EXHIBIT 99.2
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
between
ONEOK, Inc.
and
UMB Bank, N.A., as
Rights Agent
Dated as of ________ __, 2003
Page
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent........................................5
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates........................................5
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate..........................................7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration..................................8
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and
Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Right Certificate...........................................8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights......9
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates................12
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.....................12
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date......................................13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights...............................................13
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares........21
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power................................................21
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...........................24
Section 15. Rights of Action..................................................25
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders........................................25
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.................26
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.......................................26
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.........27
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................................28
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................................30
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates................................31
Section 23. Redemption and Termination........................................32
Section 24. Exchange..........................................................33
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..........................................34
Section 26. Notices...........................................................35
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments........................................35
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc..........36
Section 29. Successors........................................................36
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement........................................37
Section 31. Severability......................................................37
Section 32. Governing Law.....................................................37
Section 33. Counterparts......................................................37
Section 34. Descriptive Headings..............................................37
EXHIBIT A Form of Right Certificate
EXHIBIT B Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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DEFINED TERM CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
Acquiring Person....................................................Section 1(a)
Act.................................................................Section 1(b)
Adjusted Number of Shares.....................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Adjusted Purchase Price.......................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Adjustment Shares..............................................Section 11(a)(ii)
Affiliate...........................................................Section 1(c)
Agreement................................................................Preface
Associate...........................................................Section 1(c)
Beneficial Owner....................................................Section 1(d)
beneficially own....................................................Section 1(d)
Business Day........................................................Section 1(e)
capital stock equivalent......................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Close of Business...................................................Section 1(f)
Common Shares.......................................................Section 1(g)
Corporation..............................................................Preface
current per share market price..................................Section 11(d)(i)
Disinterested Directors.............................................Section 1(h)
Distribution Date...................................................Section 1(i)
equivalent preferred shares........................................Section 11(b)
Exchange Act........................................................Section 1(c)
Exchange Ratio.....................................................Section 24(a)
Final Expiration Date...............................................Section 1(j)
Interested Stockholder..............................................Section 1(k)
NASDAQ..........................................................Section 11(d)(i)
Permitted Offer.....................................................Section 1(l)
Person..............................................................Section 1(m)
Preferred Shares....................................................Section 1(n)
Principal Party....................................................Section 13(b)
Proration Factor..............................................Section 11(a)(iii)
Purchase Price......................................................Section 4(a)
Record Date..............................................................Preface
Redemption Date.....................................................Section 1(o)
Redemption Price................................................Section 23(a)(i)
Right....................................................................Preface
Right Certificate...................................................Section 3(a)
Rights Agent.............................................................Preface
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.............................................Section 1(p)
Section 13 Event....................................................Section 1(q)
Security........................................................Section 11(d)(i)
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Shares Acquisition Date.............................................Section 1(r)
Subsidiary..........................................................Section 1(s)
Summary of Rights...................................................Section 3(b)
then outstanding....................................................Section 1(d)
Trading Day.....................................................Section 11(d)(i)
Transaction.........................................................Section 1(t)
Transaction Person..................................................Section 1(u)
Triggering Event....................................................Section 1(v)
voting securities..................................................Section 13(a)
Westar..............................................................Section 1(a)
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AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of _________, 2003 (the
"Agreement"), between ONEOK, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation (the "Corporation"),
and UMB BANK, N.A., as rights agent (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation outstanding at 5:00 P.M., Eastern
Standard Time, on November 26, 1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing
the right to purchase one one-hundredth (subject to adjustment as provided
herein) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect
to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and
prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in
accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of this Agreement.
The Corporation and the Rights Agent have agreed to enter into this
Agreement in order to amend and restate the various rights of the parties set
forth in the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 26, 1997.
