EXHIBIT 4
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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LUMBER CO.
and
REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER COMPANY
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of February 16, 2000
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Table of Contents
Section
Page
1. Certain Definitions...................................................1
2. Appointment of Rights Agent...........................................5
3. Issue of Rights Certificates..........................................5
4. Form of Rights Certificates...........................................7
5. Countersignature and Registration.....................................8
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Rights Certificates.................................................8
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.........9
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates..................11
9. Reservation and Availability of Common Stock.........................11
10. Common Stock Record Date.............................................13
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights................................................13
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares...........22
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power......................................................22
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..............................25
15. Rights of Action.....................................................26
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16. Agreement of Rights Holders..........................................26
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...................27
18. Concerning the Rights Agent..........................................27
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent............28
20. Duties of Rights Agent...............................................28
21. Change of Rights Agent...............................................30
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates..................................31
23. Redemption and Termination...........................................32
24. Notice of Certain Events.............................................33
25. Notices..............................................................33
26. Supplements and Amendments...........................................34
27. Successors...........................................................35
28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc............35
29. Benefits of this Agreement...........................................35
30. Severability.........................................................35
31. Governing Law........................................................36
32. Counterparts.........................................................36
33. Descriptive Headings.................................................36
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of February 16, 2000 (the
"Agreement"), between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lumber Co., a Michigan corporation (the
"Company") and Registrar and Transfer Company, a New Jersey corporation (the
"Rights Agent").
W I T N E S E T H
WHEREAS, on January 26, 1990, the Board of Directors of
the Company authorized the Rights Agreement, dated as of January 26, 1990,
between the Company and the Rights Agent named therein (the "1990 Rights
Agreement") and authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right
(a "1990 Right") for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of
the Company outstanding at the close of business on February 15, 1990 (the
"1990 Record Date"). Each 1990 Right represents the right to purchase one
share of Common Stock, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in the 1990 Rights Agreement;
WHEREAS, on February 4, 2000 the Board of Directors of
the Company determined that since the Rights outstanding under the 1990
Rights Agreement expire on February 15, 2000, it is desirable and in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders for the Company to extend the
benefits afforded by the 1990 Rights Agreement and to implement such
extension by executing this Agreement;
WHEREAS, on February 4, 2000 (the "Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and
declared a dividend distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for
each share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the
"Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business on February 16, 2000
(the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11
hereof) for each one share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the
Record Date and the Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the
right to purchase one share of Common Stock of the Company upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall at any time
be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of
the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the
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Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan, (v) the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Family Trust created under a Trust
Agreement dated June 30, 1977 or (vi) any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, inadvertently may become the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company
or otherwise becomes such a Beneficial Owner without a plan or intention to
acquire control of the Company, so long as such Person, individually or
together with the Affiliates and Associates of such Person, promptly enters
into, and delivers to the Company, an irrevocable commitment promptly to
divest, and thereafter promptly divests (without exercising or retaining any
power, including voting, with respect to such shares, sufficient shares of
Common Stock of the Company so that such Person, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, ceases to be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the Common Stock of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of
Common Stock of the Company by the Company which, by reducing the amount of
such shares outstanding, increases the percentage of such shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock; provided, however, that if a Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of
Common stock constituting 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock of the Company by reason of purchases by the Company and shall, after
such purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock of the Company without the prior written approval of
the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(c) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared to
be an Adverse Person by the Board of Directors upon a determination that the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person.
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in
effect on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has
the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion
rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own" (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by such Person or any of such
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Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and
after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights
were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date
or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the
"Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof
in connection with an adjustment made with respect to
any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has
the right to vote or dispose of or has "beneficial
ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement
or understanding, whether or not in writing; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own" any
security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also
then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
(iii) or which are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph (e)) or disposing of any voting securities of
the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this
paragraph (e) shall cause a person engaged in business
as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own" any securities
acquired through such person's participation in good
faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such
acquisition.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of
Michigan are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean
5:00 P.M., Detroit time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date
is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Detroit time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
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(h) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par
value $1.00 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital
stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities
or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of
such Person.
