Exhibit 4
________________________________________________________________________________
INTERTAN, INC.
and
BANKBOSTON, N.A.
Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of September 8, 1999
________________________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions.................................................. 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.......................................... 5
Section 3. Issue of Rights and Right Certificates............................... 5
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates........................................... 7
Section 5. Execution, Countersignature and Registration......................... 7
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.............. 8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Expiration Date of Rights........................ 9
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates................... 10
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock........................ 11
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date......................................... 12
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights... 12
Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment............................................ 19
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power 20
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.............................. 21
Section 15. Rights of Action..................................................... 22
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders........................................... 23
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.................... 23
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.......................................... 23
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent............ 24
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................................... 25
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................................... 27
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates and Additional Rights............. 27
Section 23. Redemption........................................................... 28
Section 24. Exchange............................................................. 29
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events............................................. 30
Section 26. Notices.............................................................. 31
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments........................................... 31
Section 28. Successors........................................................... 32
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement........................................... 32
Section 30. Severability......................................................... 32
Section 31. Governing Law........................................................ 32
Section 32. Counterparts......................................................... 33
Section 33. Descriptive Headings................................................. 33
Signatures........................................................................ 33
Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Designations of InterTAN, Inc.
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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This AGREEMENT, dated as of September 8, 1999 (the "Agreement"), between
INTERTAN, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and BANKBOSTON, N.A., a
national banking association, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company and The First National Bank of Boston previously
entered into that Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of September
20, 1989 (as heretofore amended and supplemented, the "Original Rights
Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company declared a dividend of one right to
purchase one one-hundredth of a share of the Company's Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the "Preferred Stock"), on (i) each
share of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the "Common
Stock") outstanding at the close of business on December 26, 1986, and (ii) the
shares of Common Stock issued between that date and the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as those terms are defined in the
Original Rights Agreement); and
WHEREAS, the rights issued under the Original Rights Agreement will expire
at the close of business on September 20, 1999 pursuant to Section 7(a) of the
Original Rights Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared
a dividend of one Right (as such term is hereinafter defined) for each share of
Common Stock outstanding at the close of business (as such term is hereinafter
defined) on September 20, 1999 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the
issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement) with respect to each share of Common Stock that
shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such
terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued
with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of this
Agreement. Each Right shall initially represent the right to purchase one one-
hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, having the powers, rights and
preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations attached to this
Agreement as Exhibit A;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 15 percent or more of
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the Common Shares (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company then
outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or
any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares of the Company by the Company which, by reducing
the number of such shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15 percent or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15 percent or more of the Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to
be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would
otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this definition, has become such inadvertently, and such Person
divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares of the
Company so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, then such person shall
not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
"Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
"Affiliate" and "Associate," when used with reference to any Person, shall
have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter
defined), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own," and shall be deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of, any
securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has
(A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights
(other than 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
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to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance
with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act
and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso in clause (ii)(B) of
this definition) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day
on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
"Certificate of Designations" shall mean the Certificate of Designations of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company setting forth the
powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of
such series of Preferred Stock of the Company, a copy of the form of which is
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
"Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Boston,
Massachusetts time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Boston, Massachusetts time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of Common Stock of the Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity
interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other
Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately
control such first-mentioned Person.
"Common share equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraphs of this Agreement.
"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)
hereof.
"Equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(b) hereof.
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"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect
on the date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
"Flip-In Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
"Flip-In Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Flip-Over Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) hereof.
"Formula Number" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(ii)
hereof.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and
shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
"Preferred Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of Preferred Stock of the Company. Any reference in this Agreement to
Preferred Shares shall be deemed to include any authorized fraction of a
Preferred Share, unless the context otherwise requires.
"Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraphs of this Agreement.
"Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
"Purchase Price" with respect to each Right shall mean $85.00, as such
amount may from time to time be adjusted as provided herein, and shall be
payable in lawful money of the United States of America. All references herein
to the Purchase Price shall mean the Purchase Price as in effect at the time in
question.
"Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraphs of this Agreement.
"Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23 hereof.
"Right Certificate" shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in
substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B.
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"Rights" shall mean the rights to purchase Preferred Shares (or other
securities) as provided in this Agreement.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as in effect on the
date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.
"Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement
by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of
which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity
interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
"Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution
Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Rights and Right Certificates.
(a) One Right shall be associated with each Common Share outstanding on the
Record Date, each additional Common Share that shall become outstanding between
the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date, and each additional Common Share with which
Rights are issued after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date as provided in Section 22 hereof;
provided, however, that, if the number of outstanding Rights are combined into a
smaller number of outstanding Rights pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the
appropriate fractional Right determined pursuant to such Section shall
thereafter be associated with each such Common Share.