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 Peson" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other than as a result of a
Permitted Offer) or was such a Beneficial Owner at any time after the date
hereof, whether or not such person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of 15%
or more of the then outstanding Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(A) the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include (i) the Corporation, (ii) any
Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the
Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iv) any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan acting in such capacity and (v) Westar Energy or Westar
Industries, Inc. ("Westar"), but only with respect to the Common Shares
Beneficially Owned by either of them as of the date hereof, less any Common
Shares Beneficially Owned by either of them that are transferred or sold after
the date hereof, and (B) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" (i) as a
result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the Corporation which, by reducing
the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportional number of
shares beneficially owned
by such Person together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
provided, that if (1) a Person would become an Acquiring Person (but for the
operation of this subclause (i)) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares
by the Corporation, and (2) after such share acquisition by the Corporation,
such Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed an
Acquiring Person; or (ii) if (1) within five Business Days after such Person
would otherwise have become or, if such Person did so inadvertently, after such
Person discovers that such Person would otherwise have become, an Acquiring
Person (but for the operation of this subclause (ii)), such Person notifies the
Board of Directors that such Person did so inadvertently, and (2) within two
Business Days after such notification, such Person divests itself of a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person is the Beneficial Owner
of such number of Common Shares that such Person no longer would be an Acquiring
Person.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and as in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has
(A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange;
or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2)
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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 (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities)
relating to the acquisition, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated
by the proviso to Section l(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Corporation, shall mean the number of
such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
federal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Missouri
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "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.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation shall
mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation
or, in the event of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to
such shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such
subdivision, combination or consolidation. "Common Shares" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the capital stock
(or equity interest) with the greatest combined economic and 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.
(h) "Disinterested Directors" shall mean the members of the Board of
Directors who are not (i) officers of the Corporation, (ii) Acquiring Persons or
their Affiliates or Associates or representatives of any of them, or (iii) any
Person who was directly or indirectly proposed or nominated as a director of the
Corporation by a Transaction Person.
(i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
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(j) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(k) "Interested Stockholder" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any
such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest which represents
in excess of 5% of the total combined economic or voting power of such person,
or any other Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert
with any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(l) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer for all
outstanding Common Shares which is at a price and on terms determined, prior to
the purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by at least a
majority of the Disinterested Directors, to be adequate and otherwise in the
best interests of the Corporation, its stockholders and its other relevant
constituencies (other than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on
whose behalf the offer is being made) taking into account all factors that such
Disinterested Directors may deem relevant.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation,
limited liability company, trust, association, joint venture or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Preferred Shares" shall mean the shares of Series C Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.
(o) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(p) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(q) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y) or
(z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(r) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to the Exchange Act) by the Corporation or
an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(s) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other Person
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
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(t) "Transaction" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of assets
described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares of the
Corporation which would result in a Person becoming a Transaction Person.
(u) "Transaction Person" with respect to a Transaction shall mean (x) any
Person who (i) is or will become an Acquiring Person if the Transaction were to
be consummated and (ii) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director
of the Corporation which director is in office at the time of consideration of
the Transaction, or (y) an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person.
(v) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Corporation hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier to occur of
(i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
Corporation's Board of Directors) after the date of the commencement by any
Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any
employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation
or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Corporation
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public
announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Corporation, any
Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or
of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) to commence (which intention to commence remains in effect for five
Business Days after such announcement), a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person
(including, in the case of both (i) and (ii), any such date which is after the
date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights), the earlier of
such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date," (x) the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the
certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
Common Shares (including a transfer to the Corporation); provided, however, that
if the tender offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution
Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender offer. As
soon as practicable after the
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Distribution Date, the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent
will countersign, and the Corporation will send or cause to be sent by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Corporation, a Right Certificate, substantially in
the form of Exhibit A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for
each Common Share so held. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Corporation
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with such Common Shares.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall be
deemed also to be certificates for Rights and shall bear the following legend:
THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO
CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN AN AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN ONEOK, INC. AND THE RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF _________, 2003
(THE "AMENDED AND RESTATED 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 ONEOK, INC. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND
WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE. ONEOK, INC. WILL MAIL
TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR FROM SUCH
HOLDER. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET
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FORTH IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD
BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS DEFINED IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
AND CERTAIN RELATED PERSONS, WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH
PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until
the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented
by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Corporation purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Corporation
shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares
which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate. (a) The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation may deem appropriate and as
are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which
the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to
the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount
and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e)
of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE
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OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY ARE NULL AND VOID.
Provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be operative whether
or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer,
either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
Corporation's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Right Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Corporation by any person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign
such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office designated as the appropriate place for surrender of such
Right Certificate for transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Right
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the certificate number and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificate. Subject to
the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time
after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the
close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, as the
case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase.
Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing
deliv-
8
ered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Corporation shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Corporation or the
Rights Agent 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.
Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Corporation's request,
reimbursement to the Corporation and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (or other securities, as the
case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to
the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on [ ], 2013 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24 hereof, or (iv) the consummation of a transaction
contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one-hundredth of a Preferred Share pursuant
to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $40.00, shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in the next sentence and in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at
any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
9
Distribution Date, the Corporation shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common
Shares, then in any such case, each Common Share outstanding following such
subdivision, combination or consolidation shall continue to have one Right
(subject to adjustment as provided herein) associated therewith and the Purchase
Price following any such event shall be proportionately adjusted to equal the
result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price immediately prior to such
event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of Common
Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event. The adjustment provided for
in the preceding sentence shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is
declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is
effected.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares (or other
securities, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the
Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased
and the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply
with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent (if the
Corporation, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to deposit the Preferred
Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder into a depositary)
depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depositary agent) and the Corporation will direct the depositary
agent to comply with such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) when appropriate,
after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate. In the event that the Corporation is obligated
to issue other securities (including Common Shares) of the Corporation pursuant
to Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation will make all arrangements necessary so
that such other securities are available for distribution by the Rights Agent,
if and when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right Certificate to
the registered holder
10
thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise indicating thereon that the
rights represented by such Right Certificate no longer include the rights
provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement and if less than all the
Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent
shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby
which continue to include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the
Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right Certificate with
respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes
such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has a continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Corporation has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no
holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The
Corporation shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of
this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its
failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Corporation shall reasonably request.
11
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise (other than a partial
exercise), transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to
the Corporation or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for
cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall
be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof
except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.
The Corporation shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and
retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Corporation otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall destroy such canceled Right
Certificates in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Corporation.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock. The Corporation
covenants and agrees that at all times prior to the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its
authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any authorized and issued Preferred
Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights and, after
the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, shall, to the extent reasonably
practicable, so reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Common Shares
(and/or other securities) which may be required to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
So long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, Common Shares, or any other securities, as the case may be)
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Corporation shall use its best efforts to cause, from
and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for
such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance
upon such exercise.
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or
other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares or other securities
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares or securities.
The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may
be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation shall not, however, be required
to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than
that of, the registered holder
12
of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue
or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of
any Rights, until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable
by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it
has been established to the Corporation's reasonable satisfaction that no such
tax is due.
