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Exhibit 4.03
EXCITE, INC.
AND
BANKBOSTON, N.A.,
RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 15, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates 6
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights 7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates 8
Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares 8
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date 9
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights 9
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
or Number of Shares 16
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power 16
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 17
Section 15. Rights of Action 18
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders 18
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder 18
Section 18. Compensation and Indemnity of the Rights Agent 19
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Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent 19
Section 20. Rights and Duties of Rights Agent 19
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 21
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates 22
Section 23. Redemption 23
Section 24. Exchange 23
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events 25
Section 26. Notices 25
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments 26
Section 28. Successors 26
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 26
Section 30. Severability 27
Section 31. Governing Law 27
Section 32. Counterparts 27
Section 33. Descriptive Headings 27
Section 34. Entire Agreement 27
Signatures 28
Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Designations of Series F Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Agreement, dated as of October 15, 1998, between Excite, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and BankBoston, N.A. (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the Close of Business (as
hereinafter defined) on October 30, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right
representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with
respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding (i) between the
Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and
the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined) or (ii)
following the Distribution Date and prior to the Redemption Date or Final
Expiration Date, pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of other
securities of the Company, which options or securities were outstanding prior to
the Distribution Date.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% (the "Designated Percentage") or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company,
(ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or (iv) any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing,
(A) No Person shall become an Acquiring Person if the
Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an Acquiring Person has become such inadvertently, and such
Person as promptly as practicable takes such actions as may be necessary so that
such Person would no longer be considered an Acquiring Person.
(B) No Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person and such Person's Affiliates and Associates to
the Designated Percentage or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person, together with such Person's
Affiliates and Associates, shall become the Beneficial Owner of the Designated
Percentage or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by
reason of share purchases by the Company and such Person, together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall, after public announcement of such share
purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial
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Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person."
(C) The Designated Percentage shall be 20% for any
person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
was the Beneficial Owner of 5% or more of the Common Shares of the Company
outstanding as of September 24, 1998.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the following
meanings:
(i) An "Affiliate" of, or a Person "affiliated" with,
a specified Person, is a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with,
the Person specified. For this purpose, "control" (including the terms
"controlling," "controlled by" and "under common control with") means the
possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of
the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise;
(ii) The term "Associate" used to indicate a
relationship with any Person shall mean (A) any corporation or organization
(other than the Company or a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company) of which
such Person is an officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the
Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of any class of equity securities, (B) any trust
or other estate in which such Person has a substantial beneficial interest or as
to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and
(C) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who
has the same home as such Person or who is a director or officer of the Company
or any of its parents or Subsidiaries.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person has (A) the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), written or
otherwise, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights
(other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely
from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public
proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is
not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
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(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), written or otherwise, for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of
Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, (A) 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, and
(B) a Person who is a director or officer of the Company or who is an Affiliate
or Associate of a director or officer of the Company (each, an "Exempted
Person") shall not be deemed to "beneficially own" Common Shares held by another
Exempted Person solely by reason of any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
written or otherwise, entered into in opposition to a transaction that, at the
time such agreement, arrangement or understanding was entered into, has not been
approved or recommended by the Board of Directors to the stockholders of the
Company.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
p.m., Massachusetts Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Massachusetts Time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the
Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of
another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such
first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Designated Percentage" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 1(a) hereof.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(j) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
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(k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited partnership, business trust, unincorporated association or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(l) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(b) hereof.
(m) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series F Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations attached
to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(n) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(o) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of the
date of (i) the public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that
an Acquiring Person has become such or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by
the Company or an Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(p) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any Person of which
a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity
interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(q) A "Successor" shall mean the estate or legal
representative of a deceased individual, the beneficiary of a deceased
individual's estate, a trust created by a deceased individual as grantor, or the
beneficiary of a trust created by a deceased individual as grantor.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The
Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event shall be liable
for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time
as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the first public announcement
of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) to commence a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in any such Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including any such
date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the
Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date"); (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions
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of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the
names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be
Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to
receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date,
the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the
Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested,
send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"),
evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights (the "Rights") as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between Excite, Inc. and BankBoston, N.A., dated as of
October 15, 1998, as such may subsequently be amended (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal executive offices of Excite, Inc.. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights
will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. Excite, Inc. will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As
described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, Rights
beneficially owned by any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain other Persons
shall become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also
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constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any
Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired
so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with
the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B 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 other
provisions of this Agreement, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as
shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the number of such one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent (unless applicable exchange rules and law permit facsimile
signature, in which case the Rights Agent signature may be by facsimile) and
shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of
the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to
be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may
be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company
with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the
Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
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Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Company shall execute and the Rights Agent shall
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum by the holders of Rights sufficient for any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may
exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in
whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the
Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side
thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights
Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on October 15, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right (the "Purchase Price") shall
initially be $175.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of
the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid
by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by
certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights
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Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of one-one thousandths of a
Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from any
depositary agent for the Preferred Shares depositary receipts representing such
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in
lieu of issuance of fractional Preferred Shares in accordance with Section 14
hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause
the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right
Certificate or to such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available, out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights
in accordance with this Section 7.