(b) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition
Date and (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding
Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of,
or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the
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Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner
of Common Shares aggregating 15 percent or more of the then outstanding Common
Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of Section 3(c) 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 Rights, including the right to receive Right
Certificates, will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of
Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company
will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company
will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate evidencing
one whole Right for each Common Share (or for the number of Common Shares with
which one whole Right is then associated if the number of Rights per Common
Share held by such record holder has been adjusted in accordance with the
provision in Section 3(a) hereof) so held. If the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share has been adjusted in accordance with the proviso in
Section 3(a) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates, the
Company may make any necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments so that
Right Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and
cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Right in accordance with Section 14
hereof. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
solely by such Right Certificates.
(c) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit C (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to any certificate for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration 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 earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(d) Certificates issued for Common Shares after the Record Date (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this paragraph (d)), but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
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This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999, as
it may be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between
InterTAN, Inc. and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent, the terms of which
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file
at the principal executive offices of InterTAN, Inc. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. InterTAN, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a
copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or their
Affiliates or Associates (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement) and by any subsequent holder of such Rights are null and void
and nontransferable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender
for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that
the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but
prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares
shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
form of election to purchase and form of assignment to be printed on the reverse
side thereof) shall be in substantially the form attached to this Agreement as
Exhibit B and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any
securities exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or of
any automated quotations system of a national securities association on which
the Rights may from time to time be registered or quoted, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates,
whenever issued, on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth
therein for the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share,
subject to adjustment from time to time as herein provided.
Section 5. Execution, Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President, its Chief Executive Officer, or any of
its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile
signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof,
and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company,
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either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be
countersigned manually or by facsimile signature by the Rights Agent and shall
not be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall
cease to be such an officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such an officer of the Company; and
any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office, 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, the certificate
number of each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 7(e) and 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 and the Final Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (except as otherwise provided
herein, including, without limitation, Right Certificates representing Rights
that have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e)
hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be
transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates representing, in the aggregate, the same number of Rights as
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then represented. 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; provided,
however, that neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any Right Certificate
surrendered for transfer until the registered holder shall have completed and
signed the certification of status 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 Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(e) and 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 Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up, combination or
exchange of Right Certificates.
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(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make a new Right
Certificate of like tenor and deliver such new Right Certificate to the Rights
Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so
lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof and except as otherwise provided herein
(including Section 24 hereof), each Right shall entitle the registered holder
thereof, upon exercise thereof as provided herein, to purchase for the Purchase
Price, at any time after the Distribution Date and at or prior to the earliest
of (i) the close of business on September 21, 2009 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date") and (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof.
(b) 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 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 Purchase Price for
each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii)
the Redemption Date and (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as
provided in Section 24 hereof.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of
the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares (or other securities) to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid
by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, in
lawful money of the United States of America, in cash or by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon (i) either (A) promptly requisition from any transfer
agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is a
transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares
to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the Preferred Shares with a depositary agent under a depositary
arrangement, promptly requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent), and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with all such
requests, (ii) when appropriate, promptly requisition from the Company the
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amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance
with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as
may be designated by such holder, and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt,
promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
fewer 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 and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or
to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any Rights
that are at any time beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person shall be null and void and nontransferable,
and any holder of any such Right (including any purported transferee or
subsequent holder) shall not have any right to exercise or transfer any such
Right.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder of any Right Certificate upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed
and signed the certification of status 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 Company shall reasonably request.
(g) The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed
90 calendar days after the Distribution Date, the exercisability of the Rights
in order to prepare and file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act,
on appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights and permit such Registration Statement to become
effective; provided, however, that no such suspension shall remain effective
after, and the Rights shall without any further action by the Company or any
other Person become exercisable immediately upon, the effectiveness of such
Registration Statement. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended and shall issue a further public announcement at such time
as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision herein
to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification under the Blue Sky or securities laws of such
jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or the exercise of the Rights shall
not be permitted under applicable law.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange shall, and any Right Certificate representing Rights
that have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e)
hereof surrendered or presented for any purpose shall, if surrendered or
presented to
10
the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for
cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered or presented to the Rights
Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in
lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this
Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and
retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any Right
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in either
such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof or a certificate of
cancellation thereof, as may be appropriate, to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any
authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in it treasury, free from preemptive
rights or any right of first refusal, a number of Preferred Shares sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section
7 hereof.
