by the
Company of shares of Common Stock, until such time hereafter or thereafter as
any of such Persons shall become the Beneficial Owner (other than by means of a
stock dividend or stock split) of any additional shares of Common Stock, (ii)
who is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock but who acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock without
any plan or intention to seek or affect control of the Company, if such Person
promptly enters into an irrevocable commitment promptly to divest, and
thereafter promptly divests (without exercising or retaining any power,
including voting, with respect to such shares), sufficient shares of Common
Stock (or securities convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for
Common Stock) so that such Person ceases to be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) who Beneficially Owns
shares of Common Stock consisting solely of one or more of (A) shares of Common
Stock Beneficially Owned pursuant to the grant or exercise of an option granted
to such Person by the Company in connection with an agreement to merge with, or
acquire, the
-2-
6
Company entered into prior to a Flip-in Date, (B) shares of Common Stock (or
securities convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock),
Beneficially Owned by such Person or its Affiliates or Associates at the time of
grant of such option, (C) shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible
into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock) acquired by Affiliates
or Associates of such Person after the time of such grant which, in the
aggregate, amount to less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, and
(D) shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible into, exchangeable into or
exercisable for Common Stock) which are held by such Person in trust accounts,
managed accounts and the like or otherwise held in a fiduciary capacity, that
are beneficially owned by third persons who are not Affiliates or Associates of
such Person or acting together with such Person to hold such shares, or which
are held by such Person in respect of a debt previously contracted. In addition,
the Company, any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company and any employee stock
ownership or other employee benefit plan of the Company or a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company shall not be an Acquiring Person.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to
such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Securities Exchange Act"), as such Rule is in effect on the date of this
Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner," and to have "Beneficial
Ownership" of, and to "Beneficially Own," any securities as to which such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is or may be deemed to be the
beneficial owner of pursuant to Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities
Exchange Act, as such Rules are in effect on the date of this Agreement, as well
as any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
-3-
7
Associates has the right to become Beneficial Owner (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of
conditions) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or to have "Beneficial Ownership" of, or to
"Beneficially Own," any security (i) solely because such security has been
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered security is accepted
for payment or exchange or (ii) solely because such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates has or shares the power to vote or direct the
voting of such security pursuant to a revocable proxy given in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made to more than ten holders of shares of
a class of stock of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act and pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and
regulations under the Securities Exchange Act, except if such power (or the
arrangements relating thereto) is then reportable under Item 6 of Schedule 13D
under the Securities Exchange Act (or any similar provision of a comparable or
successor report). Notwith standing the foregoing, no officer or director of the
Company shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities of any other Person
by virtue of any actions such officer or director takes in such capacity. For
purposes of this Agreement, in determining the percentage of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Person is the Beneficial Owner,
all shares as to which such Person is deemed the Beneficial Owner shall be
deemed outstanding.
-4-
8
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day
on which banking institutions in Ohio are generally authorized or obligated by
law or executive order to close.
"Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on
such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the
next succeeding Business Day).
"Common Stock" shall mean the shares of Common Stock, without par value
per share, of the Company.
"Exchange Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise the
Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 3.1(c) hereof.
"Exercise Price" shall mean, as of any date, the price at which a holder
may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right. Until
adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price shall
equal $55.00.
"Expiration Time" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Exchange Time, (ii)
the Redemption Time, (iii) May 27, 2009 and (iv) upon the merger of the Company
into another corporation pursuant to an agreement entered into prior to a
Flip-in Date.
"Flip-in Date" shall mean the tenth business day after any Stock
Acquisition Date or such earlier or later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Flip-in
Date that would otherwise have occurred.
"Flip-over Entity," for purposes of Section 3.2, shall mean (i) in the
case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event described in clause (i) of the
definition thereof, the Person issuing any securities into which shares of
Common Stock are being converted or exchanged and, if no such
-5-
8
securities are being issued, the other party to such Flip over Transaction or
Event and (ii) in the case of a Flip over Transaction or Event referred to in
clause (ii) of the definition thereof, the Person receiving the greatest portion
of the assets or earning power being transferred in such Flip-over Transaction
or Event, provided in all cases if such Person is a subsidiary of a corporation,
the parent corporation shall be the Flip-over Entity.
