EXHIBIT 4.2
FORM OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL CORPORATION
AND
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
RIGHTS AGENT
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF August 3, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS................................... 1
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT........................... 4
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.......................... 4
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES........................... 6
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION..................... 7
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN
RIGHTS CERTIFICATES............................................... 7
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION
DATE OF RIGHTS.................................................... 8
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES...................................................... 10
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK......... 11
Section 10. COMMON STOCK RECORD DATE............................. 12
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF
SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS........................................ 12
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER
OF SHARES......................................................... 20
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF
ASSETS OR EARNING POWER........................................... 20
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.............. 22
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION..................................... 23
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS.......................... 24
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Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER... 24
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.......................... 25
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF
RIGHTS AGENT...................................................... 25
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT............................... 26
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT............................... 28
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.................. 28
Section 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION........................... 29
Section 24. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS............................. 30
Section 25. NOTICES.............................................. 31
Section 26. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS........................... 31
Section 27. SUCCESSORS........................................... 32
Section 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, ETC.................................................... 32
Section 29. EXCHANGE............................................. 33
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT........................... 34
Section 31. SEVERABILITY......................................... 34
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW........................................ 34
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS......................................... 35
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS................................. 35
Exhibit A - Form of Rights Certificate................................. A-1
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Stock................. B-1
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SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of August 3, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between ▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL CORPORATION, a Mississippi corporation (the "Company"),
and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on August 3, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of common stock, par value $.50 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business
on August 25, 1998 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one
Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to Section 11 hereof)
for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the
Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the right to purchase one
share of Common Stock upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter
set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Sect0on 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person shall become an
"Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by
the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more
of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided,
however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of
the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional share of Common Stock of the
Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
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provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or
have ever been an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
(A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from
and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to
the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof or Section 22
hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in
connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely
from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and
(B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); 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 (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or
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disposing of any voting securities of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a person engaged in business as
an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such
securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of Ohio are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Purvis,
Mississippi time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Purvis, Mississippi time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $.50 per share,
of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity security)
of such Person with the greatest voting power, or, if such Person is a
Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control
such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(h) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof.
(i) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(j) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(k) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
or other entity of which voting power sufficient to elect at least a majority of
the directors (or other governing body) of such corporation or other entity is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
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(l) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a) (ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
(m) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared to be an Adverse Person
by the Board of Directors upon determination that the criteria set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof apply to such Person.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earliest of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after
the Stock Acquisition Date, (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day
after the date that a tender offer or exchange offer by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding, or (iii) the close of business on the tenth
day after the Board of Directors of the Company determines, pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse
Person (or such later date under clause (i), (ii) and (iii) as may be determined
by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if such
determination occurs on or after the time there is an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person, then such date may be extended only if there are Continuing
Directors (as such term is defined in Section 23 hereof) in office and such
extension is authorized by a majority of such Continuing Directors) (the
earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date"), the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraphs
(b) and (c) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock
registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates
for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by
separate certificates, and the Rights will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer
to the Company). Upon the occurrence of an event described in clauses (i), (ii)
or (iii) above, the Company shall give prompt notice thereof to the Rights
Agent. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent
will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder
of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in
the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made, at the time of
distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary
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and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof)
so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B (the "Summary of Rights") by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to
each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record
Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With
respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates
for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also
be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer or surrender for transfer of any certificates representing
shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also
constitute the transfer or surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with
such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which
are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common
Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights. All certificates
issued after the Record Date, whether with respect to new or to transferred
shares, shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between ▇▇▇▇▇ Capital
Corporation (the "Company") and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of August 3, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of
which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances,
as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or any Affiliates or Associates thereof (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such
Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
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evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
or surrender for transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the
transfer or surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22
hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the
Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such
number of shares of Common Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set
forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities
purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or
an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any such Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or any such Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person or
an Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or
an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to
any Person with whom such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of
a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect
avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall
contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Adverse Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified
in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
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Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board of Directors or President, either manually or by
facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be
manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place
for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at
or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
a like number of shares of Common Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
Common Stock, other securities, cash and/or other assets, as the case may be) as
the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or
former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company
shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of
any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the
reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
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Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and
the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of shares (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or
prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on August 25, 2008 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided
in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as
the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each share of Common Stock pursuant to the
exercise of a Right shall initially be $12.00 and shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and
shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per share of Common Stock (or other shares, securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Common Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent
for such shares) certificates for the total number of shares of Common Stock to
be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