(i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a,) hereof.
(j) "Exchange, Act" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1(d) hereof.
(k) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(l) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of
business on February 15, 2010.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership or other entity.
(n) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(o) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(p) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date
of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under
the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(q) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any
Person, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to
elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
(r) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or any Section 13 Event.
Any determination required by the definitions contained
in this Section 1 shall be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in
their good faith judgment, which determination shall be binding and may be
conclusively relied upon by the Rights Agent.
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Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company
hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the
holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior
to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby
accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such
Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on
the tenth business day after the Stock Acquisition Date, (ii) the close of
business on the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of
Directors shall determine) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or
any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or
given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding or (iii) the close of business on the tenth business day
after the Board of Directors of the Company determines, pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an
Adverse Person (the earliest of (i), (ii) or (iii) being herein referred to
as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the
Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock
(which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates
for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). The Company will advise
the Rights Agent in writing of the date of the Distribution Date. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more right certificates,
in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Rights Certificates"),
evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number
of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11
hereof, at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates, the Company
shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance
with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only
whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights,
in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the
Common Stock as of the close
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of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the
registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders
of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer
of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which
Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of
Common Stock which are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing
such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for
Rights, and shall bear the following legend (or the legend required under the
1990 Rights Agreement):
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lumber Co. (the "Company") and
Registrar and Transfer Company (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of February 16, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement,
such Rights may be redeemed, may expire or may be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to
the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any
Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or any Affiliate or Associates thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or
by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend (or the
legend required under the 1990 Rights Agreement) until the earlier of (i) the
Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone, and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
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Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election
to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof)
shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as
are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation
made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on
which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and
on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
shares of Common Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth
therein (such exercise price per share, herein referred to as the "Purchase
Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise
of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment
as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate that represents Rights
beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after such Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding
the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the
Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any
Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment
of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain
(to the extent feasible) the following legend, modified as applicable to
apply to such person:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or
were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and
void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of
the Rights Agreement.
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PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the absence of such legend on any Rights Certificate
shall not prevent the terms of this Agreement from applying to the Rights
represented by such Rights Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf
of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The
Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned (or by facsimile if
permitted by law) by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose
unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery
by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned
by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same
force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had
not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may
be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of
the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the
execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent
will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated
as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise
or transfer books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates
issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date and certificate
number of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of shares of Common
Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash
and/or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall
make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall
surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither
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the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates
or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation
of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver
a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for
countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the
restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii)
and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of
election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the
aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of shares (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i)
the close of business on the Final Expiration Date, or (ii) the time at which
the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i)
and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each share of Common Stock
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so
exercised, of the Purchase Price for the Common Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets as the case may
9
be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable
transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof,
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares
of Common Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent
for such shares) certificates for the total number of shares of Common Stock
to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have
elected to deposit the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from
the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of shares
of Common Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
shares of Common Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depository agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the
Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares
in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate,
registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and
(iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order
of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the
Purchase Price (as such amount may be adjusted pursuant to Section 7(b)
hereof or reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in
cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of the
Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities
of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such
other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution
by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right
to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon exercise
of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Common Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be executed and delivered by the Company to the Rights
Agent which will deliver such certificate to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of
Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person,
or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person,
(ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person to
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holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become
null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall
have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any
provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any
holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to
make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person or any of their respective Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence
of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side
of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of
exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered
to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for
cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent,
shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu
thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this
Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and
retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized
and unissued shares of other securities), the number of shares of Common
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, other securities)
that, as provided in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights. In
the event that the Company determines that it does not have available out of
its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock a sufficient number of
shares to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights, it will
forthwith at the next annual meeting of
11
stockholders of the Company after such determination has been made seek
authorization for such additional shares. Provided, however, if the Rights
become exercisable prior to obtaining such stockholder authorization, the
Company shall deliver a due ▇▇▇▇ or other appropriate instrument evidencing
the right to receive shares of Common Stock upon obtaining such
authorization.