"Flip-over Stock" shall mean the capital stock (or similar equity
interest) with the greatest voting power in respect of the election of directors
(or other persons similarly responsible for direction of the business and
affairs) of the Flip-over Entity.
"Flip-over Transaction or Event" shall mean a transaction or series of
transactions after a Flip-in Date in which, directly or indirectly, (i) the
Company shall consolidate or merge or participate in a share exchange with any
other Person if, at the time of the consolidation, merger or share exchange or
at the time the Company enters into any agreement with respect to any such
consolidation, merger or share exchange, the Acquiring Person Controls the Board
of Directors of the Company and either (A) any term of or arrangement concerning
the treatment of shares of capital stock in such consolidation, merger or share
exchange relating to the Acquiring Person is not identical to the terms and
arrangements relating to other holders of the Common Stock or (B) the Person
with whom the transaction or series of transactions occurs is the Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of the Acquiring Person or (ii) the Company
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer) assets (A) aggregating more than 50% of the assets
(measured by either book value or fair market value) or (B) generating more than
50% of the operating income or cash flow, of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any Person (other than the Company or one or more of its
-6-
9
wholly owned Subsidiaries) or to two or more such Persons which are Affiliates
or Associates or otherwise acting in concert, if, at the time of the entry by
the Company (or any such Subsidiary) into an agreement with respect to such sale
or transfer of assets, the Acquiring Person Controls the Board of Directors of
the Company. An Acquiring Person shall be deemed to Control the Company's Board
of Directors when, following a Flip-in Date, the persons who were directors of
the Company before the Flip-in Date shall cease to constitute a majority of the
Company's Board of Directors.
"Market Price" per share of any securities on any date shall mean the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such securities (determined as
described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and
including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section
2.4 hereof shall have caused the closing prices used to determine the Market
Price on any Trading Days during such period of 20 Trading Days not to be fully
comparable with the closing price on such date, each such closing price so used
shall be appropriately adjusted in order to make it fully comparable with the
closing price on such date. The closing price per share of any securities on any
date shall be the last reported sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place or is quoted on such date, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, for each share of such securities, 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, Inc.
or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc., as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the
-7-
10
securities are listed or admitted to trading or, if the securities are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, as reported
by the Nasdaq Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
date the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange or 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 securities selected by the Board of Directors of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if on any such date the securities are not listed or
admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or traded in the over-the
counter market, the closing price per share of such securities on such date
shall mean the fair value per share of securities on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a
nationally recognized investment banking firm, and set forth in a certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, association, group
(as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act, as such
Rule is in effect on the date of this Agreement), corporation or other entity.
"Redemption Price" shall mean an amount equal to one cent, $0.01.
"Redemption Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise the
Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof.
"Separation Time" shall mean the close of business on the earlier of (i)
the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation
Time that would otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person
commences a tender or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in
such Person's becoming an Acquiring Person and (ii) the Flip-in Date; PROVIDED,
that if
-8-
11
the foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time,
the Separation Time shall be the Record Time and PROVIDED FURTHER, that if any
tender or exchange offer referred to in clause (i) of this paragraph is
cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time
without the purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such offer
shall be deemed, for purposes of this paragraph, never to have been made.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement
by the Company (by any means) that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Subsidiary" of any specified Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the equity securities or a
majority of the equity interest is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly,
by such Person.
"Trading Day," when used with respect to any securities, shall mean a day
on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for the transaction of
business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc., a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
-9-
12
ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
2.1 Summary of Rights. As soon as practicable after the Record Time, the
-----------------
Company will mail a letter summarizing the terms of the Rights to each holder of
record of Common Stock as of the Record Time, at such holder's address as shown
by the records of the Company.
