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PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.
and
American Stock Transfer and Trust Co.,
Rights Agents
Rights Agreement
Dated as of
December 10, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Certain Definitions
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates, Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificate
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
Section 15. Rights of Action
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates
Section 23. Redemption and Termination
Section 24. Exchange
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events
Section 26. Notices
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
Section 29. Successors
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement
Section 31. Severability
Section 32. Governing Law
Section 33. Counterparts
Section 34. Descriptive Headings
Signatures
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Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Amendment designating the relative rights,
preferences and limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock of
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.
Exhibit B Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
Defined Term Cross Reference Sheet
Acquiring Person............................................Section 1 (a)
Act.........................................................Section 1 (b)
Adjustment Shares...........................................Section 11(a)(ii)
Adjusted Number of Shares...................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Adjusted Purchase Price.....................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Adverse Person..............................................Section 1(c)
Affiliate...................................................Section l (d)
Agreement...................................................Preface
Appointment of Rights Agent.................................Section 2
Associate...................................................Section 1 (d)
Beneficial Owner............................................Section 1 (e)
Beneficially Own............................................Section 1 (e)
Business Day................................................Section 1 (f)
Capital Stock Equivalent....................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Close of Business...........................................Section 1 (g)
Common Shares...............................................Section 1 (h)
Continuing Director.........................................Section 1(i)
Corporation.................................................Preface
Current Per Market Price....................................Section 11(d)
Current Per Share Market Price..............................Section 11(d)(i)
Distribution Date...........................................Section 1(j)
Equivalent Preferred Shares.................................Section 11 (b)
Exchange Ratio..............................................Section 24
Final Expiration Date.......................................Section 7(a)
Grandfathered Stockholder...................................Section 1(l)
Interested Stockholder......................................Section 1 (m)
Permitted Offer.............................................Section 1 (n)
Person......................................................Section 1 (o)
Preferred Shares............................................Section 1(p)
Principal Party.............................................Section 13(b)
Proration Factor............................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Purchase Price..............................................Section 4(a)
Record Date.................................................Preface
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Redemption Date.............................................Section 7(a)
Redemption Price............................................Section 23
Right.......................................................Preface
Right Certificate...........................................Section 3(a)
Rights Agent................................................Preface
Rights Agreement............................................Section 3
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.....................................Section 11(a)(ii)
Section 13 Event............................................Section 13(a)
Security....................................................Section 11(d)(i)
Shares Acquisition Date.....................................Section 1(t)
Subsidiary..................................................Section 1(u)
Summary of Rights...........................................Section 3(b)
Then Outstanding............................................Section 1(e)(iii)
Trading Day.................................................Section 11(d)(i)
Transaction.................................................Section 1(v)
Transaction Person .........................................Section 1(w)
Triggering Event............................................Section 1(x)
Voting Securities...........................................Section 13(a)
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 10, 1999 (the "Agreement"),
between NeoMedia Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"),
and American Stock Transfer and Trust Co. (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation outstanding at the close of business
on December 20, 1999, (the "Record Date"). Each Right represents the right to
purchase one one-hundredth 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 or the Final Expiration Date (as such
terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued
with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of this
Agreement.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the meanings set forth below:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Adverse Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 25% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other
than as a result of a Permitted Offer [as hereinafter defined]) or was such a
Beneficial Owner at any time after the date hereof, whether or not such person
continues to be the Beneficial Owner of 25% or more of the then outstanding
Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term "Acquiring Person"
shall not include (i) the Corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Corporation,
(iii) any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (v) any
Person, who or which together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 25% or more of the then outstanding Common
Shares as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the
Corporation, or (vi) any Grandfathered Stockholder and (B) no Person shall be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" either (X) as a result of the acquisition of
Common Shares by the Corporation which, by reducing the number of Common Shares
outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares beneficially owned by
such Person together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, except
that if (i) a Person would become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of
this subclause X) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Corporation, and (ii) after such share acquisition by the Corporation, such
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed an
Acquiring Person, or (Y) if (i) within 8 days after such Person would otherwise
have become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this subclause Y),
such Person notifies the Board of Directors that such Person did so
inadvertently and (ii) within 2 days after such notification, such Person
reduces such Person's Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares to a level that such
Person is no longer an Acquiring Person.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared to be an Adverse
Person by the Board of Directors after (i) a determination that such Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, has become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares and (ii) a determination by the Board
of Directors, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including such
consultation, if any, with such persons as such directors shall deem
appropriate, that (A) such Beneficial Ownership by such Person is intended to
