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MONSANTO COMPANY
AND
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY N.A.
RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF DECEMBER 19, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section 1. Certain Definitions........................................ 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................ 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates................................ 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates................................. 5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.......................... 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Right Certificates....................................... 6
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights................................................ 7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates......... 8
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock............................ 8
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date................................ 9
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights......................................... 9
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares................................................... 15
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power......................................... 15
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.................... 16
Section 15. Rights of Action........................................... 17
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders................................. 18
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.......... 18
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................ 18
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.................................................... 19
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent..................................... 19
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent..................................... 21
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates......................... 22
Section 23. Redemption................................................. 22
Section 24. Exchange................................................... 23
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events................................... 24
Section 26. Notices.................................................... 25
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments................................. 25
Section 28. Successors................................................. 26
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement................................. 26
Section 30. Severability............................................... 26
Section 31. Governing Law.............................................. 27
Section 32. Counterparts............................................... 27
Section 33. Descriptive Headings....................................... 27
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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Agreement, dated as of December 19, 1999, between Monsanto Company,
a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and EquiServe Trust Company N.A. (the
"Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a "Right") for each share of
Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of
business on February 5, 2000 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the
right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (as
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each
share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and
the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, 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 (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall
be the Beneficial owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or
more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined)
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any person or entity holding Common Stock for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition
of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Stock of the Company
then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding by reason of stock purchases by the Company and shall, after
such stock purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Stock of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board
of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently,
and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of
shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of
this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has directly or indirectly, (A) the
right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in
writing (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these
Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the
right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or
consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the
Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule
13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of
Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then
outstanding," when used with
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reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of
the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then
issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M,
New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of Common Stock of par value of $2 per share of the
Company. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than
the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the
greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a
Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately
control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of
such entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d)
under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an
Acquiring Person has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such
Person.
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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 upon ten (10) days prior written notice to the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such Co-Rights Agent..
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth business day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors
prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of
the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company or any person or entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention
of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any
person or entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would
result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Stock aggregating
20% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock (including any such date which
is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders
thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and
not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right
Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Stock. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing
one Right for each share of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
(together with a copy of the Summary of Rights). Until the Distribution Date (or
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender
for transfer of any certificate for Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date,
with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
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thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Stock which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Stock referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Monsanto
Company and EquiServe Trust Company N.A., as Rights Agent, dated as
of December 19, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is
on file at the principal executive offices of Monsanto Company.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement,
such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. Monsanto Company will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in
the Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Stock after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no
longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase Preferred Stock and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as 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 22 hereof, the Right Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock set forth therein (the "Purchase
Price"), but the number of such one one-
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thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board or the
President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company under
the corporate seal of the Company; provided that the signature of such officers
upon the Right Certificates may be in the form of a facsimile signature and may
be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Right Certificates, the Company
hereby adopting as binding upon it such facsimile signatures, notwithstanding
the fact that at the time of the issuance of such Right Certificates such
officer shall have ceased to hold such office, and provided that the seal of the
Company may be in the form of a facsimile and may be imprinted or otherwise
reproduced on the Right Certificates. The Right Certificate shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned.
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 or places for surrendering of Right Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have became void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or
Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until such holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment set
forth on the reverse side of each such Right Certificate. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right
Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
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Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed and the certificate contained therein duly completed, to the
Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are
exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on February
5, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the
time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $250, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side
thereof duly executed and the certificate contained therein duly completed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder
of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified
check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the
Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer
agent of the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of shares of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
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(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless the registered holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate set forth on the reverse side of the Right
Certificate surrendered for such exercise.
(f) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Stock
or any Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred
Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights in accordance with this Section 7.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to 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 Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock. The Company covenants
and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that
all Preferred Stock delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Stock (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares.
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 Right Certificates or
of any Preferred Stock 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 Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Stock in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock upon the exercise of
any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable
by
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the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it
has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax
is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of
the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock for which the Rights shall
be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock covered
by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock
or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred 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; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have
a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance
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with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Stock, 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 number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing
that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the
Company's Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an
Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not
take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights
shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of
this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that
represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would
be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of
any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of
such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Stock
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional shares of Common Stock, the Company may
substitute, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon
exercise of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof
such that the current per share market price of one share of Preferred Stock
multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market
price of one share of Common Stock as of the date of issuance of such Preferred
Stock or fraction thereof.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred
stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred
stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock (or
having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less than the then current per share market
price of the Preferred Stock (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date,
the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
10
shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible);
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred 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, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred 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
then current per share market price of the Preferred 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 assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be
such current per share market price of the Preferred Stock; provided, however,
that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one
Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the
Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
11
Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per
share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market
price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
it the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not
publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Stock
shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Stock as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted
to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring
after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If neither the Common Stock
nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per
share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a
share of Preferred Stock or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so
12
receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time
to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Section 11(a)
through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with
respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other
shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the
number of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to
this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-thousandths of a Share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be
13
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Stock at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on Preferred
Stock payable in Preferred Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to
holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock) into
a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in any such case (A)
the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable
after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by
multiplying the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock so
purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
14
immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
share of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued
with respect to it that number of Rights which each share of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock
or the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment
occurs at any time after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to
each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying an any such certificate and on
any adjustment contained therein.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person
has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger or consolidation, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into
or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company)
or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its
wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall
be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price
equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then
exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of such other Person
(including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as
shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Stock of such other Person
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common
Stock shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a number of its shares of
Common Stock sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that
the provisions hereof
15
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company
shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13
if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments
or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result
of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially
diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of
this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or
sales or other transfers.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, 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.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of one Right) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which
are such integral multiples). Fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in such
integral multiples may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company
and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide
that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not such integral multiples, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates
16
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 Preferred
Stock. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a
share of Preferred Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred
Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof and the rights of action, if any, given to the Rights Agent
under Section 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right 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 Right 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 Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person
in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof
and of the Rights evidenced thereby notwithstanding any notations of ownership
or writing on the Right 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 shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary.