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates. Certificates for the Common Stock
-----------------------------------
issued after the Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall evidence one
Right for each share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to
below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of May 5, 1999
(as such may be amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"),
between Lenox Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") and The Fifth Third Bank, as
Rights Agent, the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights may be redeemed, may become exercisable for
securities or assets of the Company or of another entity, may be exchanged
for shares of Common Stock or other securities or assets of the Company,
may expire, may become void (if they are "Beneficially Owned" by an
"Acquiring Person" or an Affiliate or Associate thereof, as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement, or by any transferee of any of the
foregoing) or may be evidenced by separate certificates and may no longer
be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail or arrange for the
mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this
certificate without charge promptly after the receipt of a written request
therefor.
Certificates representing shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding
at the Record Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock
evidenced thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend.
-10-
13
2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights. (a) Subject to Sections 3.1,
----------------------------------------
5.1 and 5.10 and subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will
entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time and prior to the
Expiration Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one-half of one share of
Common Stock.
(b) Until the Separation Time, (i) no Right may be exercised; and (ii)
each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated share of
Common Stock (together, in the case of certificates issued prior to the Record
Time, with the letter mailed to the record holder thereof pursuant to Section
2.1) and will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a
transfer (whether with or without such letter) of, such associated share.
(c) Subject to this Section 2.3 and to Sections 3.l, 5.1 and 5.10, after
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights (i) may be
exercised and (ii) may be transferred independent of shares of Common Stock.
Promptly following the Separation Time, the Company will prepare and execute and
the Rights Agent will countersign and the Rights Agent, if required by the
Company, will mail to each holder of record of Common Stock as of the Separation
Time (other than any Person whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section
3.1(b)), at such holder's address as shown by the records of the Company (the
Company hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent
for this purpose), (x) a certificate (a "Rights Certificate") in substantially
the form of Exhibit A hereto appropriately completed, representing the number of
Rights held by such holder at the Separation Time and having 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
law or with any rule or regulation
-11-
14
made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any national securities
exchange or quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed
or traded, or to conform to usage, and (y) a disclosure statement describing the
Rights.
(d) Subject to Sections 3.1, 5.1 and 5.10, Rights may be exercised on any
Business Day after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time by
submitting to the Rights Agent the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights
with an Election to Exercise (an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the
form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed, accompanied by payment
in cash, or by certified or official bank check or money order payable to the
order of the Company, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax
or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for shares or depositary receipts (or both) in a name other than
that of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
(e) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, with an Election to Exercise
accompanied by payment as set forth in Section 2.3(d), and subject to Sections
3.1, 5.1 and 5.10, the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from a transfer agent stock certificates evidencing such number of shares or
other securities to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably authorizing its
transfer agents to comply with all such requisitions) and (B) if the Company
elects pursuant to Section 5.5 not to issue certificates representing fractional
shares, requisition from the depositary selected by the Company depositary
receipts representing the fractional shares to be purchased or requisition from
the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 5.5 and (ii) after receipt of such certificates,
depositary receipts
-12-
15
and/or cash, deliver the same to or upon the order of the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered (in the case of certificates or depositary
receipts) in such name or names as may be designated by such holder.
(f) In case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent
to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
(g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to
payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued
and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable; (ii) take all such action as may
be necessary to comply with any applicable requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended or the Securities Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with
the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; and (iii) pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates or of any shares issued upon the exercise of Rights, provided that
the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares in a
name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised.
-13-
16
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights. (a) In the event the
-----------------------------------------------
Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time
(i) declare or pay a dividend on Common Stock payable in Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, (x) the Exercise Price in
effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of shares of Common
Stock (the "Expansion Factor") that a holder of one share of Common Stock
immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision or combination would hold
thereafter as a result thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such adjustment
will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and the
adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be distributed among the shares of
Common Stock with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they
remain outstanding) and the shares issued in respect of such dividend,
subdivision or combination, so that each such share of Common Stock will have
exactly one Right associated with it. Each adjustment made pursuant to this
paragraph shall be made as of the payment or effective date for the applicable
dividend, subdivision or combination.