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comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of shares of Common Stock as are to
be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Common Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply
with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any,
to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof,
(iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same
to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable
to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to
issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property
pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements
necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Associate or Affiliate
of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate
or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates
or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with
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respect to an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any of their respective
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of any authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Common Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) If the shares of Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such
time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to
be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered upon exercise of the
Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as
10
soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the case may be,
a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the
Expiration Date of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In
addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is
required following a Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the
exerciseability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Common Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for shares of Common Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for shares of
Common Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a
name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights
until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of
such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. COMMON STOCK RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for shares of Common Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities,
11
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 shares of Common Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer
books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the
record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior
to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Company
with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including,
without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date
of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of Common Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Common
Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Common Stock
transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise
and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
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(ii) In the event:
(A) Any person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan), alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at
any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, unless the event causing the 20% threshold to be crossed
is (1) a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof or (2) approved
in advance by the Board of Directors (with the approval of a majority
of the Continuing Directors), or
(B) the Board of Directors of the Company shall declare any
Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination that such Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, has at any time
after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the Beneficial
Owner of an amount of Common Stock which the Board of Directors
determines to be substantial (which amount shall in no event be less
than 10% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding) and a
determination by the Board of Directors, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons as the Board
of Directors shall deem appropriate, that (1) such Beneficial
ownership by such Person is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person or to
cause pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a
transaction or series of transactions intended to provide such Person
with short-term financial gain under circumstances where the Board of
Directors determines that the best long-term interests of the Company
and its shareholders would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time
or (2) such Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably likely to
cause a material adverse impact (including but not limited to,
impairment of relationships with customers, impairment of the
Company's business reputation or impairment of the Company's ability
to maintain its competitive position) on the business or prospects of
the Company,
then, promptly following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right
(except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, in lieu of the number of shares of Common
Stock for which a Right was theretofore exercisable, such number of
shares Common Stock as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of shares of
Common Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
the first occurrence of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) dividing
that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter
be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current per share market
price of the Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on
13
the date of the occurrence of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event (such number
of shares is herein called the "Adjustment Shares"); provided,
however, that the Purchase Price and number of Adjustment Shares shall
be further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any event
occurring after the date of such first occurrence.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which
are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section
11(a), the Company shall (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the
Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current
Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B)
with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash,
(2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company
has deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of
preferred stock, "common stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the
Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value
has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall
not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B)
above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later
of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to
the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common
Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for
the authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be
extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company
determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or
second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine
the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall
issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
14
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any
"common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the
Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to holders of Common Stock entitling them to subscribe for
or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after
such record date) Common Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the shares of Common Stock ("equivalent common stock")) or
securities convertible into Common Stock or equivalent common stock at a price
per share of Common Stock or per share of equivalent common stock (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Stock or
equivalent common stock) less than the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on such record date,
the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Common Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock
and/or equivalent common stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Common Stock and/or equivalent common stock to be offered
for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid
by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than
cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Common Stock owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Common Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with
a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation) of
evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend
out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a
dividend payable in Common Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock
other than Common Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
15
hereof) per share of Common Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights of warrants applicable to a share of
Common Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share
of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such
date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall
be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common
Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per share of
the Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common
Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into
shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Common Stock, and prior to the
expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day period or ten (10) Trading
Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market price" shall
be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ")
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value
of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day
16
on which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading in open for the transaction of
business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price" per share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock,
as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e),
an adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the
earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates
such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Common
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Common Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Common Stock shall apply on like terms
to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of shares of Common Stock
(calculated to the nearest one-thousandth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the
number of shares covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y)
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the
Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price
in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each
17
of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date
may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter,
but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10)
days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates
have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date
Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment,
or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders
of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates
so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner
provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Purchase Price per share and the number of shares which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of
Common Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the shares
of Common Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the shares of Common Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ▇▇▇▇ or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
18
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Common Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Common Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for
cash of shares of Common Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Common Stock shall
not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constituted, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof have received a distribution, directly or indirectly, of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date consolidate with, or merge with or into, any
other Person for the primary purpose of a change of domicile of the Company,
and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for shares of Common
Stock of the Surviving Corporation of such consolidation or merger (the
"Surviving Corporation"), then proper provision shall be made so that Rights
shall be associated with each share of Common Stock of the Surviving
Corporation, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, such that the number of
Rights associated with each share of Common Stock of the Surviving Corporation
following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the
19
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to
such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the
event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock of the Surviving Corporation which the shares of Common Stock were changed
into or exchanged for pursuant to the consolidation or merger. Following such a
consolidation or merger, this Agreement shall remain in effect and all
references to the Company shall be deemed to be references to the Surviving
Corporation.