cause, is reasonably likely to cause or will cause the Corporation to repurchase
the Common Shares beneficially owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the
Corporation to take action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions
which would provide such person with short-term financial gain under
circumstances where the Board of Directors determines that the best long-term
interests of the Corporation and its stockholders, but for the actions and
possible actions of such Person, would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time or (B)
such Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material
adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships with
customers or impairment of the Corporation's ability to maintain its competitive
position) on the business or prospects of the Corporation; provided, however,
that the Board of Directors of the Corporation may not declare a Person to be an
Adverse Person if, prior to the time that such Person acquired 15% or more of
the Common Shares, such Person provided to the Board of Directors in writing a
statement of such Person's acquisition of Common Shares, together with any other
information reasonably requested of such Person by the Board of Directors, and
the Board of Directors, based on such statement and reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation, if any, with such persons as the
directors shall deem appropriate, determines to notify and notifies such Person
in writing that it will not declare such Person to be an Adverse Person;
provided, further, that the Board of Directors may expressly condition in any
manner a determination not to declare a Person an Adverse Person on such
conditions as the Board of Directors may select, including, without limitation,
such Person's not acquiring more than a specified amount of additional shares of
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Common Stock and/or on such Person's not taking actions inconsistent with the
purposes and intentions disclosed by such Person in the statement provided to
the Board of Directors. No delay or failure by the Board of Directors to declare
such Person to be an Adverse Person shall in any way waive or otherwise affect
the power of the Board of Directors subsequently to declare a Person to be an
Adverse Person. In the event that the Board of Directors should at any time
determine, upon reasonable inquiry and investigation, including consultation
with such persons as the directors shall deem appropriate, that such Person has
not met or complied with any condition specified by the Board of Directors, the
Board of Directors may at any time thereafter declare such Person to be an
Adverse Person.
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(e) 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, either 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, or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner 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
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(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) relating to the
acquisition, holding, voting [except to the extent contemplated by the
proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)] or disposing of any securities of the
Corporation.
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 Corporation, 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.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday,
U.S. federal, or State of Florida holiday.
(g) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern
Standard time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(h) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation shall
mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation
or, in the event of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to
such shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such
subdivision, combination or consolidation. "Common Shares" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Corporation 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.
(i) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation, while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors, who is not an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or a representative of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, and
was a member of the Board prior to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) any
Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board of Directors, who is not
an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or a representative of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Persons'
nomination for election or election to the Board of Directors is recommended or
approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
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(j) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(l) "Grandfathered Stockholder" shall mean at any time ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.
▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, and The ▇▇▇▇▇ Family Limited Partnership.
(m) "Interested Stockholder" shall mean any Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or
any other Person in which any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, Affiliate
or Associate has an interest, or any other Person acting directly or indirectly
on behalf of or in concert with any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person,
Affiliate or Associate.
(n) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which is
for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on terms determined, prior to
the purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by at least a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the
Corporation and who are not Acquiring Persons or Adverse Persons or Affiliates,
Associates, nominees or representatives of an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Persons or a Transaction Person, to be adequate (taking into account all factors
that such Directors deem relevant including, without limitation, prices that
could reasonably be achieved if the Corporation or its assets were sold on an
orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and otherwise in the best
interests of the Corporation and its stockholders (other than the Person or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof on whose basis the offer is being made) taking
into account all factors that such directors may deem relevant.
(o) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation,
limited liability company, trust, association, joint venture or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(p) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Preferred Stock
with a par value of $.01 per share of the Corporation having the relative
rights, preferences and limitations set forth in the Form of Certificate of
Resolutions attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(q) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(r) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
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(s) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x),
(y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(t) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to the Exchange Act) by the Corporation of
an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person that an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
has become such; provided, that, if such Person is determined not to have become
an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person pursuant to Section 1(a)(vi)(Y) hereof,
then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(u) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
Person of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(v) "Transaction" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of
assets described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares of
the Corporation which would result in a Person becoming a Transaction Person.
(w) "Transaction Person" with respect to a Transaction shall mean (x)
any Person who (i) is or will become an Acquiring Person if the Transaction were
to be consummated, and (ii) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a
director of the Corporation which director is in office at the time of
consideration of the Transaction, (y) an Affiliate or Associate of such a
Person.