In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time issue any shares of Common Stock otherwise than in
a transaction referred to in the preceding paragraph, each such share of Common
Stock so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which
Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such share. To the
extent provided in Section 5.3, Rights shall be issued by the Company in respect
of shares of Common Stock that are issued or sold by the Company after the
Separation Time.
-14-
17
(b) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time issue or distribute any securities or assets in
respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock (other than pursuant to a
regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid solely in Common Stock)
whether by dividend, in a reclassification or recapitalization (including any
such transaction involving a merger, consolidation or share exchange), or
otherwise, the Company shall make such adjustments, if any, in the Exercise
Price, number of Rights and/or securities or other property purchasable upon
exercise of Rights as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole
discretion, may deem to be appropriate under the circumstances in order to
adequately protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally, and the
Company and the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement as necessary to provide
for such adjustments.
(c) Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section
2.4 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the
Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.4, the Company shall (i)
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment and (ii) promptly file
with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy
of such certificate.
(d) Rights certificates shall represent the securities purchasable under
the terms of this Agreement, including any adjustment or change in the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, even though such
certificates may continue to express the securities purchasable at the time of
issuance of the initial Rights Certificates.
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective. Each person in whose name any
-----------------------------------
certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all
purposes be deemed to have become
-15-
18
the holder of record of the shares represented thereby on the date upon which
the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment
of the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any applicable taxes and other
governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder) was made;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the 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 stock transfer
books of the Company are open.
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its
Chairman of the Board, President or one of its Presidents, under its corporate
seal reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant
Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates
may be manual or facsimile.
Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights
Certificates.
Promptly after the Separation Time, the Company will notify the Rights
Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates executed by
the Company to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and, subject to Section
3.1(b), the Rights Agent shall manually countersign and deliver such Rights
Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.3(c) hereof. No
Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless manually counter signed
by the Rights Agent.
-16-
19
(b) Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature
thereof.
2.7. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. (a) After the
---------------------------------------------------
Separation Time, the Company will cause to be kept a register (the "Rights
Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the Company will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights
Agent is hereby appointed "Rights Registrar" for the purpose of maintaining the
Rights Register for the Company and registering Rights and transfers of Rights
after the Separation Time as herein provided. In the event that the Rights Agent
shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to
examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times after the Separation Time.
After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender
for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject
to the provisions of Section 2.7(c) and (d), the Company will execute, and the
Rights Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the
designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's
instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate
number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.1(b), all Rights issued upon
any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be the
valid obligations of the Company, and such Rights shall be entitled to the same
benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such registration
of transfer or exchange.
(c) Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or
exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Rights Agent, as the case
may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or
-17-
20
such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing. As a condition to the
issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.
(d) The Company shall not be required to register the transfer or exchange
of any Rights after such Rights have become void under Section 3.1(b), been
exchanged under Section 3.1(c) or been redeemed or terminated under Section 5.1.
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates. (a) If any
---------------------------------------------------------
mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the
Expiration Time, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1, the Company
shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange
therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did
the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Rights Agent prior
to the Expiration Time (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction,
loss or theft of any Rights Certificate, and (ii) such security or indemnity as
may be required by them to save each of them and any of their agents harmless,
then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1 and in the absence of notice to
the Company or the Rights Agent that such Rights Certificate has been acquired
by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the
Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost
or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same
number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under
this Section 2.8, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other
-18-
21
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected
therewith.
(d) Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.8 in
lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an
original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the
destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by
anyone, and, subject to Section 3.1(b), shall be entitled to all the benefits of
this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly
issued hereunder.