(b) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Preferred Shares issued
but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise or
exchange of Rights in accordance with Section 11 or 24 hereof, as the case may
be, the Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon the
exercise or exchange of Rights pursuant to Section 11 or 24 hereof, as the case
may be; provided, however, that if the Company is unable to cause the
authorization of additional Preferred Shares, then the Company shall, or in lieu
of seeking any such authorization, the Company may, to the extent necessary and
permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect prior to
the Distribution Date to which it is a party, (i) upon surrender of a Right, pay
cash equal to the Purchase Price in lieu of issuing Preferred Shares and
requiring payment therefor, (ii) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised,
issue equity securities having a value equal to the value of the Preferred
Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11 or 24
hereof, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, or (iii) upon
due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred
Share as to which such Right is exercised, distribute a combination of Preferred
Shares, cash and/or other equity and/or debt securities having an aggregate
value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been
issuable pursuant to Section 11 or 24 hereof, which value shall be determined by
a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. To the extent that any legal or contractual
restrictions (pursuant to agreements or instruments in effect prior to the
Distribution Date to which it is a party) prevent the Company from paying the
full amount payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Company shall
pay to holders of the Rights as to which such payments are being made all
amounts which are not then restricted on a pro rata basis as such payments
become permissible under such legal or contractual restrictions until such
payments have been paid in full.
11
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise or
exchange of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(d) So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise or exchange
of Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or automated
quotations system of a registered national securities association on which the
Preferred Shares may from time to time be listed, traded or quoted, the Company
covenants and agrees that it will use reasonable efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable or exchangeable, all Preferred
Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or approved for
quotation in such quotation system, upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees, subject to the provisions of
this Agreement, that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and
state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance
or delivery of Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares or Common Shares or
other securities upon the exercise or exchange of the Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other
than, or in respect of the issuance or delivery of certificates for Preferred
Shares or Common Shares 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 exchange or to issue or deliver any certificates for
Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, upon
the exercise or exchange of any Rights until 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 had been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities is issued
upon the exercise or exchange of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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 any 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 transfer books of the Company for the
Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which
the transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or
other securities, as the case may be, are open. Prior to the exercise of the
Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
12
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a),
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
transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares were open, he would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an
event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person (a "Flip-In Event"), each holder of a
Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then
current Purchase Price multiplied times the number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares of the Company (such number of Common Shares being referred
to herein as the "Adjustment Shares") as shall equal the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price times the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
and dividing that product by (y) 50 percent of the then current per share
market price of the Company's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event
that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then
be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate
or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
the Company shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law and
regulation: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment
13
Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2)
the Purchase Price (such excess to be referred to hereinafter as the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other
equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or
units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the
Company has deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares (such shares
of preferred stock being referred to herein as "common share
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6)
any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the
Current Value as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company;
provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days
following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event (the "Flip-In Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.
If the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that it
is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the 30-day period set forth
above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not to more than 120
days after the Flip-In Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability
of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence
and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall deliver a notice to the Rights Agent and issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a notice to the Rights Agent and a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For
purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall
be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) of the Common Shares on the Flip-In Trigger Date, and the
value of any common share equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value
as the Common Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a
price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the
Purchase Price
14
to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date times a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent
preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price
of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred
Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred
Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in
consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date times a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a 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, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to
such date, and for purposes
15
of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
per share market price" of a Security on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 10
consecutive Trading Days immediately following 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 shares of
such Security (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination
or reclassification of such Security, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as
set forth above, then, and in each such case, the "current per share market
price" shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price
per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading
on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which
the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed
or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof. 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) hereof (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof), multiplied times 100 (the "Formula Number"); provided, however,
that, if at any time after the Record Date, the Company shall (A) declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or make
any distribution on the Common Shares in Common Shares, (B) subdivide (by a
stock split or otherwise) the outstanding Common Shares into a larger
number of Common Shares or (C) combine (by reverse stock split or
otherwise) the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common
Shares, then in each event the Formula Number shall be adjusted to a number
16
determined by multiplying the Formula Number in effect immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common
Shares that are outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that are outstanding
immediately prior to such event (and rounding the result to the nearest
whole number); and provided further, that, if any time after the Record
Date, the Company shall issue any shares of its stock in a merger,
reclassification, or change of the outstanding Common Shares, then in each
such event the Formula Number shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect
such merger, reclassification or change so that each Preferred Share
continues to be the economic equivalent of a Formula Number of Common
Shares prior to such merger, reclassification or change. 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 Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(e) Except as hereinafter provided, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease
of at least one percent in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to
the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any
other share or security, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence
of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made
no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction
which requires such adjustment and (ii) the date of the expiration of the right
to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof,
the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive
any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c) hereof, inclusive, and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-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) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of
the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right outstanding
immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the
right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of
a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-
hundredths of a share covered by a
17
Right immediately prior to this adjustment times (y) the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii)
dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-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 Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the
number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known
at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company 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 Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one 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.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record
18
date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any 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)
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, or (v) issuance of
rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter
made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares, shall not be taxable to
such stockholders.