The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if required by law, at
such earlier time following the Distribution Date as so required), a
registration statement under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
at all times meeting the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder) until the date of the expiration of the rights provided by Section
11(a)(ii). The Corporation will also take such action as may be appropriate
under the blue sky laws of the various states.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as
the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares (or Common
Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that, if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Corporation are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or
other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Corporation are
open.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or other
securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation),
13
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Corporation
were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to
be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of
the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of one
Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, then proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall, for a period of 60 days after the later of (i) the
occurrence of any such event or (ii) the effective date of an appropriate
registration statement under the Act pursuant to Section 9 hereof, have a right
to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common
Shares (or, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share) as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price by the then number of one one- hundredths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) dividing that product by 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Corporation's Common Shares
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the "Adjustment Shares");
provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give rise to the
foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof,
then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof shall apply and no adjustment
shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or
authorized but unissued (and unreserved) Common Shares to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) and the
Rights become so exercisable (and the Board has determined to make the Rights
exercisable into fractions of a Preferred Share), notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable
law, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, (x) a number of (or fractions of) Common Shares (up to the maximum
number of Common Shares which may permissibly be issued) and (y) one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share or a
14
number of (or fractions of) other equity securities of the Corporation (or, in
the discretion of the Board of Directors, debt) which the Board of Directors of
the Corporation has determined to have the same aggregate current market value
(determined pursuant to Sections 11(d)(i) and (ii) hereof, to the extent
applicable) as one Common Share (such number of (or fractions of) Preferred
Shares (or other equity securities or debt of the Corporation) being referred to
as a "capital stock equivalent"), equal in the aggregate to the number of
Adjustment Shares; provided, however, if sufficient Common Shares and/or capital
stock equivalents are unavailable, then the Corporation shall, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares or capital stock equivalents for issuance
upon exercise of the Rights, including the calling of a meeting of stockholders;
and provided, further, that if the Corporation is unable to cause sufficient
Common Shares and/or capital stock equivalents to be available for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, then each Right shall thereafter represent the
right to receive the Adjusted Number of Shares upon exercise at the Adjusted
Purchase Price (as such terms are hereinafter defined). As used herein, the term
"Adjusted Number of Shares" shall be equal to that number of (or fractions of)
Common Shares (and/or capital stock equivalents) equal to the product of (x) the
number of Adjustment Shares and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares (and/or capital stock equivalents) available for
issuance upon exercise of the Rights and the denominator of which is the
aggregate number of Adjustment Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise in full
of all Rights (assuming there were a sufficient number of Common Shares
available) (such fraction being referred to as the "Proration Factor"). The
"Adjusted Purchase Price" shall mean the product of the Purchase Price and the
Proration Factor. The Board of Directors may, but shall not be required to,
establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares and capital
stock equivalents upon exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the
same rights and privileges as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares") or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred
shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price
of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such
record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus
15
the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current per share market price, and the
denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent
preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Corporation shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share
market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market
price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement
by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Security payable in shares of such
16
Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of
thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the- counter market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker
is making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security on such date
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall
be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. Subject
to Section 11(d)(ii), if any Security is not publicly held or so listed or
traded, "current per share market price" of such Security shall mean the fair
market value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the
method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly
traded, the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares shall be
conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common
Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If neither the Common Shares nor
the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per
share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent.
17
(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest one one-hundredth-thousandth of a Preferred Share or one
ten-thousandth of any other share or security, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11(a) through (c),
inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to
the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Corporation 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-hundredths of a
Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-hundredth thousandths of a
Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Shares
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment of the Purchase Price 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 Corporation may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number
of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable imme-
18
diately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Corporation shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the
number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known
at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Corporation shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the
option of the Corporation, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of
record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such
holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required
by the Corporation, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which
such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to
be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of
record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public
announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other securities issuable
upon exercise of the Rights, the Corporation shall take any corporate action
which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Corporation may validly and legally issue such number of fully paid and
nonassessable one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share, Common Shares or other
securities 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 Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares, Common Shares
or other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the
19
Corporation shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11 to the contrary, the
Corporation shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv)
stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in
this Section 11, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Preferred
Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(o)
hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or
transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(o) hereof), if (x)
at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
there are any charter or by-law provisions or any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect or other actions
taken, which would materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Corporation
shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless
prior thereto the Corporation and such other Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance
with this Section 11(n).