(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 following the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate
surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to
ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and non-assessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made.
Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred 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 of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date, such holder would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one
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Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to the last paragraph of this
subparagraph (ii) and to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that any
Person shall become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing the Designated
Percentage threshold to be crossed and the Person to thereby become an Acquiring
Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13 hereof, each holder of a Right
shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained
by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and
dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Company's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the
date such Person became an Acquiring Person.
From and after the occurrence of any Person becoming
an Acquiring Person, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned
by such Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring
Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no
right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right
Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to
the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right
Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an
Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence
or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring
Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the
Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof shall
be canceled. This paragraph shall apply not only to an initial Acquiring Person,
and its Affiliates and Associates, but also to subsequent Acquiring Persons, and
their Affiliates and Associates.
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares
which are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation and not
outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for issuance
for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit
the holder of each Right to purchase the number of Common Shares to which such
holder would be entitled upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 11, the
Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Common Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (calculated as provided in the last
sentence of this subparagraph (iii)) pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (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 such
Common Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares 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 determined to
have the same value as shares of common stock (such equity securities, "common
stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or
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(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 in good faith; 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 an
event triggering the rights to purchase Common Shares described in Section
11(a)(ii) 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 without requiring payment of
the Purchase Price, shares of common stock (to the extent available) and then,
if necessary, cash, which shares and cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith
that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of common stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action 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(f) 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 make a public announcement, and shall deliver to the Rights Agent a
statement, stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. At such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, the Company
shall make another public announcement, and deliver to the Rights Agent a
statement, so stating. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) of the Common Shares 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 Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having
the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or
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into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In
case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which
shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares,
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and
prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to
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trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("Nasdaq") or such other system
then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board
of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which
the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security
is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined
in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth
of a Preferred Share or one one-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than three years
from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right
shall thereafter be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted
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Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
ten-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been distributed, shall be at least 10 days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been distributed,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value of
the Preferred Shares issuable
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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 non-assessable Preferred Shares at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine
to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the
Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preferred Shares, (iii) dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
Shares or (iv) issuance of any rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise other than by payment of dividends in Common
Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case
(i) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after
such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such
event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each
Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect
to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 and 27,
take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if the purpose of such action
is to, or if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that
such action will, diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights.
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Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person,
and, directly or indirectly, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, (b) an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company
and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger
and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be
changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or
the Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50%
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights which have become null and
void) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a
price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of the Person in the transaction (including the
Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) who is issuing the
consideration with the greatest fair market value to the Company and its
stockholders in connection with such transaction (the "Principal Issuer") as
shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a
Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Principal Issuer
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the Principal Issuer shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant
to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer
to the Principal Issuer; and (iv) the Principal Issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and the
Principal Issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any
transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such
transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities
outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the
consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section
13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or
other transfers.
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Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a),
the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the
Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if
the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such
market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company
shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall
provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fractions of the current market
value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives any right to receive fractional Rights or fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
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Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) may, without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), in such holder's own behalf and for
such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right
Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books maintained by the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
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Section 18. Compensation and Indemnity of the Rights Agent. The Company
agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent,
its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
(including employees, directors, officers and agents of the Rights Agent) for,
and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent (including employees, directors, officers and agents of the Rights
Agent), for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent (including employees,
directors, officers and agents of the Rights Agent) in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment
as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case
at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by
this Agreement any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of
the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Rights and Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
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(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the General Counsel,
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 protected and shall incur no
liability for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith unless a
court of competent jurisdiction determines that the Rights Agent's gross
negligence or willful misconduct was the primary cause of any loss to the
Company or any holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, any holder of a Right as holder of a Common Share). The Rights Agent makes
no representation or warranty with respect to and is not responsible for the
validity, value or availability of the Rights, the Right Certificates or the
Preferred Shares.
(d) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with,
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Common Shares or for other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in this Section 20.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be assumed to have knowledge of
and shall not be required to take note of or act upon any fact or circumstance
including, without limitation, the occurrence of facts or circumstances leading
to the Shares Acquisition Date or the Distribution Date, facts or circumstances
relating to whether any Person may be an Affiliate or an Associate of any other
Person, facts or circumstances relevant to an adjustment to the Purchase Price,
facts or circumstances relevant to events described in Section 13 (mergers,
etc.), Section 23 (redemption) and Section 24 (exchange) which may be relevant
to performance by the rights Agent under this Agreement unless the Company has
provided written notice thereof to the Rights Agent; and the Company agrees that
it will (i) promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing of the occurrence of the
Shares Acquisition Date (including the identity of the Acquiring Person and the
date on which the Shares Acquisition Date occurred), the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date, and of any events described in Section 13 (merger), and (ii)
promptly provide the Rights Agent with such other information as the Rights
Agent may reasonably request in connection with the performance of its duties
under this Agreement.
(f) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special,
indirect or consequential damage or loss of any kind whatsoever (including but
not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the
likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action, provided
the Rights Agent has acted in good faith under this Agreement.
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(g) 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.
