EXHIBIT 4.1. FORM OF RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF _______________
___, 2005, BETWEEN LSB CORPORATION AND __________________.
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LSB CORPORATION
and
[-----------------------------]
Renewed Rights Agreement
Dated as of [ ], 2005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions................................................................ 2
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent........................................................ 9
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.................................................... 10
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates........................................................ 12
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.................................................. 13
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates...................................... 14
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...................... 15
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates................................ 17
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock...................................... 17
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date........................................................ 19
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights........ 20
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares......................... 29
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.... 30
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares............................................ 33
Section 15. Rights of Action................................................................... 34
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders........................................................ 35
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder................................. 35
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent........................................................ 36
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......................... 36
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................................................. 37
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................................................. 39
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates................................................ 40
Section 23. Redemption and Termination......................................................... 41
Section 24. Exchange........................................................................... 41
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events........................................................... 43
Section 26. Notices............................................................................ 44
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments......................................................... 44
Section 28. Successors......................................................................... 45
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board, etc....................................... 45
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement......................................................... 45
Section 31. Severability....................................................................... 46
Section 32. Governing Law...................................................................... 46
Section 33. Counterparts....................................................................... 46
Section 34. Descriptive Headings............................................................... 46
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A -- Form of Rights Certificates
Exhibit B-- Form of Summary of Rights
RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of [ ], 2005 (the "Agreement"),
between LSB Corporation, a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and
______________________________ (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on December 19, 1996 (the "1996 Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board authorized the Rights Agreement, dated as of December 19,
1996, between the Company and the Rights Agent thereunder (the "1996 Agreement")
and declared a dividend distribution of one right (a "1996 Right") for each
share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the
close of business on December 29, 1996 (the "1996 Record Date"), each 1996 Right
initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company;
WHEREAS, on November 17, 2005, the Board determined it desirable and
in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders for the Company to
extend the benefits afforded by the 1996 Agreement and to implement such
extension by executing this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, on November 17, 2005 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one Right
(as hereinafter defined) for each share of Common Stock outstanding at the close
of business upon the "Expiration Date" under the 1996 Agreement (the "Record
Date"), and authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter
be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share
of Common Stock issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or
delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as hereinafter
defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the
Company (the "Preferred Stock") having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the Certificate of Vote of Directors Establishing a Series of a Class
of Stock dated ____________, filed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on
_________, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth
(the "Rights");
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the
Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (iv) any Person who
becomes the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding as a result of a reduction in the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of shares of Common Stock by
the Company (or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan) unless and until such Person, after becoming aware that such
Person has become the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock, acquires beneficial ownership of additional
shares of Common Stock representing one percent (1%) or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding, or (v) any such Person who has reported or is
required to report such ownership (provided such ownership is less than 15% of
the then outstanding shares of Common Stock) on Schedule 13G under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report) or on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report) which Schedule 13D does not
state any intention to or reserve the right to control or influence the
management or policies of the Company or engage in any of the actions specified
in Item 4 of such schedule (other than the disposition of the Common Stock) and,
within 10 Business Days of being requested by the Company to advise it regarding
the same, certifies to the Company that such Person acquired shares of Common
Stock in excess of 9.9% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the
Rights and who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter
does not acquire additional shares of Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of
10% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however,
that if the Person requested to so certify fails to do so within 10 Business
Days, then such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such
10 Business Day period.
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(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared as such by
the Board, (A) upon (i) a determination that such Person, alone or together with
its Affiliates and Associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of a number of
shares of Common Stock determined to be substantial (which amount shall in no
event be less than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock) and (ii) a
determination by the Board after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including
such consultation with such persons as such directors shall deem appropriate and
taking into account, to the extent determined by the Board to be relevant, past
actions or positions of such Person with respect to other issuers, that (1) such
beneficial ownership by such Person is intended to cause or is reasonably likely
to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such
Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a
transaction or series of transactions which would provide such Person with
short-term financial gain under circumstances where the Board determines that
the best long-term interests of the Company and its stockholders, but for the
actions and possible actions of such Person, would not be served by taking such
action or entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time
or (2) such beneficial ownership is causing or is reasonably likely to cause a
material adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of
relationships with customers or impairment of the Company's ability to maintain
its competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company; or (B)
upon a determination that such Person is a present or future interested
stockholder (as defined by M.G.L. Chapter 110F) or a filer of a Schedule 13G (as
referenced in such Chapter 110F) or a Schedule 13D with respect to shares of
Common Stock who, without the prior approval of the Board: (i) has increased,
after the later of the date of this Agreement and the date on which such Person
first became an interested stockholder or first filed a Schedule 13G or Schedule
13D, its beneficial ownership of Common Stock within any twelve month period by
an amount equal to the lesser of (1) one percent of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock or (2) such fraction of a percentage of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock as is equal to the quotient obtained by dividing 1 by the number of
percentage points (including fractions of a percentage point) by which the
percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such
Person on the later of the date of this Agreement and the date on which the
Person first became an interested stockholder or first filed a Schedule 13G or
Schedule 13D exceeds 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock; or (ii) has
taken, after the date of this
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Agreement and during the three year period following the date such Person first
became an interested stockholder or a Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D filer, any
public action which, in the good faith judgment of the Board, has the purpose or
effect of advocating that the Company pursue, or otherwise seeking to cause the
Company to pursue, a potential sale, unless such Person has made a bona fide
proposal to effect a business combination of the Company with such Person or
with another entity in compliance with the provisions of such Chapter 110F;
provided, however, that the Board may determine not to declare a Person to be an
Adverse Person if, prior to the time that such Person acquired 5% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding (or, in the case of a Person who is the
beneficial owner of the 5% or more of the outstanding Common Stock as of the
date of this Agreement, within 90 days following adoption of this Agreement),
such Person provided to the Board in writing a statement of such Person's
purpose and intentions in connection with the proposed acquisition of Common
Stock, together with any other information reasonably requested of such Person
by the Board, and the Board, based on such statement and reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons as the directors shall
deem appropriate, determines to notify and notifies such Person in writing that
it will not declare such Person to be an Adverse Person; provided further, that
the Board may expressly condition in any manner a determination not to declare a
Person an Adverse Person on such conditions as the Board may select, including
without limitation, such Person's not acquiring more than a specified amount of
stock and/or on such Person's not taking actions inconsistent with the purposes
and intentions disclosed by such Person in the statement provided to the Board.
In the event that the Board should at any time determine, upon reasonable
inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such Persons as the
directors shall deem appropriate, that such Person has not met or complied with
any condition specified by the Board, the Board may at any time thereafter
declare such Person to be an Adverse Person pursuant to the provisions hereof.
The following examples are provided as illustrations of the
operation of the formula set forth in clause (B)(i) above:
-- If a Person's beneficial ownership of Common Stock on the first
day such Person becomes an interested stockholder or first files a Schedule 13D
or Schedule 13G with respect to its ownership of Common Stock was 5% of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, such Person could be determined to be
an Adverse Person if such Person, without the prior approval of the Board,
increased its beneficial ownership of Common Stock in the subsequent
twelve-month period to 6% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding. Where such Person's
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beneficial ownership of Common Stock during the twelve-month period following
the date such Person becomes an interested stockholder or first files a Schedule
13D or Schedule 13G with respect to its ownership of Common Stock remained at
5.9% of the Common Stock then outstanding, such Person could be determined to be
an Adverse Person where such Person, without the prior approval of the Board,
increased its beneficial ownership of Common Stock within the subsequent
twelve-month period to 6.9% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
-- If a Person's beneficial ownership of Common Stock on the first
day such Person becomes an interested stockholder or first files a Schedule 13D
or Schedule 13G with respect to its ownership of Common Stock was 7% of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, such Person could be determined to be
an Adverse Person if such Person increases its beneficial ownership of Common
Stock in any twelve-month period by 1/2 of 1% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding (1 ) (7-5) = 1/2). Where such Person's beneficial
ownership of Common Stock remained at 7.4% of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding during the twelve-month period following the date such Person
becomes an interested stockholder or first files a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G
with respect to its ownership of Common Stock, such Person could be determined
to be an Adverse Person where such Person, without the prior approval of the
Board, increased its beneficial ownership of Common Stock within the subsequent
twelve-month period to 7.9% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
(e) "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.
(f) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, other
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered
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securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable
upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined), or (C) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date (as hereinafter
defined) or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original
Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an
adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or
dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to
Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether
or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under
this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response
to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not reportable by such
Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates)
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant
to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of
this paragraph (e)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (e) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such
Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting
until
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the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition, and then
only if such securities continue to be owned by such Person at the
expiration of such forty day period.
(g) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(h) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(i) "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., Boston time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Boston time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(j) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value
$0.10 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of
such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other
equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.