(q) The failure by the Board of Directors to declare a Person to be an
Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of the outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such Person is not an
Adverse Person or limit the Board of Directors' right at any time in the future
to declare such Person to be an Adverse Person.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date,
to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in
accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by
Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of
a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price
20
(disregarding any adjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely traceable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not
subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right
is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such shares for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event,
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which
21
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any
successor form) under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
merges or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a
Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall
thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13
shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y)
of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons
who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which was carried out pursuant to the
exception contained in clause (2) of Section 11(a)(ii)(A) hereof (or a wholly
owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of
Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer, and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
22
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except,
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(i) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of
Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a share of
Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a
share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one (1) share of Common
Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
23
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by
a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company must use its best efforts to
have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
possible.
Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares of Common Stock
or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any
24
Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company
or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted
to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or
in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent of any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to 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, HOWEVER, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
25
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder 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 Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
26
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or other securities
to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to
whether any shares of Common Stock or other securities will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, 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 the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Executive Vice President, the Vice
President-Finance, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply
to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and
it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate identification 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 transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment
or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been
27
completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the
Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested
exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove
the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock, by registered or certified
mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the
Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable or
acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or
by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of
Mississippi (or of any other state of the United States so long as such
corporation is authorized in the State of Mississippi to perform all of the
duties of the Rights Agent hereunder), in good standing, having a principal
office in the State of Mississippi, which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any
such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificate. evidencing Rights in such
form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provision of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
28
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by
the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
Section 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the fifteenth day following
the Stock Acquisition Date (or if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred
prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the fifteenth day following
the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less
than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as
such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); provided,
however, that if such authorization occurs on or after the date of a change
(resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the directors
in office at the commencement of such solicitation, and any Person who is or was
a participant in such solicitation has stated (or if upon the commencement of
such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) has taken or intends to take, or may consider taking, any action
that would result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or that would
cause the occurrence of a Triggering Event (the existence of the circumstances
described in this proviso being referred to herein as an "Adverse Change of
Control"), then the Rights may be so redeemed only if there are Continuing
Directors (as hereinafter defined) in office and such redemption is authorized
by a majority of such Continuing Directors. "Continuing Director" shall mean (i)
any member of the board of Directors of the Company who, while such person is a
member of the Board, is not an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, or an
Affiliate or Associate of such Person, or a representative of an Acquiring
Person or an Adverse Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, and was a
member of the Board prior to the Record Date, or (ii) any Person who
subsequently becomes a member of the Board who, while such Person is a member of
the Board, is not an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of such Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's
nomination for election or election to the Board of Directors is recommended or
approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors may not redeem any Rights following a
determination pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof that any Person is an
Adverse Person. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
29
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption
hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price
in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the "current market price," as defined
in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Common Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Common Stock
(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Common Stock rights
or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Common
Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Common Stock (other than
a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Common Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of assets or earning
power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other
than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each
of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation.