2.9 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Rights
---------------------
Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock
certificate) for registration of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any
agent of the Company or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name such Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, such Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, including the payment of the
Redemption Price and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected
by any notice to the con trary. As used in this Agreement, unless the context
otherwise requires, the term "holder" of any Rights shall mean the registered
holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated shares
of Common Stock).
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates. All Rights Certificates
-----------------------------------------
surrendered upon exercise or for registration of transfer or exchange shall, if
surrendered to any person other than the Rights Agent, be delivered to the
Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent.
The Company may at any time deliver to the Rights Agent for
-19-
22
cancellation any Rights Certificates previously countersigned and delivered
hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all
Rights Certificates so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights
Agent. No Rights Certificates shall be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange
for any Rights Certificates cancelled as provided in this Section 2.10, except
as expressly permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall return all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company.
2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of Rights by accepting the
---------------------------
same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every
other holder of Rights that:
(a) prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only
together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated share of
Common Stock;
(b) after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be
transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein;
(c) prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Company or the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for
all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary;
(d) Rights beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under the
circumstances set forth in Section 3.1(b), become void; and
-20-
23
(e) this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time
pursuant to Section 2.4(b) or 5.4 hereof
ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in. (aIn the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in
-------
Date shall occur, except as provided in this Section 3.1, each Right shall
constitute the right to purchase from the Company, upon exercise thereof in
accordance with the terms hereof (but subject to Section 5.10), that number of
shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Market Price on the Stock Acquisition
Date equal to one and one-half times the Exercise Price for an amount in cash
equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to
protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally in the event that on or
after such Stock Acquisition Date an event of a type analogous to any of the
events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to
the Common Stock).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Rights that are or were
Beneficially Owned on or after the Stock Acquisition Date by an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any transferee, direct or indirect,
of any of the foregoing shall become void and any holder of such Rights
(including transferees) shall thereafter have no right to exercise or transfer
such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. If any Rights Certificate is
presented for assignment or exercise and the Person presenting the same will not
complete the certification set forth at the end of the form of assignment or
notice of election to exercise and provide such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner and its Affiliates and Associates (or former
Beneficial Owners and their Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall
reasonably
-21-
24
request, then the Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the Beneficial
Owner thereof to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or
a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced thereby to be void and not transferable or exercisable.
(c) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after a Flip-in Date and prior to the time that an Acquiring Person becomes the
Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
elect to exchange all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 3.1(b)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share
of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the
interests of holders of Rights generally in the event that after the Separation
Time an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section
2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such
exchange ratio, as adjusted from time to time, being hereinafter referred to as
the "Exchange Ratio").
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
electing to exchange the Rights, without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right (other
than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) will thereafter
represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the Exchange Ratio. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors electing
to exchange the Rights, the Company shall give notice thereof (specifying the
steps to be taken to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange for Rights) to
the Rights Agent and the holders of
-22-
25
the Rights (other than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b))
outstanding immediately prior thereto by mailing such notice in accordance with
Section 5.9.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the
exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1(c) or Section 3.1(d) shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment
of any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the holder was
made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the 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 stock
transfer books of the Company are open.
(d) Whenever the Company shall become obligated under Section 3.1(a) or
(c) to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in exchange for Rights,
the Company, at its option, may substitute, to the extent available, therefor
shares of Preferred Stock, at a ratio of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock for each share of Common Stock so issuable.
(e) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company
to permit the exercise or exchange in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(a) or (c), the Company shall either (i) call a meeting of
stockholders seeking approval to cause sufficient additional shares to be
authorized (provided that if such approval is not obtained the Company will take
the action specified in clause (ii) of this sentence) or (ii) take such action
as shall be necessary to ensure and provide, to the extent permitted by
applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on
-23-
26
the Stock Acquisition Date to which it is a party, that each Right shall
thereafter constitute the right to receive, (x) at the Company's option, either
(A) in return for the Exercise Price, debt or equity securities or other assets
(or a combination thereof) having a fair value equal to one and one-half the
Exercise Price, or (B) without payment of consideration (except as otherwise
required by applicable law), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a
combination thereof) having a fair value equal to the Exercise Price, or (y) if
the Board of Directors of the Company elects to exchange the Rights in
accordance with Section 3.1(c), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a
combination thereof) having a fair value equal to the product of the Market
Price of a share of Common Stock on the Flip-in Date times the Exchange Ratio in
effect on the Flip-in Date, where in any case set forth in (x) or (y) above the
fair value of such debt or equity securities or other assets shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, after
consultation with a nationally recognized investment banking firm.