(n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common
Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right
shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event times a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had
issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n)
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such
a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment. Whenever an adjustment is made
as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with
each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such
certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) in
accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
19
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has
become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
capital stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash
or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or
one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50 percent or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries (any such event described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) being
referred to herein as a "Flip-Over Event"), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that (A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise
provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied times the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such
term is hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens, encumbrances or other
adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price times the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Flip-Over Event (or, if a Flip-In Event has occurred prior to the first
occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, multiplying the number of such one one-
hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Flip-In Event times the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which,
following the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, shall be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2)
50 percent 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 consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter
be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that
the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event; (D) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights; and (E) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no
effect following the first occurrence of any Flip-Over Event. The Company shall
not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall
not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at
the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or
securities outstanding or any
20
agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such
transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly
apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the issuer
of any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted in
such transaction, or if there is more than one issuer, the issuer of Common
Shares with the greatest aggregate market value, and if no securities are
so issued, the Person that is the other party to such transaction, or if
there is more than one such Person, the Person having Common Shares with
the greatest aggregate market value; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Shares of such
Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the
preceding twelve-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange
Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of any Person the
Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party"
shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common
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.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of
Rights or distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company may pay 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 purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, 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 or admitted to trading 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
21
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the
Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of
Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares,
the Company may elect to (i) utilize a depository arrangement as provided by the
terms of the Preferred Shares or (ii) in the case of a fraction of a Preferred
Share (other than one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share or any integral
multiple thereof), 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 whole Preferred Share, if any are
outstanding and publicly traded (or the Formula Number then in effect times the
current market value of a whole Common Share if the Preferred Shares are not
outstanding and publicly traded). For purposes of this Section 14(b), the
current market value of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) shall be the closing
price of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise. If, as a result of an adjustment made
pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any securities other than Preferred Shares, the
provisions of this Section 14(b) shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on
like terms to such other securities.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise or exchange of a Right except as provided in this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common 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 Company 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 hereunder, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
22
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates will be
transferable, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, only on the registry books of the
Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the 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 Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or other person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by
a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligations; provided, however, the Company must use reasonable efforts to have
any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
reasonably practicable.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed, for any purpose, the holder of the Preferred Shares or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company,
including, without limitation, any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any other matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to
give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section
25 hereof), or to receive dividends or other distributions 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.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its
23
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.
(b) The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for and to hold
it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense incurred without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement including
the cost and expense of defending against any claim of liability in the
premises. This indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and expiration of the Rights issued hereunder.
(c) 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 the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case, at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
24
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), by their acceptance
thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other
Person only for its own gross 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 thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e)
hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner,
method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or
the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right
Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares 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 so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
25
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply
to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and
it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting
while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude the Rights Agent from
acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) The Company agrees to indemnify and to hold the Rights Agent harmless
against any loss, liability or expense (including reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel) that the Rights Agent may incur resulting from its actions as Rights
Agent pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that the Rights Agent shall
not be indemnified or held harmless with respect to any such loss, liability,
damage or expense incurred by the Rights Agent as a result of, or arising out
of, its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. In no case shall the
Company be liable with respect to any action, proceeding, suit or claim against
the Rights Agent unless the Rights Agent shall have notified the Company, by
letter or by facsimile confirmed by letter, of the assertion of any action,
proceeding, suit or claim against the Rights Agent, promptly after the Rights
Agent shall have notice of any such assertion of an action, proceeding, suit or
claim or have been served with the summons or other first legal process giving
information as to the nature and basis of the action, proceeding, suit or claim.