(k) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(l) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(m) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(n) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(o) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(p) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
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(q) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 24 hereof.
(r) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(s) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(t) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership or other entity.
(u) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Company, and, to
the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such
purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(v) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(b) hereof.
(w) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a) hereof.
(x) "Qualified Offer" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(y) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble of this Agreement.
(z) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
of this Agreement.
(aa) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble of this Agreement.
(bb) "Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
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(cc) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning
set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
(dd) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ee) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ff) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(gg) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under
the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person
has become such other than pursuant to a Qualified Offer.
(hh) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person,
any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at
least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(ii) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(jj) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(kk) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(ll) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event
or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
9
Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the
tenth Business Day (or such later date as the Board shall determine) after the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date), (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such
later date as the Board shall determine) after the date that a tender or
exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would become an Acquiring Person, in either instance other than pursuant to a
Qualified Offer, or (iii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as the board shall determine) after the Board determines that a
Person is an Adverse Person (the earlier of (i), (ii) or (iii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
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(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as
practicable following the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Summary of Rights"),
to any holder of Rights who may so request from time to time prior to the
Expiration Date. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding
as of the Record Date, or issued subsequent to the Record Date, unless and until
the Distribution Date shall occur, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in
Section 7(a) hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of
Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common
Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the
following legend if such certificates are issued after the Record Date but prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Renewed Rights Agreement between LSB
Corporation (the "Company") and the Rights Agent thereunder (the "Rights
Agent") dated as of [ ], 2005 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file
at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge,
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such
Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
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With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-hundredth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a),
Section 11(i) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by:
(i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becoming such and receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e)
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hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an [Acquiring] [Adverse] Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an [Acquiring] [Adverse] Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman of the Board or its
President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer
or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will
keep, or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
13
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e)
and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates
representing Rights that may have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof)
may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitles
such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the
Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 hereof and Section 24 hereof, countersign and
deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate, if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery
to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.
14
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, at any time after the
Distribution Date, the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise
the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including,
without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section
9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23 hereof) in whole or in part upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-hundredths of a share (or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then
exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) 5:00 P.M., Boston time, on
December 18, 2016, or such later date as may be established by the Board prior
to the expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be extended by the Board,
the "Final Expiration Date" or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or
exchanged as provided in Section 23 and Section 24 hereof (the earlier of (i)
and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share
of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right initially shall be
$85.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section
11 and Section 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph
(c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or
other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the
15
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or, upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity
interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
16
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company
shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to
any holder of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure
to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
or any of their respective Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the
Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased
or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other
17
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any
national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance
upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act, with respect
to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the
Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or
to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various
states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after
the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
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 has been rescinded. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law, or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
18
Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required
to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been
paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificates at
the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name
any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be
19
entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as
provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered
by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in
a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price
in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the
case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled
to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the
aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock,
as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books
of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise
and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition
to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event (A) any Person shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the
event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a transaction
set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of
Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by
at least a majority of the
20
members of the Board who are not officers of the Company and who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring
Person, after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms,
to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders and not inadequate
(taking into account all factors which such members of the Board deem
relevant, including, without limitation, prices which could reasonably be
achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis
designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests
of the Company and its stockholders (a "Qualified Offer"), or (B) the
Board shall declare any Person to be an Adverse Person, then, promptly
following the occurrence of such event, proper provision shall be made so
that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof
at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which
a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following
such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase
Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of
the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of
shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
which is authorized by the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A) determine
the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to
Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase
Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred
stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board has deemed to have
essentially the same value
21
or economic rights as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred
stock being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the
amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value
has been determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board; provided,
however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant
to Section 23 expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein
as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and
without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock
(to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of
the preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the
Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board determines in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common
Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the
Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder
approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30)
day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that action should be
taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof,
that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2)
may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek such shareholder approval for such
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form
of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability
of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For
purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share
shall be the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii)
22
Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any Common Stock
Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock)
less than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to
be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the
number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock
to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such
subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of
which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be
as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation), cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out
of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a
dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock
other than Preferred Stock) or
23
evidences of indebtedness, or of subscription rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock, and
the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current
Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date,
and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a
dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading
Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current
Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed
24
or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which
the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use,
or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common
Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date no market maker is making
a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date
as determined in good faith by the Board shall be used. The term "Trading
Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange
on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, Current Market Price per share shall mean the fair value per share
as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the
manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or
listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section
11(d), the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the
date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share
of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock
is publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of
the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in
25
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of
Common Stock or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), 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 one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest
one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths
of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so
26
obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of
the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and
thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one
one-hundredth of a share and the number of one one-hundredth of a share which
were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
27
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the
opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and
legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board
shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning
power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other
than the Company and/or any of its
28
Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation,
merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the shareholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any 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 which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) The failure by the Board to declare a Person to be an
Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such Person is not an
Adverse Person or limit the Board's right at any time in the future to declare
such Person to be an Adverse Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13
hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b)
29
promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c) if a
Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets,
Cash Flow or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or
Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event), and (2)
30
dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of
such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to
this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its
shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights;
and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company
are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided,
however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is
not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve
(12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the
Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party"
shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common
Stock of two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal
Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
31
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and
(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to
enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights, including but not limited to the registration or
qualification of such securities under all requisite securities laws of
jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such securities on
such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates
which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender
32
offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which is a
Qualified Offer as such term is defined in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof (or a
wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share
of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share
of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights, selected by the Board.