3.2 Flip-over. (a) Prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall not
---------
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event unless and until it shall have entered into a
supplemental agreement with the Flip-over Entity, for the benefit of the holders
of the Rights, providing that, upon consummation or occurrence of the Flip-over
Transaction or Event (i) each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to
purchase from the Flip-over Entity, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the
terms hereof, that number of shares of Flip-over Stock of the Flip-over Entity
having an aggregate Market Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of
such Flip-over Transaction or Event equal to one and one-half the Exercise Price
for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be
appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of the holders of
Rights generally in the
-24-
27
event that after such date of consummation or occurrence an event of a type
analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have
occurred with respect to the Flip-over Stock) and (ii) the Flip-over Entity
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-over
Transaction or Event and such supplemental agreement, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement. The provisions of this Section
3.2 shall apply to successive Flip-over Transactions or Events.
(b) Prior to the Expiration Time, unless the Rights will be redeemed
pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof in connection therewith, the Company shall not
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event if at the time thereof there are any rights,
warrants or securities outstanding or any other arrangements, agreements or
instruments that would eliminate or otherwise diminish in any material respect
the benefits intended to be afforded by this Rights Agreement to the holders of
Rights upon consummation of such transaction.
ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General. (a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as
-------
agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and
the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company 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
-25-
28
against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done
or omitted to be done 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.
(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 certificate for
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights, Rights Certificate, certificate
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power
of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons.
4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. (a) Any
---------------------------------------------------------
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder services
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time
such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any
of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights
Agent
-26-
29
and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights 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 Rights Certificates will have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at
such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
4.3 Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and
----------------------
obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions,
by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel will 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 deems 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
-27-
30
respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by a person believed
by the Rights Agent to be the Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or any
Vice President and by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and
such certificate will 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 will be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
certificates for securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or the Rights
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any certificate for securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights or Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the
exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to
Section 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of
-28-
31
Section 2.4, 3.1 or 3.2 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after
receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.4 describing any such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or any Rights or as to whether
any securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights will, when issued, be duly
and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and 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 believed by the Rights Agent to be the President or any Vice President or
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such persons 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 person. At any time the Rights Agent may apply to the Company for
written instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with the
Rights Agent's duties and obligations arising under this Agreement. Such
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken or
-29-
32
omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this
Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such
omission shall be effective and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any
action taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall be not less
than one Business Day after the Company receives such application, without the
Company's consent) unless, prior to taking or initiating any such action (or the
effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent has received
written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be
taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Stock, 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 will 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.
4.4 Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may resign and be discharged
----------------------
from its duties under this Agreement upon 90 days' notice (or such lesser notice
as is acceptable to the
-30-
33
Company) in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of Common
Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights in
accordance with Section 5.9. The Company may remove the Rights Agent upon 30
days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent and to each transfer agent
of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. If the Rights Agent should resign or be
removed or otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company will appoint a
successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company fails to make such appointment
within a period of 30 days after 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 any Rights (which holder shall, with such
notice, submit such holder's Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the holder of any Rights may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction
for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of Ohio or any other
State of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such
laws to exercise the powers of the Rights Agent contemplated by this Agreement
and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority.