(o) The Corporation covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date,
it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if at
the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
20
(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result in the
reduction of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and shall
not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this Rights
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the
Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares and the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section
26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power. (a) In the event that, on or following the Shares Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or consolidation
all holders of Common Shares are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) the
Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with, any Interested Stockholder
or, if in such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Shares are not
treated alike, any other Person, and the Corporation shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger (other than, in a case of
any transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would
result in all of the securities generally entitled to vote in the election of
directors ("voting securities") of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting securities
of the Corporation or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such
merger or consolidation and the holders (and relative percentage holdings of
each such holder) of such securities not having changed as a result of such
merger or consolidation), or (z) the Corporation shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Corporation and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Interested Stockholder or Persons or,
if in such transaction all holders of Common Shares are not treated alike, any
other Person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation in
one or more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(o) hereof),
then, and in each such case (except as provided in Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other ad-
21
verse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable (without taking into account any
adjustment previously made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that
product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common
Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on
the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Corporation pursuant to this
Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party; it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction
as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities
into which Common Shares of the Corporation are converted in such merger or
consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other
party to such merger or consolidation (including, if applicable, the Corporation
if it is the surviving corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first
sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions; provided, however, that in any of the foregoing cases, (1) if
the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have not been
continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) in case such
Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the
Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) in case such
Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the
rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a
"Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in
22
each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the
total of such interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
its authorized Common Shares which have not been issued or reserved for issuance
to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13
and unless prior thereto the Corporation and such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing
for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the
Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act with respect to
the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement
to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
until the Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for
the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. The rights under this
Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and adjustments
under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13
shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y)
of Section 13(a) if: (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly
owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per Common Share
offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to
all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such
Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such transaction
is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer.
Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d),
all Rights hereunder shall expire.
23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Corporation
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, 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 Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in
the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used.
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are one one-hundredths or integral multiples
of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are one one-hundredths or integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the
corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate
agreement between the Corporation and a depositary selected by it; provided that
such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall
have the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as
beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary
receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not one one-hundredth
or integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Corporation
shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
24
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to receive Common Shares,
capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other securities upon
the exercise of a Right, the Corporation shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares or units of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractions of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other
securities. In lieu of fractional shares or units of such Common Shares, capital
stock equivalents or other securities, the Corporation may pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value
shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11(d) hereof for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise and, if such capital
stock equivalent is not traded, each such capital stock equivalent shall have
the value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon exercise
of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
25
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed
or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate form
fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate)
is registered in the records of the Corporation as the absolute owner thereof
and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership
or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate
made by anyone other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent, subject to the
last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its
inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of
any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided,
however, the Corporation must use its best efforts to have any such order,
decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
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 Shares or any other
securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the exercise
of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Corporation or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Corporation agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and
26
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The
Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it
harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence,
bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything
done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and
administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending
against any claim of liability in the premises.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the Corporation,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would
be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates in its name as 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.
27
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 Corporation and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound and no implied duties
or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of an Acquiring Person and the
determination of the current market price of any Security) be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall
be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12
28
hereof); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation
or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares or
other securities will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.
(f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer. Any application by the Rights
Agent for written instructions from the Corporation may, at the option of the
Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by
the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on or after which such
action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business
Days after the date any officer of the Corporation actually receives such
application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an
earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written
instruction in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or
omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which
the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Corporation or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights
Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from
acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any
29
act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any
loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, default, neglect or
misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and
continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without receiving written instructions from
the Corporation.
(l) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any
holders of Rights, any holders of Common Stock or any holders of Preferred Stock
for interest or earnings on any monies held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this
Agreement.
(m) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to
have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without limitation,
any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person
as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and
until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company
of such fact, event or determination, and all notices shall be effective if
given in accordance with Section 26 hereof, and in the absence of such notice
the Rights Agent may conclusively assume that no such event or condition exists.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon sixty (60) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares or Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of sixty (60) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by
30
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 Corporation), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate or the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court,
shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $100,000,000 (or such lower number as approved by the
Corporation's Board of Directors). 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 and the
duties and obligations of the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent shall
cease and terminate; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Corporation shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights
Agent and each transfer agent of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares and mail
a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Corporation
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the earliest of the Redemption
Date, the Final Expiration Date and the consummation of a transaction
contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof, the Corporation (a) shall with respect to
Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Corporation, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation, issue Right Certificates representing the
appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided,
however, that no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
31
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) (i) The Board of Directors of
the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all but not less than all the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.005 per Right, as such amount may
be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), at any time prior to the
earlier of (x) the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, or (y) the Final
Expiration Date, and the Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price either in Common Shares (based on the current per share market price, as
defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Shares at the time of redemption)
or cash; provided, however, that if the Corporation elects to pay the Redemption
Price in Common Shares, the Corporation shall not be required to issue any
fractional Common Shares and the number of Common Shares issuable to each holder
of Rights shall be rounded down to the next whole share.