(x) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Corporation hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
3. Issuance of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Corporation's Board of
Directors) after the Shares Acquisition Date, (ii) the close of business on the
tenth day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
6
Corporation's Board of Directors) after the date of the commencement by any
Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any
employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation
or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Corporation
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 Corporation, any
Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or
of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) to commence (which intention to commence remains in effect for five
Business Days after such announcement), a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person or
an Adverse Person; or (iii) the close of business on the tenth day (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Corporation's Board of
Directors) after the Board of Directors determines, pursuant to the criteria set
forth in Section 1(c) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person (including, in
the case of (i), (ii) and (iii), 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 Right Certificates) and not by separate
Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a transfer to the Corporation); provided, however, that if a
tender offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then
no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender offer. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Corporation will prepare and
execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Corporation will send or
cause to be sent by first-class, 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 Corporation, a Right
Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of and
after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Corporation 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 Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common
Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by 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 earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
7
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 such Common Shares.
(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 Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, shall be deemed also to
be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc., and American Stock Transfer and
Trust Co., dated as of December 10, 1999, (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 NeoMedia. 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. NeoMedia 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 set forth in the Rights Agreement,
Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or
becomes an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and
certain related persons, 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 Distribution 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 Corporation 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 Corporation shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.
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4. Form of Right Certificate.
(a) The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Corporation 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 Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one-one hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be
set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set
forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities
purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e)
of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Right Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby are null and void.
Provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be operative
whether or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be
executed on behalf of the Corporation 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
Corporation's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
9
any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Right Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Corporation by any person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign
such Right 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 or
offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender of such Right
Certificate or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Right
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the certificate number and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificate. Subject to the
provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time
after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the
close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, as the
case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase.
Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.
Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to take any
action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Corporation shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Corporation may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
10
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, splitup, combination or change
of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Corporation's request,
reimbursement to the Corporation and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
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 Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total
number of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or other securities, as the
case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to
the earliest of (i) the close of business on December 10, 2009 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided
in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $100, shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in the next sentence and in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at
any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date,
the Corporation 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, each Common Share outstanding following such
subdivision, combination or consolidation shall continue to have a Right
associated therewith and the Purchase Price following any such event shall be
proportionately adjusted to equal the result obtained by multiplying the
Purchase Price immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior
11
to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such
event. The adjustment provided for in the preceding sentence shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares (or other
securities, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, 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 Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Corporation, in its sole
discretion, shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares issuable
upon exercise of the Rights hereunder into a depositary, requisition
from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number
of one one-hundredth 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 Corporation will direct the depositary agent to comply
with such requests,
(ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation 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 Right Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, and
(iv) when appropriate, after receipt thereof, deliver such
cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate.
In the event that the Corporation is obligated to issue other securities of the
Corporation pursuant to Section 11 (a) hereof, the Corporation will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
12
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder
pursuant to Section 11 (a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement and if less than all the Rights represented by such Right
Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue to include
the rights provided by Section 11 (a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the
Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right Certificate with
respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person (or of any Affiliate or Associate thereof) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has a continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Corporation has determined is
part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without
any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Corporation shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person, or their Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Corporation 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
13
(i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right 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 Corporation shall reasonably request.
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates, surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Corporation shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Corporation, or shall, at the
written request of the Corporation, destroy such canceled Right Certificates,
and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Corporation.
9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares. The Corporation
covenants and agrees that at all times prior to the occurrence of a Section 11
(a)(ii) Event it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its
authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any authorized and issued 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 and, after
the occurrence of a Section 11 (a)(ii) Event, shall, to the extent reasonably
practicable, so reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Common Shares
(and/or other securities) which may be required to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
So long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the occurrence of a Section
11 (a)(ii) Event, Common Shares or any other securities) issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights may be listed on NASDAQ or any national securities
exchange, the Corporation 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 NASDAQ or such exchange upon official notice of
issuance upon such exercise.
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or
other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares or other securities
14
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares or securities. The Corporation
further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all
U.S. federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in
respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation shall not, however, be required to
pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery
of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depository receipts for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise, or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of any Rights, until any such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Corporation's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Shares Acquisition Date, a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder)
until the date of the expiration of the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii).
The Corporation will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue
sky laws of the various states.
10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as
the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares (or Common
Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that, if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Corporation 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 (or Common Shares and/or
other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Corporation are
open.