(b) So long as the shares of Common Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights are qualified to be listed on
any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to
cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares
reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice
of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file,
as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by
the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance
with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following
the Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the
Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on an appropriate form, provided, however the Company shall not be required
to file such a registration statement if it determines that a registration
statement is not required, (ii) cause such registration statement, if
required, to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement, if required, to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until
the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable
for such securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take
such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the
securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend for a
period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in
clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of
the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and
permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall
issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the
Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until such time as the registration statement has been declared
effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite
qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until a
registration statement has been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that shares of Common Stock
(and following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
12
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it
will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes
and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of
the Rights Certificates and of any certificates for shares of Common Stock
(or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a
Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of shares of
Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any
certificates for a number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, as
the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction
that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Common Stock Record Date. Each person in
whose name any certificate for a number of shares of Common Stock (or other
securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares
of Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby
and, any such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of
the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Stock (or other securities, as
the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with
respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including,
without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled
to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided
herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and
Kind of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind
of shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any
time on or after the date of this Agreement (A) declare
a dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (B)
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subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in
a reclassification of the Common Stock (including any
such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in
this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind
of shares of Common Stock or capital stock, as the case
may be, issuable on such date, shall, be proportionately
adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after
such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of
the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number
and kind of shares of Common Stock or capital stock, as
the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Common Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he
would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both this
Section 11 (a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall
be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(ii) in the event:
(A) any Person alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring
Person, unless the event causing the Person to become an
Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section
13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of Common
Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price
and on terms determined by the Board of Directors, after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking
firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to
stockholders (taking into account all factors which the
members of the Board deem relevant including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if
the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis
designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders,
or
14
(B) the Board of Directors of the Company
shall declare any Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a
determination that such Person, alone or together with
its Affiliates and Associates, has, at any time after
the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the
Beneficial Owner of an amount of Common Stock which the
Board of Directors determines to be substantial (which
amount shall in no event be less than 10% of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding) and a determination by
the Board of Directors, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons
as the directors shall deem appropriate, that (a) such
Beneficial Ownership by such Person is intended to cause
the Company to repurchase the Common Stock beneficially
owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company
to take action or enter into a transaction or series of
transactions intended to provide such Person with
short-term financial gain under circumstances where the
Board of Directors determines that the best long term
interests of the Company and its stockholders would not
be served by taking such action or entering into such
transactions or series of transactions at that time or
(b) such Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably
likely to cause a material adverse impact (including,
but not limited to, impairment of relationships with
customers or impairment of the Company's ability to
maintain its competitive position) on the business or
prospects of the Company,
then, promptly following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as
provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall
equal the result obtained by (X) multiplying the then current Purchase Price
by the then number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence,
shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and
for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment
Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares
of Common Stock which are authorized by the Company's
articles of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights
15
are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment
Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the
"Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such
excess, 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) Common Stock or 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 shares of Common Stock
(such shares of preferred stock, "common stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5)
other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing,
having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value,
where such aggregate value has been determined by the
Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice
of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company;
provided, however, if the Company shall not have made
adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause
(B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of
(x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
and (y) the date on which the Company's right of
redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later
of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger, Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of
a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available)
and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash
have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the
Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional
shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the
Company may seek stockholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such period, as
it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action
needs to 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
16
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 issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of
the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any
"common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the
same value as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all
holders of Common Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a
period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date)
Common Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as
the shares of Common Stock ("equivalent Common Stock") or securities
convertible into Common Stock or equivalent common stock at a price per share
of Common Stock or per share of equivalent Common Stock (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Stock or
equivalent Common Stock) less than the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on such record
date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
shares of Common Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number
of shares of Common Stock and/or equivalent Common Stock so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities
so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the
denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Common Stock and/or equivalent Common Stock to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid by
delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than
cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Common Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or
warrants are not so issued, the
17
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be
in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Common Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of
the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Common Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Common Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock 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 cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of
such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Common Stock
and the denominator of which shall be such current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed,
and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if
such record date had not been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the
thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share
of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices' per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive
Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the
event that the current market price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable
in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such
Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set
forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or
the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then,
and in each such case, the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted
to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular
way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed or
18
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of
Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to
trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted sale 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 Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a
day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares
of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction
of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common
Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price"
per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment
would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth
of a share of Common Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date
of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration
Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter
exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other
than Common Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable
upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Common Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m) , and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Common
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
19
(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
shares of Common Stock (or other consideration, as the case may be)
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all
subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election
as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price,
that number of shares of Common Stock (calculated to the nearest
ten-thousandth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of shares covered
by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii)
dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of
any adjustment in the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of shares of Common
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.
Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights
shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price
in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company
shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. The record date may be the
date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have
been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date,
the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of
such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be
distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear,
at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on
the record date specified in the public announcement.
20
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price or the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of
shares which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value of the shares
of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary
in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable shares of Common Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require
that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record
date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised
after such record date the number of shares of Common Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over
and above the number of shares of Common Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ▇▇▇▇ or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
of Common Stock and other capital stock or securities upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board
of Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any
(i) consolidation or subdivision of the Common Stock, (ii) issuance wholly
for cash of any shares of Common Stock at less than the current market price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Common Stock or securities which
by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common
Stock, (iv) stock dividends of the Company's Common Stock or (v) issuance of
rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11 hereafter made by
the Company to holders of its Common Stock shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not,
at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other
Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to
sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning
power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other
Person or Persons
21
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements
in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale,
the shareholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its
Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section
26 hereof, take (or permit any subsidiary to take) any action if at the time
such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will
diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
(p) The failure by the Board of Directors of the Company
to declare a Person to be an Adverse Person following such Person becoming
the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Stock shall not
imply that such Person is not an Adverse Person or limit the Board of
Directors right at any time in the future to declare such Person to be an
Adverse Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11
and Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate
setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting
for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each
transfer agent for the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail
a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior
to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares
of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall
be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment
therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company
in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company
shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or
merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with,
or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection
with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities
of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall
sell or otherwise transfer
22
(or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case
(except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision
shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully
paid, non-assessable and freely tradable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such shares of Common Stock
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by, the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following
the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by
(2) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of
consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this
Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take
such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient
number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of
any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation
to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the
Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(iii) hereof shall be of no
effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described
in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section
13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities
into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no
securities are so Issued, the Person that is the other
party to such merger or consolidation; and
23
(ii) in the case of any transaction described
in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a),
the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer
to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly
or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of
which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the
greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale, or transfer unless the Principal Party shall
have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have
not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the
Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the
Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon
as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets
mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause
such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights
historical financial statements of the Principal Party
and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects
with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
(iii) use its best efforts to qualify the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights for sale under the state securities or Blue
Sky laws in all appropriate states.
24
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers
or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13
Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter
become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
[(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common
Stock which complies with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)(A) hereof (or a
wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons) (ii) the price per
share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price
per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose
shares were purchased pursuant to such tender or exchange offer and (iii) the
form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of
Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of
consideration paid pursuant to such tender or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.]
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional
Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights, would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes
of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The
closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular
way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights
are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Rights selected by the Board 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.