17
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred 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 Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay
to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the
termination of this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder
services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be
the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto;
provided, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
18
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and In case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall
be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as
to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or
suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence
in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Executive, Senior, Group or
other Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact of recitals contained in this Agreement or
in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and
shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery
hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect
of the validity or execution of any
19
Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition
contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be
responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including
the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or
amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change
or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after actual written notice that such change or
adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to
make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation
of any Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Stock will, when issued,
be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged
and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances
as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or
performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any
Executive, Senior, Group or other Vice President, the Secretary or the
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for
any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting
for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or
lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though
it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the
Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either
itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent
shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or
misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided
reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
(j) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in
the form of assignment or the
20
form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response
to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further
action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first
consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified
mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days'
notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the
case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock
by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long as
such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the
State of New York), in good standing, having an office in the State of New York,
which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock
transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
21
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made
effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to
all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire
or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common stock prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the number
of Rights pursuant to Section 11(i) (such exchange ratio being hereinafter
referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board
of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common
Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
22
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a
notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at
its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock, as
such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for
Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock
(or equivalent preferred stock) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction with
respect to the Common Stock after the date hereof.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Stock
or Preferred Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the current
market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a
share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange
pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall,
at any time after the Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend payable
in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred
Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than
a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Stock), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
23
winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of
such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to
the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever
shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Monsanto Company
βββ βββββ βββββββββ βββββββββ
ββ. βββββ, ββββββββ βββββ
Attention: Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to EquiServe Trust Company N.A. at the address specified in writing
to the Company.
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
24
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may in its sole
and absolute discretion from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any
ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other
provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed
by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the Rights Agent
shall execute any such supplement or amendment only if (i) it shall have been
provided a certificate signed by an appropriate officer of the Company stating
that the supplement or amendment is consistent with this Section 27, and (ii) in
the case of any such supplement or amendment to Section 18 or 20 of this
Agreement that restricts the rights or expands the duties of the Rights Agent,
the Rights Agent shall have given its express written consent; and provided,
further, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the foregoing,
the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in
Sections 1(a) and 3(a) hereof to not less than 10% (the "Reduced Threshold");
provided, however, that no Person who beneficially owns a number of Common
Shares equal to or greater than the Reduced Threshold shall become an Acquiring
Person unless such Person shall, after the public announcement of the Reduced
Threshold, increase its beneficial ownership of the then outstanding Common
Shares (other than as a result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company) to an amount equal to or greater than the greater of (x) the Reduced
Threshold or (y) the sum of (i) the lowest beneficial ownership of such Person
as a percentage of the outstanding Common Shares as of any date on or after the
date of the public announcement of such Reduced Threshold plus (ii) .001%.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, 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 Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
25
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.
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.
26
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
MONSANTO COMPANY
By: /s/ βββββββ β. ββββββββββ
-----------------------------------------
Name: βββββββ β. ββββββββββ
Title: President and Chief Operating
Officer
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY N.A.
By: /s/ βββββ ββββββββ
-----------------------------------------
Name: βββββ ββββββββ
Title: Authorized Representative
27
Exhibit A
---------
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER FEBRUARY 5, 2010 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT
TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.001
PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO
ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) MAY BECOME NULL AND
VOID.
Right Certificate
MONSANTO COMPANY
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 December 19, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Monsanto Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and EquiServe
Trust Company N.A. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on February 5, 2010 at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid nonassessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value (the
"Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $250.00 per one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and the certificate on the reverse hereof, duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon
exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are
the number and Purchase Price as of December 19, 1999, based on the Preferred
Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the
Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening
of certain events.
This Right 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 Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights
A-1
Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the
above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If
this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled
to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for Preferred Stock or shares of the Company's Common Stock of par value of
$2 per share.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of one Right, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder, as such, of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give 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 Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _________________, 20__.
ATTEST: MONSANTO COMPANY
By
-------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Secretary Title:
A-2
Countersigned:
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY N.A.
By
-----------------------------
Authorized Signature
A-3
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ___________________, 20__
______________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of
a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.