The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense
of any such action, proceeding, suit or claim, and, if the Company so elects,
the Company shall assume the defense of any such action, proceeding, suit or
claim. In the event that the Company assumes such defense, the Company shall
not thereafter be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
retained by the Rights Agent, so long as the Company shall retain counsel
satisfactory to the Rights Agent, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, to
defend such action, proceeding, suit or claim. The Rights Agent agrees not to
settle any litigation in connection with any action, proceeding,
26
suit or claim with respect to which it may seek indemnification from the Company
without the prior written consent of the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of
the Common Shares) by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, of the Common Shares) by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall
resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company
shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to
make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares)
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate or, prior to the
Distribution Date, the certificate representing his Common Shares, for
inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States
so long as such corporation is authorized to conduct a stock transfer or
corporate trust business in the State of New York), in good standing, having an
office or agency in the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws
to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50 million; provided that the principal transfer agent for the Common
Shares shall in any event be qualified to be the Rights Agent. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any
such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Shares). Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however,
or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates and Additional Rights.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board
27
of Directors of the Company to reflect any adjustment or change 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
Company (i) 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 Company, and (ii) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that no such Right Certificate shall be issued if,
and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and no
such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following the
Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the Shares Acquisition Date shall have occurred
prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day following the
Record Date) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than
all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the
Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such
time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the
Company in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section
23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price. Within ten (10) Business Days after
the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of
the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the holders of
the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders 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. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which payment of the Redemption Price will be made. The notice, if mailed in
the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly
given, whether or not the holder of Rights receives such notice. In any case,
failure to give such notice by mail, or any defect in the notice, to any
particular holder of Rights shall not affect the sufficiency of notice to other
holders of Rights. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates
may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner
other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24
hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to
the Distribution Date.
28
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, mandatorily exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that shall have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Shares 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 of the Company shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of
such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50 percent or more of the Common
Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section
24, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied times the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all 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 exchanged.
Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant
to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares) for
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 the number of Common Shares or Preferred Shares which
are issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued are not sufficient to
permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24, the Company may, at its option, take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares or Preferred Shares.
29
(e) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of
Common Shares upon exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 24 or distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such
fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would
otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Common Share for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24. For purposes of this
paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 11(d)(i) hereof).
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in
capital 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 regular
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 capital 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, 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 percent
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or 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 ten (10)
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
ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or
Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case a Flip-In Event shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as
practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of Common Shares), 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.
30
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
InterTAN Inc.
ββββ βββββββ #β
βββββ βββ
βββββββ, βββββββ, ββββββ βββ βββ
Attention: βββββββ β. βββββ
Vice-President, Secretary and General Counsel
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
BankBoston, N.A.
c/o EquiServe Limited Partnership
βββ ββββββ ββββββ
ββββββ, ββ βββββ
Attention: Client Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. At any time prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the last sentence of this Section 27, the
Company may by action of its Board of Directors, and the Rights Agent shall if
the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, the date upon which the Distribution Date shall
occur, the time during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 23
or any provision of the Certificate of Designations) in any manner without the
approval of any holder of the Rights. From and after the Distribution Date and
subject to applicable law, the Company may by action of its Board of Directors,
and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, from time to time
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any
provision contained in this Agreement which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provision of this Agreement or (ii) to make any other provisions
in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of the Rights or Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person). Any supplement or amendment
adopted during any period after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but
prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such
31
supplement or amendment could have been adopted under the prior sentence from
and after the Distribution Date. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may
at any time prior to the Distribution Date amend this Agreement to lower the
thresholds set forth in the definition of Acquiring Person in Section 1 hereof
and in Section 3(b) hereof to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of 0.001
percent and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known
by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10 percent. Upon the
delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment;
provided, however, that the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated to,
enter into any such supplement or amendment which affects its own rights, duties
or immunities under 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 the Common Shares of the Company. In addition, notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no supplement or amendment
to this Agreement shall be made which (i) reduces the Redemption Price (except
as required hereunder by appropriate adjustment to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of this
Agreement) or (ii) provides for an earlier Final Expiration Date.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, of 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 Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares).
Section 30. 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.
Section 31. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT CERTIFICATE
ISSUED HEREUNDER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER LAWS OF THE STATE
OF DELAWARE 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.
32
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
same instrument.
Section 33. 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 of this
Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
INTERTAN INC.
Attest:
By: /s/ βββββββ β. βββββ By: /s/ βββββ β. βββββββββ
---------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: βββββββ β. βββββ Name: βββββ β. βββββββββ
---------------------------- ---------------------------
Title: Vice President, Secretary & Title: Executive Vice President &
--------------------------- --------------------------
General Counsel Chief Financial Officer
BANKBOSTON, N.A.
Attest:
By: /s/ βββββββ β. βββββββ By: /s/ ββββββ β. βββββ
---------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: βββββββ β. βββββββ Name: ββββββ β. βββββ
---------------------------- ---------------------------
Title: Account Manager Title: Senior Account Manager
--------------------------- --------------------------
33
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
INTERTAN, INC.
____________________
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
____________________
INTERTAN, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Corporation") does hereby certify
as follows:
1. No shares of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par
value per share, of the Corporation (the "Series A Preferred Stock")
have been heretofore issued.