15
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Corporation 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 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 Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as
otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of 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 Corporation were
open, such holder 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
Corporation issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and
Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) In the event (A) any Person, alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, or (B) the
Board of Directors determines, pursuant to criteria set forth in
Section 1(c) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person, then proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as
provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall, for a period of 60
days after the later of the occurrence of any such event or the
effective date of an appropriate registration statement under the Act
pursuant to Section 9 hereof, have a right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common
Shares (or, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share) as shall equal the result obtained
by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number
16
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Corporation's Common Shares
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the "Adjustment
Shares"); provided, however, that if the transaction that would
otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13
hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii); and
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury
shares or authorized but unissued (and unreserved) Common Shares to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) and the Rights become so exercisable (and
the Board has determined to make the Rights exercisable into fractions
of a Preferred Share), notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law,
each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement, (x) a number of (or fractions of) Common
Shares (up to the maximum number of Common Shares which may permissibly
be issued) and (y) one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share or a number
of, or fractions of other equity securities of the Corporation (or, in
the discretion of the Board of Directors, debt) which the Board of
Directors of the Corporation has determined to have the same aggregate
current market value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) and (ii)
hereof, to the extent applicable,) as one Common Share (such number of,
or fractions of, Preferred Shares, debt, or other equity securities or
debt of the Corporation) being referred to as a "capital stock
equivalent" equal in the aggregate to the number of Adjustment Shares;
provided, however, if sufficient Common Shares and/or capital stock
equivalents are unavailable, then the Corporation shall, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, take all such action as may be necessary
to authorize additional Common Shares or capital stock equivalents for
issuance upon exercise of the Rights, including the calling of a
meeting of stockholders; and provided, further, that if the Corporation
is unable to cause sufficient Common Shares and/or capital stock
equivalents to be available for issuance upon exercise in full of the
Rights, then each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive
the Adjusted Number of Shares upon exercise at the Adjusted Purchase
Price (as such terms are hereinafter defined). As used herein, the term
"Adjusted Number of Shares" shall be equal to that number of (or
fractions of) Common Shares (and/or capital stock equivalents) equal to
the product of (x) the number of Adjustment Shares and (y) a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares (and/or capital
stock equivalents) available for issuance upon exercise of the Rights
and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Adjustment
17
Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise in full of all Rights (assuming
there were a sufficient number of Common Shares available) (such
fraction being referred to as the "Proration Factor"). The "Adjusted
Purchase Price" shall mean the product of the Purchase Price and the
Proration Factor. The Board of Directors may, but shall not be required
to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares
and capital stock equivalents upon exercise of the Rights among holders
of Rights.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the 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 determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of 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 per
share 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 Corporation 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 determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Corporation 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.
18
(c) In case the Corporation 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
Corporation 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 (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 Corporation, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on 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 Corporation to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) 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 thirty (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 thirty (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 or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, 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
19
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on 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 closing 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 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 Corporation. If on
any such date no such market maker is making market in the Security,
the fair value of the Security on such date as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used. 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 four. 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 the Board of Directors of the
Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in
the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 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-hundredth 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
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date.
20
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation other
than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of 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, 13 and 14 with respect to
the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) The Corporation may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of one one-hundredths of a 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-hundredths 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 the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Corporation 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 Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(h), the Corporation shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right
Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Corporation, shall
cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Corporation, new
Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be
issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall
21
be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(i) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(j) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other securities issuable
upon exercise of the Rights, the Corporation shall take any corporate action
which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Corporation may validly and legally issue such number of fully paid and
non-assessable one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other
securities at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(k) 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 Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares, Common
Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon exercise on
the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Corporation 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.
(l) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Corporation 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 (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv)
stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in
this Section 11, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Preferred
Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
22
(m) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section
11(n) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(n)
hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or
transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof), if (x)
at the time or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
there are any charter or by-law provisions or any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect or other actions
taken, which would materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Corporation
shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless
prior thereto the Corporation and such other Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance
with this Section 11(m).