(b) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its
option, at any time following a Shares Acquisition Date but prior to any Section
13 Event, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price in connection with any Section 13 Event in which all holders of
Common Shares are treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of
Common Shares being treated like all other such holders) a Transaction Person.
(c) In the case of a redemption permitted under Section 23(a)(i),
immediately upon the date for redemption set forth (or determined in the manner
specified in) in a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of
the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. In the case of a redemption permitted only under Section 23(a)(ii),
evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and represent only the right to receive the
Redemption Price upon the later of ten Business Days following the giving of
notice or the expiration of any period during which the rights under Section
11(a)(ii) may be exercised. The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of
any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within ten
(10) days after such date for redemption set forth in a resolution of the Board
of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Corporation shall mail a
notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their
last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Corporation nor any of its Affiliates
or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
32
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23 and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior
to the Distribution Date.
(d) In the case of a redemption permitted under Section 23(a)(i), the
Corporation may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to
the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of
the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and (ii) mailing payment of the
Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their last addresses
as they appear on the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent of the Common
Shares, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights and Right Certificates
shall be null and void without any further action by the Corporation.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at
its option, at any time after the time that 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 7(e) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the
Corporation at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
involving either the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares occurring after the
date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be
empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the
Corporation or any such Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan or any trustee, administrator or
fiduciary of such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Corporation 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 Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other
33
than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Corporation, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as such
term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the Common Shares
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share, as appropriately
adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares
pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred Share
delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one
Common Share.
(d) The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall not authorize any
exchange transaction referred to in Section 24(a) hereof unless at the time such
exchange is authorized there shall be sufficient Common Shares or Preferred
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Corporation shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regularly quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a
transaction which does not violate Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer) in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which does not violate
Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation, then, in each such case, the Corporation shall give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action to the extent feasible and file a certificate
with the Rights Agent to that effect, which shall specify the record date for
the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or
the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares, if any such date
is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of
34
the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then (i) the Corporation
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of
such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such
event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph (a) to Preferred Shares shall be deemed
thereafter to refer also, if appropriate, to Common Shares and/or, if
appropriate, other securities of the Corporation.
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 Corporation shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by registered
or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt required addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
ONEOK, Inc.
βββ ββββ βββββ ββββββ
βββββ, ββββββββ βββββ
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return
receipt required addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the
Corporation) as follows:
UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
Attn: Corporate Trust
ββββ βββββ ββββ.
ββββββ ββββ, ββββββββ βββββ-ββββ
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
Common Shares shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Corporation.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the Corporation so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement with-
35
out the approval of any holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From
and after the Distribution Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if
the Corporation so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order (i) to cure any
ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement
the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Corporation may deem necessary
or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however, that this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such
time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless
such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the
rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Corporation which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment, provided that
such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the rights or obligations
of the Rights Agent under Section 18 or Section 20 of this Agreement. Prior to
the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares.
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. The
Board of Directors of the Corporation shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board, or the Corporation, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and
whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of
Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares or other securities outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares or any other securities of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement. All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Corporation,
the Rights Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all other parties,
and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Right
Certificates.
Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
36
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Corporation, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Oklahoma 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, except for Sections 18, 19, 20
and 21 hereof and relating to the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights
Agent, which shall be governed by the laws of the State of Missouri, without
reference to its choice of law rules.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the
provisions hereof.
37
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
ONEOK, Inc.