2. Pursuant to the authority conferred on the Board of Directors of the
Corporation by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
of the Corporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation") and in
accordance with Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, the Board of Directors of the Corporation on
September 8, 1999, adopted the following resolutions with respect to
the Series A Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation, with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock
authorized by the Board of Directors on December 26, 1986 and as amended
and restated by the Board of Directors on September 20, 1989, the
resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors on September 20, 1989 are
hereby amended and restated such that the designation and number of shares
of the Series A Preferred Stock and the voting and other powers,
preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights
of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions thereof, are as follows:
A-1
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock." The number of
shares initially constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 250,000;
provided, however, that if more than a total of 250,000 shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the "Rights")
issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 between
the Corporation and Bank Boston, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement"),
the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall direct by resolution or
resolutions that a certificate be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and
recorded providing for the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Certificate of
Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to
the nearest whole share) issuable upon exercise of such Rights.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of shares of
any other series of Preferred Stock or other class of stock of the Corporation
ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled
to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of the
assets of the Corporation legally available therefor, (i) quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter in each year, or such
other dates as the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall approve (each
such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in the amount
of $.01 per whole share (rounded to the nearest cent) less the amount of all
cash dividends declared on the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the
following clause (ii) since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the
first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock
(the total of which shall not, in any event, be less than zero) and (ii)
dividends payable in cash on the payment date for each cash dividend declared on
the Common Stock in an amount per whole share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to the Formula Number (as hereinafter defined) then in effect multiplied
times the cash dividends then to be paid on each share of Common Stock. In
addition, if the Corporation shall pay any dividend or make any distribution on
the Common Stock payable in assets, securities or other forms of noncash
consideration (other than dividends or distributions solely in shares of Common
Stock), then, in each such case, the Corporation shall simultaneously pay or
make on each outstanding whole share of Series A Preferred Stock a dividend or
distribution in like kind equal to the Formula Number then in effect multiplied
times such dividend or distribution on each share of the Common Stock. As used
herein, the "Formula Number" shall be 100; provided, however, that, if at any
time after September 20, 1999, the Corporation shall (x) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or make any
distribution on the Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (y) subdivide (by a
stock split or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Common
A-2
Stock into a larger number of shares of Common Stock or (z) combine (by a
reverse stock split or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such event the Formula
Number shall be adjusted to a number determined by multiplying the Formula
Number in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to such event (and rounding the
result to the nearest whole number); and provided further, that, if at any time
after September 20, 1999, the Corporation shall issue any shares of its stock in
a merger, reclassification, or change of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
then in each such event the Formula Number shall be appropriately adjusted to
reflect such merger, reclassification or change so that each share of Series A
Preferred Stock continues to be the economic equivalent of a Formula Number of
shares of Common Stock prior to such merger, reclassification or change.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section immediately prior
to or at the same time it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend or distribution solely in shares of Common Stock);
provided, however, that, in the event no dividend or distribution (other than a
dividend or distribution solely in shares of Common Stock) shall have been
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend
of $.01 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. The Board of Directors may
fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock entitled to receive a dividend or distribution declared thereon,
which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock from and after the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of original issue of such shares of Series A Preferred
Stock; provided, however, that dividends on such shares which are originally
issued after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and on or
prior to the next succeeding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative from and after such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on shares of Series A Preferred Stock
which are originally issued prior to the record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date shall be calculated as if
cumulative from and after the last day of the fiscal quarter next preceding the
date of original issuance of such shares. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding.
(d) So long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding,
no dividends or other distributions shall be declared, paid or distributed, or
set aside for payment or distribution,
A-3
on the Common Stock unless, in each case, the dividend required by this Section
2 to be declared on the Series A Preferred Stock shall have been declared.
(e) The holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be
entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions except as provided
herein.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Each holder of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to a number
of votes equal to the Formula Number then in effect, for each share of Series A
Preferred Stock held of record on each matter on which holders of the Common
Stock or stockholders generally are entitled to vote, multiplied times the
maximum number of votes per share which any holder of the Common Stock or
stockholders generally then have with respect to such matter (assuming any
holding period or other requirement to vote a greater number of shares is
satisfied).