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Common Stock
30
for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock
whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible
and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such
event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the
preceding paragraph to Common Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to
Common Stock and/or other securities, if appropriate.
Section 25. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Corporation
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
SunTrust Bank, Atlanta
▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Stock Transfer Department Manager
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-
class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution Date
and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and
31
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company shall so direct (upon the approval of a
majority of the Continuing Directors then in office), supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the rights,
interests and duties of the Rights Agent or the interests of the holders of
Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person); PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen,
pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when
the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable,
or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the
holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate
officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is
in compliance with the terms of this Section 26 (including the Continuing
Director approval requirements set forth herein), the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which
changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or
the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to
the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock. Without limiting
the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company may at any time prior to
such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to
lower the thresholds set forth in Section 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the
greater of (i) the sum of .001% plus the largest percentage of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity
holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
and (ii) 10%. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, this Agreement may be amended or supplemented as the Board of
Directors shall deem necessary or advisable (upon approval of a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office), without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates, to provide for the issuance of shares (or fractional shares)
of preferred stock of the Company in place of Common Stock which may be received
upon exercise of Rights hereunder prior to the occurrence of any Triggering
Event, and to modify or amend this Agreement in any respect to take into account
the use of such preferred stock (or fractional shares of preferred stock) in
place of such Common Stock.
Section 27. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
32
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to
exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the Continuing Directors), or to the Company,
or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary
or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination
to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to attend the Agreement). All such
actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which
are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors),
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificates and all other parties, and
(y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 29. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
and from time to time after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include rights that become void pursuant to the provisions of the Section
7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock or common stock equivalents, or any
combination thereof, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per
Right, appropriately adjusted as determined by the Board to reflect any stock
split, stock combination, stock dividend, or other similar event after the date
hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
29 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock and/or common
stock equivalents equal to the number of such rights held by such holder
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice
of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company
shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such
Rights at their latest 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 shares of Common
Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange.
Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
33
(c) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are
not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance
with this Section 29, the Company may, at its option, take all such action as
may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance
upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of Rights with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the value of a whole share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 29, the value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be
the "current market price" (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 29, and the value of any common stock equivalent shall be deemed to have
the same value as the Common Stock on such date.
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 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,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the state of Mississippi and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contract made
and to be performed entirely within such state.
34
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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: ▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL CORPORATION
-----------------
By: By:
--------------------- --------------------------------------
Name: Name:
------------------- ------------------------------------
Title: Title:
------------------- ------------------------------------
Attest: SUNTRUST BANK, ATLANTA
----------------- -----------------------------------------
By: By:
--------------------- --------------------------------------
Name: Name:
------------------- ------------------------------------
Title: Title:
------------------- ------------------------------------
35
Exhibit A
Form of Rights Certificate
Certificate No. _____
Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 25, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$.01 PER RIGHTS ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ADVERSE
PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME
AN ACQUIRING ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING ADVERSE
PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL CORPORATION
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
Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of August 3, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between ▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Corporation, a Mississippi corporation (the
"Company"), and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Purvis, Mississippi time) on August
25, 2008 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one fully paid, nonassessable share
of the Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of
$12.00 per share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate
duly executed. The Purchase Price shall be paid in cash. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per
share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of August 3, 1998,
based on the Common Stock as constituted at such date.
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only, if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
A-1
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement),
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have
any Rights 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 and
kind of shares of Common Stock or other securities which may be purchased upon
the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to
notification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Common Stock as the Rights
evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall
have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights
not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company, at its option, at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the fifteenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such
time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate may not be redeemed following a determination pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii)(B) of the Rights Agreement that any Person is an Adverse
Person.