(n) The Corporation covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(o) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result in
the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and shall
not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this Rights
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the
Corporation 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 and the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section
26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
23
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event that, on or following the Shares Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or consolidation
all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) the
Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with, any Interested Stockholder
or, if in such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock are not
treated alike, any other Person, and the Corporation shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger (other than, in a case of
any transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would
result in all of the securities generally entitled to vote in the election of
directors ("voting securities") of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting securities
of the Corporation or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such
merger or consolidation and the holders of such securities not having changed as
a result of such merger or consolidation), or (z) the Corporation shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taking as a whole) to any Interested
Stockholder or Stockholders or, if in such transaction all holders of Common
Stock are not treated alike, any other Person (other than the Corporation or any
Subsidiary of the Corporation in one or more transactions each of which does not
violate Section 11 (n) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as provided
in Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder
of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal
Party (as hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights
of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by
(A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
(without taking into account any adjustment previously made pursuant to Section
11 (a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant
to Section 11 (d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the
Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such
24
Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; and (iv)
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which Common Shares of the Corporation
are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are
so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation (including, if applicable, the Corporation if it is the
surviving corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided,
however, that in any of the foregoing cases, (1) if the Common Shares
of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over
the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of
the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of
another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) in
case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been
so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such
Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest
aggregate market value; and (3) in case such Person is owned, directly
or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that
are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules
set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party
were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the
Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the obligations set
forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or indirect
interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of its authorized Common Shares which have not been issued or reserved
for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Corporation and such Principal
25
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to
cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or, register the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate;
and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with
the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. The rights under this
Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and adjustments
under Section 11 (a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section
13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and
(y) of Section 13(a) if: (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly
owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per Common Share
offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to
all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such
Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such transaction
is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer.
Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d),
all Rights hereunder shall expire.
26
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights
or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, 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 closing 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 Corporation. 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 Corporation shall be used.
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are one one-hundredth or integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other
than fractions which are one one-hundredth or integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the
Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate
agreement between the Corporation and a depositary selected by it; provided that
such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall
have 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 one one-hundredth
or integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Corporation
shall pay to the registered holders of Right 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
27
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11 (d)(ii)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to receive Common Shares,
capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other securities upon
the exercise of a Right, the Corporation shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares or units of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractions of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other
securities. In lieu of fractional shares or units of such Common Shares, capital
stock equivalents or other securities, the Corporation may pay to the registered
holders of Right 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 a share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value
shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11 (d) hereof for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise and, if such capital
stock equivalent is not traded, each such capital stock equivalent shall have
the value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right 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 Right 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 Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right 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.
28
16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting
the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation 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 Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate form fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7 (f) hereof, the Corporation and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right
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
Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone
other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its
inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of
any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided,
however, the Corporation must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as
such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or
be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other
securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the exercise
of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Corporation or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
29
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Corporation 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 Corporation 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 indemnity provided
for herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of
this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for, or in respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the
Corporation, 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.
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 for
all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto, 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 shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
30
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only those
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Corporation), 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 an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person and the determination of the current market price of any Security) be
proved or established by the Corporation 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 Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall
be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
31
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or 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 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of the
certificate described in Section 12 hereof); 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 or Common Shares to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or
Common Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and non-assessable.
(f) The Corporation 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 Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith or
lack of action in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the
Rights Agent for written instructions from the Corporation may, at the option of
the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or
omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on or after
which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights
Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights
Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after
the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five
Business Days after the date any officer of the Corporation actually receives
such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an
earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written
instruction in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or
omitted.
32
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the
Corporation.
21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon sixty (60) 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 holders of
the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or
be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of sixty (60) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
33
inspection by the Corporation), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of Florida (or of
any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized
to do business as a banking institution in the State of Florida), in good
standing, having an office in the State of Florida, 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 $100,000,000. 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 Corporation 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 Right Certificates. Failure to give any
notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall
not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Corporation
may, at its option, issue new Right 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 Right 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 earlier of the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date, the Corporation (a) shall with respect to Common
Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any
employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities, notes or debentures issued by the Corporation, and (b) may, in any
other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) the
Corporation shall not be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates if, and
to the extent that, the Corporation shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Corporation or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued,
34
and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) (i) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option,
redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.0001 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), at any
time prior to the earlier of (x) 10 days after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, or (y) the Final Expiration Date. The
Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in
Common Shares (based on the "current per share market price," as
defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Share at the time of
redemption) or cash; provided that if the Corporation elects to pay the
Redemption Price in Common Shares, the Corporation shall not be
required to issue any fractional Common Shares and the number of Common
Shares issuable to each holder of Rights shall be rounded down to the
next whole share.