If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the
fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
shall be used.
33
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common
Stock shall be the closing price per share of Common Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the
date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
34
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
35
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or
36
any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust, stock transfer or other shareholder services business of
the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper
or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; but only if such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person and the determination of Current Market Price) 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
37
signed by the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for
any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11, Section 13 or Section 24 hereof or responsible for the manner,
method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any
such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the President, any
Vice
38
President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become peculiarly interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the Distribution Date, to
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty
(30) days' notice
39
in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case
may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs after the Distribution
Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the
Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of
acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or
by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business entity
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State
of New York or of any other state of the United States, in good standing, having
an office in the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust, stock transfer or shareholder services powers and
which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a legal business entity
described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor
Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if
such appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance
or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to
the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect
to shares of Common
40
Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any
employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or
upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by
the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no
such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company
shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk
of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. The Board may, at its
option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the
tenth Business Day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on the tenth Business Day following the Record Date) or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price") and the Company may, at its option pay
the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock, (based on the Current
Market Price of the Common Stock of the date of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board may not redeem any Rights following a determination that any Person is
an Adverse Person. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption
hereunder has expired.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time after any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for 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 after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not
be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary
41
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary,
or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the
exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights
shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall
be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such
Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange
shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held
by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company,
at its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as
such term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11 hereof) for Common Stock
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of Common Stock,
as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and other
similar transactions after the date hereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) 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. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there
shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard
to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in
42
cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (e), the current market value
of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common
Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in
any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each
43
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify
the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
LSB Corporation
30 Massachusetts Avenue
North Andover, Massachusetts 01845
Attention:
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the records of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the
Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so
directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders
of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or
supplement
44
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder
or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer
of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
this Agreement may not be amended (other than pursuant to clauses (i) or (ii) of
the next preceding sentence) at a time when the Rights are not redeemable.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board, etc. For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock or any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner,
shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board 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 (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights, to declare that a Person is an Adverse Person or to amend the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board 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 or any of the
directors on the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy
45
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders
of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines
in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this
Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the
right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall
not expire until the close of business on the tenth Business Day following the
date of such determination by the Board. Without limiting the foregoing, if any
provision requiring a specific group of directors to act is held to by any court
of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's Articles of Organization and By-laws.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of such Commonwealth applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such Commonwealth.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: LSB CORPORATION
46
__________________________ By ________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Attest: ___________________________________
__________________________ By ________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
47
Exhibit A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R-
________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 18, 2016 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ADVERSE
PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME
AN [ACQUIRING] [ADVERSE] PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN [ACQUIRING]
[ADVERSE] PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
LSB 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 Renewed Rights Agreement, dated as of _______, 2005 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between LSB Corporation, a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company"), and ____________________ (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the
Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Boston time) on December 18, 2016
(unless such date is extended prior thereto by the Board) at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent
- ------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
1
designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $85.00 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which
may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price
per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of _________ __,
2005, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer,
became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, such Rights shall become null and void and
no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
2
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option
(unless the Board shall have made a determination that a Person is an Adverse
Person) at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the
earlier of the close of business on (i) the tenth Business Day following the
Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the
Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. In addition, under
certain circumstances following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of
preferred stock of the Company having essentially the same value or economic
rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board authorizing any
such exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other
than Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and the
Rights will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such
exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement. The Company, at its election, may require that a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give consent to or withhold consent from any corporate
action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
3
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
4
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company.
