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EXHIBIT 4.2
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and between
▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇ HOLDINGS, INC.
(the "Company")
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
(the "Rights Agent")
Dated as of July ____, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 1. Certain Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 15. Rights of Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 23. Redemption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 24. Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 26. Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 28. Successors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 31. Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 32. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 33. Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of ▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇
Holdings, Inc.
Exhibit B Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of July ___, 1998,
is made and entered into by and between ▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇ Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of New York (the "Rights Agent").
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
On July ___, 1998 the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized
and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for
each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the
close of business on July ____, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right
representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with
respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record
Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements, covenants, representations and warranties set forth in this
Agreement and for other good, valid and binding consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be
legally bound, 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 (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such
share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such
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inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient
number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon
the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than
these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is
not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
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Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Texas are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Dallas, Texas time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Dallas, Texas time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting
power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another
Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned
Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(j) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company having the
rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Amendment
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(l) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(m) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(A), (B) or (C) of Section 13 hereof.
(n) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(o) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
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(p) "Trigger Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event and/or
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 Shares) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth
day after the Shares Acquisition (or, if the tenth day after the Share
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to
such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the
commencement 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 entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of 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 entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act, the consummation of
which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares
aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any
such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance
of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also
be deemed to be Rights Certificates) and not by separate Rights Certificates,
and (y) the right to receive Rights Certificates will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights
Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail,
to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a Rights Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a
"Rights Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As
of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares,
in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first- class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common
Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by
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such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with
a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date
(or the earliest of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the
surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the
Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto,
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to
them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the
holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between ▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇ Holdings, Inc. and The Bank of
New York, dated as of July ___, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of ▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇ Holdings, Inc. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates, and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. ▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇
Holdings, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a
copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall
be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any
such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company
purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall
be substantially the same as Exhibit
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B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the
Rights Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number
of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the
price per one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the
"Purchase Price"), but the number of such one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof
upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent
feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void
in the circumstances specified in Section 79(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Rights
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless 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
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Rights Certificate 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.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the
Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of
each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) 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 earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates (other than Rights
Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may
be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like
number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as the Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 4(b) 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.
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, at the Company's
request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and
cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and
deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery
to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
(a) The registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise
the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or
in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights
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Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the close of business on ________, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section
23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
$_______, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one one- thousandth of a
Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate,
requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance
of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) 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)
when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Rights Certificate
or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder 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.
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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 to
any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall
deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights
Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or
acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall,
at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights
in accordance with Section 7. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares.
(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 Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"),
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the 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 (90)
days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of
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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 is no longer in effect. 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 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 or of any Preferred Shares 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 certificates or depositary
receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered
holder of the Rights Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or
to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred
Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid
(any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company
are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of
such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding
Business Day on which the Preferred Shares 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 holder of Preferred
Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or
to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any
notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred 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 Shares
payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
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Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares, or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (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)(ii), 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
capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be
entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital
stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the
Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 and to the limitation set forth
in the next paragraph of this Agreement, in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter
have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the
then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in
lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company
as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product
by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's
Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the
date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person
shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be
outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would
eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights (A)
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person, (B) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person (of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee
after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (C) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (1) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (2) a
transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is
part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary
purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall be
void and no holder of such Rights shall thereafter have any rights
whatsoever with respect to such rights, whether under provisions of
this Agreement or otherwise.
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(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall (A) determine the value
of the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the
"Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for
the Common 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 Shares 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 or economic rights as shares
of Common Shares (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as
"Common Shares 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 30 days following
the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and
(y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to
Section 23(a) 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, Common
Shares (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 Shares could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the 30 day period set forth above
may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than 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 30 day period, as it may be extended, is herein called
the "Substitution Period"). To the extend that action is to be taken
pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to Section
11(a)(ii) 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 times the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of
this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of such Common Share shall be the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Share on the Section
11(a)(ii) 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 Share on such date.
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(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling
them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) 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 Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or
the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital
stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion
of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
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record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the
purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for
the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event
that the current per share market price of the Security is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or
(B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security
and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately
adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of
such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported 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 Security is 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 Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if
the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then
in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be
determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section
11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be
conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by
one thousand. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares
are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market
price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by
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the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
or Section 13 hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c),
inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the
Preferred Shares 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-thousandth of a
Preferred Share 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-thousandth of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-thousandth of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share 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
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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 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 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-thousandth of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
thousandth of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one- thousandth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares 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 ▇▇▇▇ or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of
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Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately
prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event,
and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have
issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share
outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with
Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and/or any adjustment contained therein.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power.
(a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a
Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate
with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with
such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or
cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its
wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall
be made so that (A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided
herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof
at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
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multiplied by the number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share for which a
Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and
in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person
(including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as
shall equal the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share for which a
Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (2) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) the issuer of such Common
Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such issuer; and (D) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The
Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this
Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants,
instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which,
as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or
substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The
provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.
(b) 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 Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer or
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Shares which complies with
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof (or a wholly owned subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Shares offered
in such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Shares paid
to all holders of Common Shares 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 Common Shares 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(b), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights
or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu
of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
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 the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of
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a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in
the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if
the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ
or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date
no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent
of any such determination of fair value.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one- thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement
shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the
rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial
owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu
of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall 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 Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) 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 Shares upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Shares. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Shares, 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 Shares.
For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of
Common Shares shall be the closing of one share of Common Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
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(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), 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 Shares), may, in
his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain
any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act
in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right,
by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(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 of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer with the appropriate forms and certificates
executed; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person
in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Shares 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 Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental
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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 Shareholder.
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 Preferred
Shares 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 shareholder of the
Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (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. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred
without 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.
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 the Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, that such 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
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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 the 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 Rights Agent 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.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed
by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the 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 to the Company and
any other Person 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 (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed
to have been made by the Company only.
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(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 change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or
any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or
amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23, or 24, or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights
Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be
issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Secretary, or the 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 by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act,
default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) 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
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repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 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 the incumbent Rights Agent or the 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
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of any state thereof, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision
or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the
effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in
writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common
Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to appoint a successor
Rights Agent within the 30 day period or to give any notice provided for in
this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the
appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following
the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights,
the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares
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so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any
employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date,
or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued
by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences
to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificates 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.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem
all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$0.01 per Right, 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"). The
redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at
such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in
its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of
such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of
redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in
Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring 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 11(a)(ii) hereof)
for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common
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