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Corporation
may, at its option, at any time following the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and the expiration of any period during which the
holder of Rights may exercise the rights under Section 11(a)(ii) but
prior to any Section 13 Event redeem all but not less than all of the
then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (x) in connection with
any merger, consolidation or sale or other transfer (in one transaction
or in a series of related transactions) of assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the earning power of the Corporation and its
subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of Common Shares
are treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of Common
Shares being treated like all other such holders) an Interested
Stockholder or Adverse Person or (y)(aa) if and for so long as the
Acquiring Person is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner of 15% of the
Common Shares, and (bb) at the time of redemption no other Persons are
Acquiring Persons or Adverse Person.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 23(a), in the event that
a majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation is comprised of persons
elected at a meeting of stockholders who were not nominated by the Board of
Directors in office immediately prior to such meeting, then (i) the Rights may
not be redeemed for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such
election if such redemption is reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect
of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction Person and (ii) the Rights may
not be redeemed following such 180 day period, if such redemption is reasonably
35
likely to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with a
Transaction Person and if during such 180 day period, the Corporation enters
into any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any Transaction Person
which is reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a
Transaction with any Transaction Person. If the Board of Directors of the
Corporation authorizes redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances
set forth in clauses 23(a)(i) or 23(a)(ii) above, then there must be Continuing
Directors then in office and such authorization shall require only the
concurrence of a majority of such Continuing Directors if: (i) such
authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a
change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the
directors in office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who
is a participant in such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement
of such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
has determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action which would
result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or which
would cause the occurrence of a Triggering Event.
(c) In the case of a redemption permitted under Section 23(a)(i),
immediately upon the date for redemption set forth (or determined in the manner
specified in) in a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of
the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. In the case of a redemption permitted only under Section 23(a)(ii),
evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and represent only the right to receive the
Redemption Price upon the later often Business Days following the giving of such
notice or the expiration of any period during which the rights under Section
11(a)(ii) may be exercised. The Corporation 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 ten
(10) days after such date for redemption set forth in a resolution of the Board
of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 and
36
other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the
Distribution Date.
(d) The Corporation may, at its option, discharge all of its
obligations with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing
the manner of redemption of the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and
(ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the
Rights at their last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
Transfer Agent of the Common Shares, and upon such action, all outstanding
Rights and Right Certificates shall be null and void without any further action
by the Corporation.
24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the Corporation at an exchange ratio of
one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Corporation,
any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation,
or any such Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the
terms of any such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Corporation shall promptly mail a
notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
37
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Corporation, at
its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as
such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the Common
Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share, as
appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the
Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a
Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same
voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares or
Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares or Preferred Shares for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights.
25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Corporation shall propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a
regularly quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its
Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other
securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a
transaction which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer) in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which does not violate
Section 11(n) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation, then, in each such case, the Corporation shall give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action to the extent feasible and file a certificate
with the Rights Agent to that effect, which shall specify the record date for
the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or
the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
38
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares, if any such date
is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be
the earlier.
(b) In case of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then (i) the Corporation
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of
such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such
event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph (a) to Preferred Shares shall be deemed
thereafter to refer also to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other
securities of the Corporation.
26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Corporation shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
39
Common Shares shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Corporation.
27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the Corporation so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and after the
Distribution Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Corporation so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval
of any holders of Right Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder
in any manner which the Corporation may deem necessary or desirable and which
shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates
(other than an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person); provided, however, that this
Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause
(iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be
redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other
time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing
or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Corporation
which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment, provided that such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect
the rights or obligations of the Rights Agent under Section 18 or Section 20 of
this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of
Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common
Shares. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Rights Agreement to the
contrary, in the event that a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation is comprised of (i) persons elected at a meeting of or by written
consent of stockholders and who were not nominated by the Board of Directors in
office immediately prior to such meeting or action by written consent and/or
(ii) successors of such persons elected to the Board of Directors for the
purpose of either facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction Person or
circumventing directly or indirectly the provisions of this Section 27, then for
a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such action, this Rights
Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented in any manner reasonably likely
to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction
Person.
28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. The Board
of Directors of the Corporation shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
40
granted to the Board, or the Corporation, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and whether any proposed amendment
adversely affects the interests of the holders of Right Certificates). For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares or
other securities outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares or any
other securities of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement. All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Corporation, the Rights Agent, the holders
of the Right Certificates and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board
to any liability to the holders of the Right Certificates.
29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by
or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure
to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Corporation, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority
to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Florida and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections
of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
41
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
NEOMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Attest:
By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------- ----------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: President
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER AND
TRUST COMPANY
Attest:
By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------- ----------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President
42