Dated as of [ ].
LSB CORPORATION
By ___________________________________
Title:
Countersigned:
__________________________________
By ___________________________________
Authorized Signature
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED__________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________________,__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned
and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: _______________, __
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: LSB Corporation
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ___________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ___________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: _______________,__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: ______________,__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
On November 17, 2005, the Board of LSB Corporation (the "Company")
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of
Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the close of upon the
"Expiration Date" under the Rights Agreement, dated as of December 19, 1996,
between the Company and the Rights Agent thereunder (the "Record Date"). Each
Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit
consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.10 per share (the "Series A Preferred
Stock") at a Purchase Price of $85.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Renewed Rights Agreement
(the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and ______________________ as
Rights Agent dated as of [ ], 2005.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified in the
Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days (or such
later date as the Board shall determine) following a public announcement by the
Company that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), other than as
a result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain inadvertent actions
by institutional or certain other stockholders, (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as the Board shall determine) following the commencement of a tender
offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group becoming an
Acquiring Person or (iii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board
shall determine) after the Board shall declare any person to be an Adverse
Person, upon (a) a determination that such person, (1) alone or together with
its Affiliates and Associates, has become the beneficial owner of a number of
shares of Common Stock determined to be substantial (which amount shall in no
event be less than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock) and (2) that
(A) such beneficial ownership by such Person is intended to cause or is
reasonably likely to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock
beneficially owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take
action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions which would provide
such Person with short-term financial gain under circumstances where the Board
determines that the best long-term interests of the Company and its
stockholders, but for the actions and possible actions of such Person, would not
be served by taking such action or entering into such transactions or series of
transactions at that time or (B) such beneficial ownership is causing or is
reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not limited
to, impairment of relationships with customers or impairment of the Company's
ability to maintain its
2
competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company; or (b) a
determination that such Person is a present or future interested stockholder (as
defined by M.G.L. Chapter 110F) or a filer of a Schedule 13G (as referenced in
such Chapter 110F) or a Schedule 13D with respect to shares of Common Stock who,
without the prior approval of the Board: (I) has increased, after the later of
the date of this Agreement and the date on which such Person first became an
interested stockholder or first filed a Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D, its
beneficial ownership of Common Stock by one percent or more of the outstanding
Common Stock within any twelve month period; or (II) has taken, after the date
of this Agreement and during the three year period following the date such
Person first became an interested stockholder or a Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D
filer, any public action which, in the good faith judgment of the Board, has the
purpose or effect of advocating that the Company pursue, or otherwise seeking to
cause the Company to pursue, a potential sale, unless such Person has made a
bona fide proposal to effect a business combination of the Company with such
Person or with another entity in compliance with the provisions of such Chapter
110F . Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common
Stock certificates, (y) new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record
Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and
(z) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding
will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificate. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at 5:00 P.M. (Boston time) on December 18, 2016, unless such date is
extended or the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company as
described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date
will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except
pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the
independent directors determine to be fair and not inadequate and to otherwise
be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, after receiving
advice from one or more investment banking firms (a "Qualified Offer") or (ii)
the Board declares any Person to be an Adverse Person, each holder of a Right
will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any
of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person will
3
be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence
of the event set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $[ ] per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or by certain related
parties) following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle
its holder to purchase $[ ] worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as
noted above) for $[ ]. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of
$[ ] at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase
[ ] shares of Common Stock for $[ ].
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than with an entity
which acquired the shares pursuant to a Qualified Offer), (ii) the Company
engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in which the
Company is the surviving corporation and the Common Stock of the Company is
changed or exchanged, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets, cash flow or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights
which have previously been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a
value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth
in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
outstanding Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than Rights
owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at
an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-hundredth of a share
of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's
preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right
(subject to adjustment).
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at
less than the 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 quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made
4
based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior
to the date of exercise.
In general, at any time until ten business days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board). The Company may not redeem the
Rights if the Board has previously declared a person to be an Adverse Person.
Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption of the Rights the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, 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. While the distribution of the Rights will
not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights
become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or
for common stock of the acquiring company or in the event of the redemption of
the Rights as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board prior to the earlier to occur of the determination that a person is an
Adverse Person or the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure
any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of
holders of Rights, or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights
Agreement. The foregoing notwithstanding, no amendment may be made at such time
as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form
8-A/Current Report on Form 8-K dated [ ], 2005. A copy of the Rights Agreement
is available free of charge from the Rights Agent. This summary description of
the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
5