A-2
No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Common Stock or
of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of August 25, 1998
ATTEST:
-----------------------------
By:
-------------------------------------
Title:
----------------------------------
Countersigned:
----------------------
By:
---------------------------------
Authorized Signature
A-3
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if
such holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
--------------------------------------------------------
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
---------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
--------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
---------------------------
A-4
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
[_] (1) this Rights Certificate is/is not being sold, assigned and transferred
by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
[_] (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
did/did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated:
--------------------
-----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
--------------------------------
A-5
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
A-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: ▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by
this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other
person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that
certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to:
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:
----------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:
----------------------------
Dated:
---------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
---------------------------------
A-7
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
[_] (1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are/are not being
exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such
terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
[_] (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
did/did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:
-------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
-------------------------------
A-8
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
A-9
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON STOCK
On August 3, 1998, the Board of Directors of ▇▇▇▇▇ Capital
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.50 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of business on
August 25, 1998 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock at a price of
$12.00 per share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The Purchase
Price shall be paid in cash. The description and terms of the Rights are set
forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate certificates evidencing
the Rights (the "Rights Certificates") will be distributed. Until the earliest
to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group
of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), (ii) 10
business days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer if,
upon consummation thereof, such person or group would be the beneficial owner of
20% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) the close of
business on the tenth day after the Board of Directors of the Company determines
that a person, who alone or together with affiliates or associates has
beneficial ownership of at least 10% of the Common Stock then outstanding, is an
Adverse Person (the earliest of such dates being called the "Distribution
Date"), the Rights will be evidenced only by Common Stock certificates and will
be transferred with and only with Common Stock certificates. The Board of
Directors, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, may determine that a
person is an Adverse Person if the Board finds that (i) such person intends to
cause the Company to repurchase such person's shares or intends to attempt to
pressure the Company to take actions which will result in that person's short-
term financial gain under circumstances which would not be in the best interest
of the Company and the shareholders or (ii) ownership of the Common Stock by
such person is causing or is reasonably likely to cause a material adverse
impact on the business or prospects of the Company.
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date upon
transfer or new issuance of the Common Stock 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 Stock outstanding as of the Record Date will also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of
the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, such separate Rights Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
B-1
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on August 25, 2008, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below.
In the event that (i) a Person (other than the Company and its affiliates)
becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock or (ii) the Board determines that a person is an Adverse Person,
the Rights Agreement provides that proper provision shall be made so that each
holder of a Right (except for any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person and certain
Affiliates, Associates and transferees of such person) will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or in certain circumstances,
cash, other securities or property) having a value equal to two (2) times the
Purchase Price of the Right. Notwithstanding the above, the acquisition of
beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the Common Stock under (ii) above shall
not permit the holder of a Right to purchase Common Stock at such discounted
purchase price if such acquisition of beneficial ownership is approved in
advance by the Board of Directors of the Company (with the approval of a
majority of the Continuing Directors).
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the Company engages in
a merger or other business combination transaction with another person in which
the Company is the surviving corporation, but in which its Common Stock is
changed or exchanged, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning
power is sold or transferred, the Rights Agreement provides that proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price
of the Right, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
(2) times the exercise price of the Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common Stock
issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to
time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Stock, (ii) upon the
grant to holders of the Common Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe
for Common Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price
of the Common Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common
Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash
dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to
above).
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 shares will be issued and, in lieu thereof,
an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Common Stock
on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
The Rights may be redeemed by the Board in whole, but not in part, at a
price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price") at any time prior to fifteen
(15) days (plus such extensions as the Board, in its discretion, specifies)
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after the Stock Acquisition Date. However, the Board of Directors may not
redeem any Rights following a determination that a person is an Adverse Person.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company, ordering
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company may, at
its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock, or any
other form of considerations deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
Other than those provisions relating to the Redemption Price, final
expiration date and number of shares of Common Stock (and/or other securities or
property, if applicable) issuable upon exercise of the Rights, any of the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to the Distribution Date; and, thereafter, the provisions of
the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board only in order to cure any
ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained in the Rights
Agreement which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision, to
shorten or lengthen any time period or to make such other changes as do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person); PROVIDED, however, that no amendment shall be made after
the Distribution Date (a) to lengthen any time period unless such lengthening is
for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, or
benefits to, holders of Rights or (b) to lengthen the redemption period at a
time when the Rights are not then redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement No. 333-_____ on
Form S-1. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Rights Agent. This summary description of the Rights does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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