After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will 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 will file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer
-31-
34
agent of the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders
of the Rights. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4,
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.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
----------
option, at any time prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, elect to
redeem all (but not less than all) of the then-outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price, and the Company, at its option, may pay the Redemption Price
either in cash or shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company
deemed by the Board of Directors, in the exercise of its sole discretion, to be
at least equivalent in value to the Redemption Price.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
electing to redeem the Rights (or, if the resolution of the Board of Directors
electing to redeem the Rights states that the redemption will not be effective
until the occurrence of a specified future time or event, upon the occurrence of
such future time or event), without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter
represent only the right to receive the Redemption Price in cash or securities,
as determined by the Board of Directors. Promptly after the Rights are redeemed,
the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the
holders of the then-outstanding Rights by mailing such notice in accordance with
Section 5.9.
-32-
35
5.2 Expiration. The Rights and this Agreement shall expire at the
----------
Expiration Time and no Person shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement
or any Right after the Expiration Time, except, if the Rights are exchanged or
redeemed, as provided in Section 3.1 or 5.1 hereof.
5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
-----------------------------------
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the number or kind or class of shares of stock purchasable upon exercise of
Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock by the Company
following the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time pursuant to the
terms of securities convertible or redeemable into shares of Common Stock or to
options, in each case issued or granted prior to, and outstanding at, the
Separation Time, the Company shall issue to the holders of such shares of Common
Stock, Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with the issuance or sale of such shares of Common Stock; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, in each case, (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued, if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or to the Person to whom such Rights Certificates would be issued, (ii)
no such Rights Certificates shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall have otherwise been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof, and (iii) the Company shall have no obligation to distribute Rights
Certificates to any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or any transferee of any of the foregoing.
-33-
36
5.4 Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Rights Agent may from
--------------------------
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights (i) prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, in any
respect and (ii) after the close of business on the Flip-in Date, to make any
changes that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally or
in order to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be inconsistent with any other provisions herein or
otherwise defective. The Rights Agent will duly execute and deliver any
supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company which satisfies the
terms of the preceding sentence.
5.5 Fractional Shares. If the Company elects not to issue certificates
-----------------
representing fractional shares upon exercise or redemption of Rights, the
Company shall, in lieu thereof, in the sole discretion of the Board of
Directors, either (a) evidence such fractional shares by depositary receipts
issued pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it, providing that each holder of a depositary receipt shall have
all of the rights, privileges and preferences to which such holder would be
entitled as a beneficial owner of such fractional share, or (b) sell such shares
on behalf of the holders of the Right and pay to the registered holder of such
Rights the appropriate fraction of price per share received upon such sale.
5.6 Rights of Action. Subject to the terms of this Agreement (including
----------------
Section 3.1(b)), rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other than
rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested in the respective
holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights, without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on such holder's own
behalf and for such holder's own benefit and the benefit of other holders of
-34-
37
Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's
right to exercise such holder's Rights in the manner provided in such holder's
Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and 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.
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any
-----------------------------------------
Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose
the holder of shares or any other securities which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 5.8 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until such Rights shall have been exercised or exchanged in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions. In case the Company shall propose after
--------------------------
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time (i) to effect or permit
occurrence of any Flip-over Transaction or Event or (ii) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case,
the Company shall give to each holder of a Right, in
-35-
38
accordance with Section 5.9 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which
shall specify the date on which such Flip-over Transaction or Event,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place, and such notice shall
be so given at least 20 Business Days prior to the date of the taking of such
proposed action.
5.9 Notices. Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement
-------
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights to or on
the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Lenox Bancorp, Inc.
5255 Beech Street
St. Bernard, Ohio 45217
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent
shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the
Company) as follows:
Fifth Third Bank
Corporate Trust Dept.
M.D. 1090 D2
38 Fountain Square Plaza
Cincinnati, Ohio 45263
Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
-36-
39
Separation Time, 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.
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability. To the extent that the Company
----------------------------
determines in good faith that some action will or need be taken pursuant to
Section 3.1 or to comply with federal or state securities laws, the Company may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a reasonable period in order to
take such action or comply with such laws. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue as promptly as practicable a public announcement stating
that the exercisability or exchangeability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. Notice thereof pursuant to Section 5.9 shall not be required.