By:
------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
By:
---------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
38
Exhibit A
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- Rights
Not exercisable after [_________,2013], or earlier if redeemed by the
corporation. The rights are subject to redemption at $.01 per right on the terms
set forth in the rights agreement.
Under certain circumstances set forth in the rights agreement, rights
issued to, or held by, any person who is, was or becomes an acquiring person or
an affiliate or associate thereof (as defined in the rights agreement) and
certain related persons, whether currently held by or on behalf of such person
or by any subsequent holder, shall become null and void.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
ONEOK, Inc.
This certifies that , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the
number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof,
subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement, dated as of ___________,2003 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
ONEOK, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation (the "Corporation"), and UMB Bank, N.A.
(the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Corporation 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 [_________,2013], unless the Rights evidenced
hereby shall have been previously redeemed by the Corporation, at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the
office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid
non-assessable share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01
per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Corporation, at a purchase price of
$40.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share 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 , 2003 based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are beneficially owned by
A-1
(i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of
any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after
the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of any such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void and
no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share or other securities 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,
including Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
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 Corporation and the holders of the Right Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Corporation and the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares or other securities 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 may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of
$.01 per Right (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement)
payable in Common Shares or cash.
The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such
A-2
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right as defined in the
Rights Agreement.
The Corporation will not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares
(other than fractions which are one one-hundredths or integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions
which are one one-hundredths or integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share). In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares other than fractions
that are multiples of one one-hundredth of a Share, the Corporation will pay to
the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Preferred Share as defined in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of
any other securities of the Corporation 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 Corporation or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise
any preemptive 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 signature of the proper officers of the Corporation and its
corporate seal. Dated as of , [2003].
[SEAL]
ATTEST: ONEOK, Inc.
By By
-------------------------- --------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
A-3
Countersigned:
UMB BANK, N.A.
By
--------------------------
Name:
Title:
A-4
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 Corporation, with full power
of substitution.
Dated: , 2003
----------------------------------------------
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, savings association, credit union or trust
company having an office or correspondent in the United States or other eligible
guarantor institution which is a participant in a signature guarantee medallion
program.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on
behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and (2)
after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned
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 thereof (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------------------
Signature
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE -- CONTINUED
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to exercise Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To the Rights Agent:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by
this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares, Common Shares or such
other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights at this time as
follows:
Please Insert
Number of Rights To Be Exercised
(i) Preferred Shares Exercise
------------------
(ii) Section 11(a)(ii) Exercise
------------------
(iii) Section 13 Exercise
------------------
The undersigned requests that certificates for such Preferred
Shares, Common Shares or other securities be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ----------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
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 of transferee)
-2-
Dated: , 2003
----------------------------------------------
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, savings association, credit union or trust
company having an office or correspondent in the United States or other eligible
guarantor institution which is a participant in a signature guarantee medallion
program.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person
who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and to the
best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------------------
Signature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature on the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election and
certificates 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 Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
-3-
Exhibit B
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
Under certain circumstances set forth in the rights agreement, rights
issued to, or held by, any person who is, was or becomes an acquiring person or
an affiliate or associate thereof (as defined in the rights agreement) and
certain related persons, whether currently held by or on behalf of such person
or by any subsequent holder, shall become null and void.
On November 26, 1997, the Board of Directors of ONEOK, Inc., an Oklahoma
corporation (the "Corporation"), declared a dividend distribution of one
preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Corporation. The
dividend is payable to the stockholders of record as of 5:00 P.M., Eastern
Standard Time, on November 26, 1997 (the "Record Date"), and with respect to
Common Shares issued thereafter until the Distribution Date (as defined below)
and, in certain circumstances, with respect to Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date. Except as set forth below, each Right, when it becomes
exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Corporation one
one-hundredth of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares") at a price of $80.00 per one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in an Amended
and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of _______, 2003 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between the Corporation and UMB Bank, N.A. (the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates (as
hereinafter defined) will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the
Common Shares on the earliest to occur of (i) the first date of public
announcement that a person or "group" has acquired beneficial ownership of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common Shares (except pursuant to a Permitted Offer,
as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the
Board may determine) following the commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of
which would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person (as
hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being called the "Distribution
Date"). A person or group whose acquisition of Common Shares causes a
Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring Person." The
first date of public announcement that a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person is the "Shares Acquisition Date." "Disinterested Directors" are directors
who are not officers of the Corporation and who are not Acquiring Persons or
their affiliates, associates or representatives of any of them, or any Person
who directly or indirectly proposed or nominated as a director of the
Corporation by a Transaction Person (as defined below).