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein or by applicable law, the holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock
shall vote together as one class for the election of directors of the
Corporation and on all other matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(c) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the election
of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends (whether or not
consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A Preferred Stock are in
default, the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the
Corporation shall be increased by two. In addition to voting together with the
holders of Common Stock for the election of other directors of the Corporation,
the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a
class to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled at such
meeting of stockholders (and at any subsequent annual meeting of stockholders),
unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for
payment prior thereto, to vote for the election of two directors of the
Corporation, the holders of any Series A Preferred Stock being entitled to cast
a number of votes per share of Series A Preferred Stock equal to the Formula
Number. Until the default in payments of all dividends which permitted the
election of such directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall have
been so elected pursuant to the next preceding sentence may be removed at any
time, either with or without cause, only by the affirmative vote of the holders
of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time entitled to cast a
majority of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of any such director
at a special meeting of such holders called for that purpose, and any vacancy
thereby created may be filled by the vote of such holders. If and when such
default shall cease to exist, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall
be divested of the foregoing special voting rights, subject to revesting in the
event of each and every subsequent like default in payments of dividends. Upon
the termination of the foregoing special voting rights, the terms of office of
all persons who have been elected directors pursuant to such special voting
rights shall forthwith terminate, and the number of directors constituting the
Board of Directors shall be reduced by two. The voting rights granted by this
Section 3(c) shall be
A-4
in addition to any other voting rights granted to the holders of the Series A
Preferred Stock in this Section 3.
(d) Except as provided in this Section 3, in Section 11 or by applicable
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for authorizing or taking
any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on,
or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on
any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to
the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock;
provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with
the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer
made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors)
to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors,
after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other
relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among
the respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
A-5
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled upon the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock, without designation as to series, and may thereafter be issued as part of
a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on
issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock of the Corporation or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary,
no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of stock ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date
of such payment, plus an amount equal to the greater of (x) $1.00 per whole
share and (y) an aggregate amount per share equal to the Formula Number then in
effect multiplied times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to
holders of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash or any other property, or any combination thereof, then in any
such case the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the
same time be similarly exchanged for or changed into an amount per share equal
to the Formula Number then in effect multiplied times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is exchanged or changed.
In the event both this Section 7 and Section 2 appear to apply to a transaction,
this Section 7 shall control.
Section 8. No Redemption; No Sinking Fund.
(a) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to
redemption by the Corporation; provided, however, that the Corporation may
purchase or otherwise acquire outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
the open market or by offer to any holder or holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock.
(b) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to or
entitled to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect
to the payment of dividends and as to distributions of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the
A-6
Corporation, junior to all other series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation,
unless the Board of Directors shall specifically determine otherwise in fixing
the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special
rights of the shares of any such other series and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions thereof.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. The Series A Preferred Stock shall be
issuable upon exercise of the Rights issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement in
whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one one-hundredth of a share
or any integral multiple of such fraction which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to receive dividends, exercise
voting rights, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other
rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares,
the Corporation, prior to the first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share
of Series A Preferred Stock, may elect (i) to make a cash payment as provided in
the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one one-hundredth of a
share or any integral multiple thereof or (ii) to issue depository receipts
evidencing such authorized fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Corporation and a depository
selected by the Corporation; provided that such agreement shall provide that
the holders of such depository receipts shall have all the rights, privileges
and preferences to which they are entitled as holders of the Series A Preferred
Stock.
Section 11. Amendment. None of the powers, preferences or relative,
participating, optional or other special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
as provided herein or in the Articles of Incorporation shall be amended in any
manner that would alter or change the powers, preferences, rights or privileges
of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3 percent of the
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the proper officers of the
Corporation be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to
execute a Certificate of Designations with respect to the
Series A Preferred Stock and to take all appropriate action
to cause such Certificate to become effective, including,
but not limited to, the filing and recording of such
Certificate with and/or by the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of
Designations to be duly executed in its corporate name on this ___ day of
September, 1999.
INTERTAN, INC.
By______________________________
Name:_________________________
Title:________________________
A-7
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ____________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 21, 2009, OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS
SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS ARE NULL AND VOID AND NONTRANSFERABLE.
Right Certificate
INTERTAN, INC.
This certifies that ______________________________, or registered assigns,
is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 8, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between InterTAN, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and BankBoston,
N.A., a national banking association, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"),
unless the Rights evidenced hereby have been previously redeemed by the Company,
to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as defined
in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Boston, Massachusetts time, on
September 21, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), at the principal office or
agency of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth
of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, no par value per share, of the Company (the "Preferred Shares"), at a
purchase price per one one-hundredth of a share equal to $85.00 (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase duly executed.
The Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased
upon exercise of each Right evidenced by this Right Certificate, as set forth
above, are the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be
purchased as of , 19 . As provided in the Rights Agreement, the
Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased upon the
exercise of each Right evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
reference to the Rights Agreement is hereby made for a full description of the
rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of
the
B-1
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office and agency of the
Rights Agent and are also available from the Company upon request.