25
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of
fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered
holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as
herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(b), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the
Rights expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this
Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in
respect of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may,
in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and
in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available
to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of
Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this
Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations
hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of
the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement. Holders of
Rights shall also be entitled to recover their reasonable attorney's fees
incurred in enforcing this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of
a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates
are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
26
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the
Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last
sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability
to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such
order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled
to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
number of shares of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which
may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented
thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be
construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withholder consent to any corporate action, or
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from
time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights
27
Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability
in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur
no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed it by it to be genuine and to
be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the
proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of
the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any
paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided,
however 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 Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent
shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have
been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in its prior name or in its chanced name; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders
of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance hereof, shall be bound:
28
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who
may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall
be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to
any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact
or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring
Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for
its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by
reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this
Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same
(except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the
Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution
and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or
in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); or shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for
the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after
actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock or other securities to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any
shares of Common Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights
29
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed
to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President,
the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for an
action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell, or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or
lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it
were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the
Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any
other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either
itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall
not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct
of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from
any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable
care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the
Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the
case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative
response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any
further action with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without
first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under
this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the
Company, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights
30
Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (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 Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the
Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable
of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30)
days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in
writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated
Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company) then any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States or of the States of New Jersey, New York or Michigan (or of any
other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to
do business in the States of New Jersey, New York or Michigan), is in good
standing, is registered as a Transfer Agent in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Exchange Act and is qualified to act as a Transfer Agent
under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties
and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent
without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver
and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by
it hereunder and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any
such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and
mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to
the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors
to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or
kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the
Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common
Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or
expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of
Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
under any employee plan or arrangement outstanding, granted or awarded as of
the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case,
if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company,
issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company
shall
31
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall
be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise
have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(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 business day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
Acquisition Date shall have occurred, prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on the tenth business day following the Record Date), or (ii) the
Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors may not redeem any Rights following its
declaration that any person is an Adverse Person. If, following the
occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the
right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (x) a person
who is an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or otherwise disposed of a
number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or series of
transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering Event
such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 10% or less of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (y) there are no other Persons,
immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause (x),
who are Acquiring Persons, then the right of redemption shall be reinstated
and thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section 23.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the
Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) event until such time as the Company's right of redemption
hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the "current market price",
as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of
redemption or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board
of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of
which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further
action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the
action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the
Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the
holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such
holders at each holder's last. address as it appears 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 Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
32
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be
made.
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after
the Distribution. Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class
to the holders of Common Stock or to make any other distribution to the
holders of Common Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the
holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase
any additional shares of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Common Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares
of Common Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other
transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or
other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each
of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock, if any such date is to
be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered
by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record
date for determining holders of the shares of Common Stock for purposes of
such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20)
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock whichever
shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent
feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the occurrence
of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the
event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of
any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
33
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lumber Co.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Registrar and Transfer Company
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Rights Agent
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26,
the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement
or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders
of certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26,
the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement
or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen
any time period hereunder, or (iv) to chance or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of such Person); provided, this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at
such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period
unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or
clarifying the Rights and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. 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 26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no
34
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the
Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of shares of Common
Stock for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 27. 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 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining this particular percentage of such
outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial
Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary
or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or
not to redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done
or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders
of the Rights.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any terms, provision,
covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be
affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision,
covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid,
void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in
its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this
Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the
right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and
35
shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the
date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 31. Governing Law. The Agreement, each Right and
each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract
made under the laws of the State of Michigan and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State
applicable to contracts made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all
purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall
together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 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 hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LUMBER CO.
By By
--------------------- ---------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Honoman ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Secretary President
REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER
COMPANY
By By
--------------------- ---------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
36
Exhibit A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- Rights
----------------------
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER FEBRUARY 16, 2010 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. UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER
OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
[ACQUIRING] [ADVERSE] PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE
OF AN [ACQUIRING] [ADVERSE] PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME
NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION
7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LUMBER CO.
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 February 16,
2000 (the "Rights Agreement"), between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lumber Co., a Michigan
corporation (the "Company"), and Registrar and Transfer Company, a New Jersey
corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time
prior to 5:00 P.M. (Detroit time) on February 15, 2010 at the office of or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as
Rights Agent, one fully paid, non-assessable share of Common Stock (the
"Common
----------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $50.00 per share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed.
The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of
shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the
Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price
as of February 16, 2000, based on the Common Stock as constituted at such
date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Common Stock will
be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring
Person, Adverse Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person
who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person, such Rights shall become null
and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such
Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number of shares of Common Stock or other securities, which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement).