B-1
Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Acquiring Person does not include (i)
Westar Energy, Inc. and Westar Industries, Inc., but only with respect to Common
Shares beneficially owned by them as of the date of the Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement, less any Common Shares beneficially owned by them that are
transferred or sold after the date of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (and
to each initial record holder of certain Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date), and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on [__________,2013], unless earlier redeemed
by the Corporation as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant
to a Permitted Offer as defined below), each holder of a Right will have
(subject to the terms of the Rights Agreement) the right (the "Flip-In Right")
to receive upon exercise the number of Common Shares, or, in the discretion of
the Board of Directors, of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or, in
certain circumstances, other securities of the Corporation) having a value
(immediately prior to such triggering event) equal to two times the exercise
price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of
the event described above, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring
Person or any affiliate or associate thereof will be null and void. A "Permitted
Offer" is a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding Common Shares which is
at a price and on terms determined, prior to the purchase of shares under such
tender or exchange offer, by a Majority of Disinterested Directors to be
adequate (taking into account all factors that such Disinterested Directors deem
relevant) and otherwise in the best interests of the Corporation, its
stockholders and its other relevant constituencies (other than the person or any
affiliate or associate thereof on whose basis the offer is being made) taking
into account all factors that such directors may deem relevant and (ii) any
tender or exchange offer required or permitted to be made by the Shareholder
Group (as defined in the Shareholder Agreement) pursuant to, and in accordance
with, the Shareholder Agreement).
B-2
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date, (i)
the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the holders of
all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the
Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, in either case
with or to an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate or any other person
in which such Acquiring Person, affiliate or associate has an interest or any
person acting on behalf of or in concert with such Acquiring Person, affiliate
or associate, or, if in such transaction all holders of Common Shares are not
treated alike, any other person, then each holder of a Right (except Rights
which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the
right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the
Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share or other securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
The Purchase Price is also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock
split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in
Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common
Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional one-hundredths of a Preferred Share will be
issued and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day price to the date
of exercise.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but, if greater, will be entitled
to an aggregate dividend per share of 100 times the dividend declared per Common
Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be
entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1.00 per share;
thereafter, and after the holders of the Common Shares receive a liquidation
payment of $0.01 per share, the holders of the Preferred Shares and the holders
of the Common Shares will share the remaining assets in the ratio of one hundred
to 1 (as adjusted) for
B-3
each Preferred Share and Common Share so held, respectively. Finally, in the
event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares
are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive one hundred
times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions. In the event that the amount of accrued and
unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares is equivalent to at least six full
quarterly dividends, the holders of the Preferred Shares shall have the right,
voting as a class, to elect two directors in addition to the directors elected
by the holders of the Common Shares until all cumulative dividends on the
Preferred Shares have been paid through the last quarterly dividend payment date
or until non-cumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one
year.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Corporation may
redeem the rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"), which redemption shall be effective upon the action of the
Board of Directors. Additionally, the Corporation may redeem the then
outstanding Rights in whole but not in part, at the Redemption Price after the
triggering of the Flip-in Right and before the expiration of any period during
which the Flip-in Right may be exercised in connection with a merger or other
business combination transaction or series of transactions involving the
Corporation in which all holders of Common Shares are treated alike but not
involving a Transaction Person (as defined below). Upon the effective date of
the redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption
Price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will
not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights become
exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
B-4