If the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are at any time
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such
Rights shall be null and void and nontransferable and the holder of any such
Right (including any purported transferee or subsequent holder) shall not have
any right to exercise or transfer any such Right.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal stock transfer or corporate trust office of the
Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number and kind of shares as the Rights evidenced by
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price (in cash or shares of Common Stock or other securities of the
Company deemed by the Board of Directors of the Company to be at least
equivalent in value) of $.01 per Right (which amount may be subject to
adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at any time prior to the earlier
of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of a
Preferred Share (other than one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share or any
integral multiple thereof) or distribute certificates which evidence fractions
of a Preferred Share upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby.
In lieu of issuing fractional shares, the Company may elect to make a cash
payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than
one one-hundredth of a share or any integral multiple thereof or to issue
certificates or utilize a depository arrangement as provided in the terms of the
Rights Agreement and the Preferred Shares.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed, for any purpose, the holder of the Preferred
Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any right to
vote for the election of directors or upon any other matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or other distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the
Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as
provided in accordance with the provisions of the Rights Agreement.
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This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of:
[CORPORATE SEAL]
ATTEST: INTERTAN, INC.
__________________________ By___________________________
Name:_____________________ Name:______________________
Title:____________________ Title:_____________________
Countersigned:
BANKBOSTON, N.A.
By________________________
Authorized Signature
B-3
[On Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto __________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________ Attorney-in-
Fact, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ______________
___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer
Association recognized signature program.
Certification of Status
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Right Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned or
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement).
________________________________________
Signature
Dated: ______________
B-4
[On Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued]
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires
to exercise the Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: INTERTAN, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _____________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares (or other
shares) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates
for such shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ______________
___________________________________
Signature
B-5
[On Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued]
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer
Association recognized signature program.
Certification of Status
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Right Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being exercised by or on
behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement).
__________________________________
Signature
Dated: ______________
NOTICE
------
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as
the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
In the event the Certification of Status set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On September 8, 1999, the Board of Directors of InterTAN, Inc. (the
"Company") authorized and declared a dividend of one Right (a "Right") for each
outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share ("Common Stock"),
of the Company (the "Common Shares"). The dividend is payable on September 20,
1999 (the "Record Date") to the holders of record of the Common Shares at the
close of business on that date. In addition, the Company has authorized the
issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined). When exercisable each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value per share, of the Company
(the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $85.00 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description
and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights
Agreement") between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 15 percent or more of
the outstanding Common Shares and (ii) ten business days (or such later date as
may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to
such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an
Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or first public announcement of
an intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of
which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of 15 percent or more of the outstanding Common
Shares (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share
certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate
with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and
only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption
or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the
Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares, will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding on or
after the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of
Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
C-1
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on September 21, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
subject to redemption by the Company. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to
a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $.01 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 multiplied times the dividend declared
per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holder of the Preferred
Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1.00
per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 multiplied times
the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes,
voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger,
consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each
Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 multiplied times the amount
received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred Share
purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one
Common Share.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder
of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which
will thereafter be null and void and nontransferable), will thereafter have the
right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares of the Company
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the
event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50 percent or more of its consolidated assets or earning power
are sold after a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has become
an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so
C-2
that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of
shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such
transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right.
At any time after any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group
of 50 percent or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors
of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person
or group which will have become null and void and nontransferable), in whole or
in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred
stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject
to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least one
percent in such Purchase Price. The Company may, but shall not be required to,
issue fractions of a Preferred Share (other than one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share or any integral multiple thereof, which may, at the election of
the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the close of business on the tenth day following a
public announcement that an Acquiring Person has become such an Acquiring
Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. The time at which the Rights are redeemed by the Company is herein
referred to as the "Redemption Date." Immediately upon any redemption of the
Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
At any time prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the last sentence
of this paragraph, the terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including without limitation an amendment to lower certain thresholds described
above to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of 0.001 percent and the
largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to
be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
and (ii) ten percent. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to
applicable law, the terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors
of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights to, among other
things, make any other provisions in regard to matters under the Rights
Agreement that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than an
Acquiring Person or an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person). The terms
of the Rights may not be amended to (i) reduce the Redemption Price (except as
required by antidilution provisions) or (ii) provide for an earlier Final
Expiration Date.
C-3
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
The Preferred Shares shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends
and as to distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, junior to all other series of preferred stock of the Company,
unless the Board of Directors of the Company shall specifically determine
otherwise in fixing the powers, preferences and relative, participating,
optional and other special rights of the shares of any such other series and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
September 17, 1999. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