Dated: ___________________, 20__ ______________________________________
Signature
A-4
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Right Certificate.)
To MONSANTO COMPANY
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Stock be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: _____________________________20__
______________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
A-5
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of
a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.
Dated: _________________________20__ ______________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
------
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchaser, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-6
Exhibit B
---------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
Introduction
------------
On December 19, 1999, the Board of Directors of our Company,
Monsanto Company, a Delaware corporation, declared a dividend of one preferred
share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par
value $2.00 per share. The dividend is payable on February 5, 2000 to the
stockholders of record on February 5, 2000. These rights will replace preferred
share purchase rights that will expire on February 5, 2000.
Our Board has adopted this Rights Agreement to protect stockholders
from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. In general terms, it works
by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group which acquires 20% or
more of our outstanding common stock without the approval of our Board. The
Rights Agreement should not interfere with any merger or other business
combination approved by our Board.
For those interested in the specific terms of the Rights Agreement
as made between our Company and EquiServe Trust Company N.A., as the Rights
Agent, as of December 19, 1999, we provide the following summary description.
Please note, however, that this description is only a summary, and is not
complete, and should be read together with the entire Rights Agreement, which
has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a
Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated December 30, 1999. A copy of the
agreement is available free of charge from our Company.
The Rights. Our Board authorized the issuance of a Right with respect to each
issued and outstanding share of common stock on February 5, 2000. The Rights
will initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the common stock. The
Rights are evidenced only by certificates that represent shares of common stock.
New Rights will accompany any new shares of common stock we issue after February
5, 2000 until the Distribution Date described below.
Exercise Price. Each Right will allow its holder to purchase from our Company
one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
("Preferred Share") for $250.00, once the Rights become exercisable. This
portion of a Preferred Share will give the stockholder approximately the same
dividend and liquidation rights as would one share of common stock. Prior to
exercise, the Right does not give its holder any dividend, voting, or
liquidation rights.
Exercisability. The Rights will not be exercisable until
o 10 days after the public announcement that a person or group has become an
"Acquiring Person" by obtaining beneficial ownership of 20% or more of our
outstanding common stock, or, if earlier,
B-1
o 10 business days (or a later date determined by our Board before any person
or group becomes an Acquiring Person) after a person or group begins a tender
or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in that person or group
becoming an Acquiring Person.
We refer to the date when the Rights become exercisable as the
"Distribution Date." Until that date, the common stock certificates will also
evidence the Rights, and any transfer of shares of common stock will constitute
a transfer of Rights. After that date, the Rights will separate from the common
stock and be evidenced by book-entry credits or by Rights certificates that we
will mail to all eligible holders of common stock. Any Rights held by an
Acquiring Person are void and may not be exercised.
Our Board may reduce the threshold at which a person or group
becomes an Acquiring Person from 20% to not less than 10% of the outstanding
common stock.
Consequences of a Person or Group Becoming an Acquiring Person.
---------------------------------------------------------------
o Flip In. If a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, all holders of
Rights except the Acquiring Person may, for $250.00, purchase shares of our
common stock with a market value of $500.00, based on the market price of the
common stock prior to such acquisition.
o Flip Over. If our Company is later acquired in a merger or similar
transaction after the Rights Distribution Date, all holders of Rights except
the Acquiring Person may, for $250.00, purchase shares of the acquiring
corporation with a market value of $500.00, based on the market price of the
acquiring corporation's stock, prior to such merger.
Preferred Share Provisions.
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Each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued:
o will not be redeemable.
o will entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $.001 per share, or an
amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of common stock, whichever is
greater.
o will entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $0.10 per share or an
amount equal to the payment made on one share of common stock, whichever is
greater.
o will have the same voting power as one one-thousandth of a share of
common stock.
o if shares of our common stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation, or a
similar transaction, will entitle holders to a per share payment equal to the
payment made on one share of common stock.
The value of one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share should approximate
the value of one share of common stock.
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Expiration. The Rights will expire on February 5, 2010.
Redemption. Our Board may redeem the Rights for $.001 per Right at any time
before any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person. If our Board redeems any
Rights, it must redeem all of the Rights. Once the Rights are redeemed, the only
right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price of $.001
per Right. The redemption price will be adjusted if we have a stock split or
stock dividends of our common stock.
Exchange. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, but before an
Acquiring Person owns 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, our Board
may extinguish the Rights by exchanging one share of common stock or an
equivalent security for each Right, other than Rights held by the Acquiring
Person.
Anti-Dilution Provisions. Our Board may adjust the purchase price of the
Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares issuable and the number of
outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a
stock split, a reclassification of the Preferred Shares or common stock. No
adjustments to the Exercise Price of less than 1% will be made.
Amendments. The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by our Board
without the consent of the holders of the Rights. However, our Board may not
amend the Rights Agreement to lower the threshold at which a person or group
becomes an Acquiring Person to below 10% of our outstanding common stock. In
addition, the Board may not cause a person or group to become an Acquiring
Person by lowering this threshold below the percentage interest that such person
or group already owns. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, our
Board may not amend the agreement in a way that adversely affects holders of the
Rights.
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