Failure to give a notice pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement
shall not affect the validity of any action taken hereunder.
5.11 Costs of Enforcement. The Company agrees that if the Company or any
--------------------
other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon exercise of Rights
fails to fulfill any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the
Company or such Person will reimburse the holder of any Rights for the costs and
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions to enforce
such holder's rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
5.12 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.
5.13 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
holders of the Rights any legal
-37-
40
or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement and this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and
the holders of the Rights.
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. (a) The
---------------------------------------------------------
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this 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. All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of
the Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
(b) In taking any action referred to in Section 5.14 (a), the Board of
Directors shall be entitled to consider, without limitation, the financial and
managerial resources and future prospects of an Acquiring Person, the possible
effects of the action on the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and on
the employees, customers, suppliers and creditors of the Company and its
subsidiaries and the effects on the communities in which the Company's and its
subsidiaries' facilities are located.
5.15 Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings appear herein for
--------------------
convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of
any of the provisions hereof.
-38-
41
5.16 Governing Law. This Agreement and each right issued hereunder shall
-------------
be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the state of Ohio 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.
5.17 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.
5.18 Severability. If any term or provision hereof or the application
------------
thereof to any circumstance shall, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be
invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be ineffective as to such
jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unen forceability without
invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions
hereof or the application of such term or provision to circumstances other than
those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed as of the date first above written.
LENOX BANCORP, INC.
By: _____________________________________
Name: Virginia M. Deisch
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
By: _____________________________________
Name: Diane P. Hunt
Title: Secretary
THE FIFTH THIRD BANK
By:
Name:
Title:
-39-
42
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. W- ___________Rights
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION OR MANDATORY EXCHANGE, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR TRANSFEREES OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING WILL
BE VOID.
Rights Certificate
LENOX BANCORP, INC.
This certifies that__________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Stockholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated as of May 5,
1999 (as amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), between Lenox
Bancorp, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), and The Fifth Third Bank, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent," which term shall include any successor Rights
Agent under the Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Company at any time
after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and
prior to the close of business on May 27, 2009, one-half of one share of Common
Stock of the Company, without par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
Company (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at the
Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed at the principal
office of the Rights Agent in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Exercise Price shall
initially be $55.00 per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain
events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
-1-
43
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase
securities of an entity other than the Company or securities or assets of the
Company other than Common Stock, all as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company and are
available without cost upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like
tenor evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of
Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder
shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, each Right
evidenced by this Certificate may be (a) redeemed by the Company under certain
circumstances, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (b)
exchanged by the Company under certain circumstances, at its option, for one
share of Common Stock (or, in certain cases, other securities
-2-
44
or assets of the Company), subject in each case to adjustment in certain events
as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of any
securities which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall
any thing 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 Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Date: _________________________
ATTEST: LENOX BANCORP, INC.
______________________________ By: ___________________________
Diane P. Hunt Virginia M. Deisch
Secretary President and Chief Executive
Officer
Countersigned:
______________________________
By: __________________________
Authorized Signature
-3-
45
[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer this Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED__________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto _________________________________________________
(Please print name
_____________________________________________________________________________
and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________, 19 _
Signature Guaranteed: __________________________________________
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as
written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in
an approved signature guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule
17Ad-15.
____________________________________________________________________________
(To be completed if true)
46
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTICE
------
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in
connection with a purported assignment, the Company will deem the Beneficial
Owner of the Rights evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
-2-
47
[To be attached to each Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Rights Certificate.)
TO: LENOX BANCORP, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the whole Rights
represented by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates
for such shares be issued in the name of:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
Dated:____________, 19___
Signature Guaranteed: ________________________________________
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as
written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever)
48
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(To be completed if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of
Rights and shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by the attached
Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never
been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTICE
------
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in connection
with a purported exercise, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner of the
Rights evidenced by the attached Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) or a
transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
-2-