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description
of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights
Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of
the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth
in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon
written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Common Stock as the
Rights evidenced, by the Rights Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall
be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender
hereof
2
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole
Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may (unless the Board of Directors shall have
made a determination that a Person is an Adverse Person) be redeemed by the
Company at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time
prior to the earlier of the close of business on (i) the tenth business day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended
pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. After
the expiration of the redemption period, the Company's right of redemption
may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial ownership to
10% or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a transaction or
series of transactions not involving the Company.
No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Common
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such,
any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or,
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
3
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company.
Dated as of ___________________
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LUMBER CO.
_______________________________ By _________________________
Secretary Title
Countersigned:
REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER COMPANY
By ___________________________
Authorized Signature
4
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:_____________________
______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the
appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person
5
who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated:__________________ _______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate)
To: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LUMBER CO.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name
of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ______________________
________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
7
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: ___________________________ ______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
8
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON STOCK
On February 4, 2000, the Board of Directors of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lumber Co. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Common Stock to stockholders of record at the close of
business on February 16, 2000. Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock, $1.00 value per share
(the "Common Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $50 per share, subject to
adjustment ("Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights are
set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company
and Registrar and Transfer Company, a New Jersey corporation, as Rights
Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the
right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), (ii) 10 business days
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of such
outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) 10 business days after the Board
of Directors of the Company determines any person, alone or together with its
affiliates and associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of an amount of
Common Stock which the Board of Directors determines to be substantial (which
amount shall in no event be less than 10% of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding) and the Board of Directors, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons as the directors
shall deem appropriate, shall determine that (a) such beneficial ownership by
such person is intended to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock
beneficially owned by such person or to cause pressure on the Company to take
action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions intended to
provide such person with short-term financial gain under circumstances where
the Board of Directors determines that the best long-term interests of the
Company and its stockholders would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time or (b)
such beneficial ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material
adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships
with customers or impairment of the Company's ability to maintain its
competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company (any such
person being referred to herein and in the Rights Agreement as an Adverse
Person").
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after
February 16, 2000 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement
by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on February 15, 2010, unless earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined
by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) a Person becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the Board of Directors
determines after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms
to be fair to stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company
and its stockholders) or (ii) the Board of Directors determines that a person
is an Adverse Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right
to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing,
following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this paragraph,
all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
will be null and void.
For example, at an exercise price of $50 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person or by an Adverse Person (or by certain related
parties) following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would
entitle its holder to purchase $100 worth of Common Stock (or other
consideration, as noted above) for $50. Assuming that the Common Stock had a
per share value of $25 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase four shares of Common Stock for $50.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a consolidation or merger in which the Company
is not the surviving corporation or (ii) another person shall consolidate or
merge with or into the Company and the Company shall be the surviving
corporation and in connection therewith all or part of the shares of Common
Stock are exchanged for securities, cash or property of any other person, or
(iii) more than 50% of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or
transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph
and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering
Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event
of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of,
the Common Stock, (ii) if holders of the Common Stock are granted certain
rights, options or warrants to subscribe for Common Stock or convertible
securities at less than the current market price of the Common Stock, or
(iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
2
Common Stock of evidences of indebtedness, cash (excluding regular quarterly
cash dividends), assets or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
In general, at any time until 10 business days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights at a price of $.01 per
Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors). The Company may not redeem the Rights
if the Board of Directors has previously declared a person to be an Adverse
Person. After the redemption period has expired but prior to any Triggering
Event, the Company's right of redemption may be reinstated if (i) an
Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial ownership to 10% or less of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock in a transaction or series of transactions
not involving the Company and (ii) there are no other persons who are
Acquiring Persons. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only
right of the holders of the Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption
price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of
the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After
the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board of Directors in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes
which do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights, or to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption
shall be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to its Current Report on Form 8-K. 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
incorporated herein by reference.
3