(h) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the General Counsel, the Secretary or the
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of
any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those
instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from
the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any
action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its
duties or obligations under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after
which such action shall be taken or omitted and the Rights Agent shall not be
liable for any action taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in
any such application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall
not be less than three Business Days after the date any such officer actually
receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in
writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action,
the Rights Agent has received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(i) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(j) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
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period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit such holder's Right Certificate for inspection by the
Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be (i) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States or of the State of California (or of any other state of the United
States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking
institution in the State of California), in good standing, having an office in
the State of California, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million dollars or (ii) a subsidiary of a corporation described in clause (i) of
this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to
the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, following the
Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares pursuant to the exercise
of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of other securities of the Company, in each case, which
options or securities are outstanding prior to the Distribution Date, the Board
of Directors shall 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 and this sentence shall be null and
void ab initio if, and to the extent that, such issuance or this sentence would
create a significant risk of or result in material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued or
would create a significant risk of or result in such options' or employee plans'
or arrangements' failing to qualify for otherwise available special tax
treatment 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.
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Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, by a resolution
of the Board of Directors, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"). After the period for redemption of the
Rights has expired, the Board of Directors may not extend the period for
redemption of the Rights or otherwise provide for their redemption. The
redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such
time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in
its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a), the Company
shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding
Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. If the payment of the Redemption Price is not included in such notice,
each such notice shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption
Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates
may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner
other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24
hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to
the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, authorize and direct
the exchange of all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio (the
"Exchange Ratio") of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not
be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any such Subsidiary or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of a majority of the
Common Shares then outstanding.
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(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant Section 24(a) hereof
and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company,
at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or common stock equivalents, as
such term is defined in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) for Common Shares
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (or common stock equivalents) for each Common Share, as
appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the
Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a
Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same
voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents authorized by the Company's
certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved
or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
Rights, to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share.
For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the current per share market value of a
whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the
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holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more
of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of
such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case any event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Excite, Inc.
βββ ββββββββ
βββββββ ββββ, ββββββββββ βββββ
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
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BankBoston, N.A.
c/o Boston Equiserve Limited Partnership
βββ ββββββ ββββββ
ββββββ, βββββββββββββ βββββ
Attention: Client Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may, by a
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, from time to time, and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company directs, supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any
ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other
provisions or changes with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable, including, without limitation, to modify or amend the
definition of Acquiring Person set forth in Section 1(a) hereof, to change the
Purchase Price set forth in Section 7(b), or to extend or shorten the period for
redemption of the Rights; provided, however, that from and after such time as
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in
any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
(other than an Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates), including,
without limitation, to extend the period for redemption of the Rights, or
otherwise provide for their redemption, or to provide for an earlier Final
Expiration Date. Any such supplement or amendment will be evidenced by a writing
signed by the Company and the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall not be
obligated to enter into any amendment or supplement to this Agreement which in
the opinion of the Rights Agent, may materially adversely affect the rights,
duties, liabilities to the Company or immunities to the Company of the Rights
Agent.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, then such term, provision,
covenant or restriction shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and
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.
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Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire
agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Company:
EXCITE, INC.
By: /s/ ββββββ β. ββββ
-----------------------------------
Name: ββββββ β. ββββ
Title: Executive Vice President, Chief
Administrative Officer and Chief
Financial Officer
Rights Agent:
BANKBOSTON, N.A.
By: /s/ ββββββββ β. ββββββββ
-----------------------------------
Name: ββββββββ β. ββββββββ
Title: Director
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EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES F JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
EXCITE, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
------------
Excite, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the "Corporation"),
hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on September 24, 1998:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Preferred Stock"),
of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and
fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
Series F Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series F Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series F
Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series F Preferred
Stock shall be 250,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series F Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the
Series F Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September
and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a
"Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of
Series F Preferred Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the
nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
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equal to 1000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and
1000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company or
a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of
Series F Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series F
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series F Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series F
Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date
of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the
record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series
F Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall
begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series F Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated
pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series F Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series F Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to 1000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series F Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
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(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation
having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series F Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2
are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series F Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series F Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series F
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series F Preferred Stock
and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in
proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled; or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series F Preferred Stock,
provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of
the Corporation ranking junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series F Preferred Stock.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series F Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the
Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise
required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, the holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled
to receive, prior and in preference to any distribution of any assets of the
Corporation to the holders of Common Stock, the amount of $10.00 per
3
35
share for each share of Series F Preferred Stock then held by them. Thereafter,
the holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive
an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal
to any accrued and unpaid dividends. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
(B) If the assets of the Corporation legally available for
distribution to the holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation are insufficient to
pay the full preferential amount set forth in the first sentence of paragraph
(A) above, then the entire assets of the Corporation legally available for
distribution to the holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall be distributed
among such holders in proportion to the shares of Series F Preferred Stock then
held by them.
(C) The foregoing rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up provided to the holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall be subject
to the rights of the holders of any other series of Preferred Stock (or any
other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series F Preferred Stock upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or other property, then in any such case each share of
Series F Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall
not be redeemable.
4
36
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on
behalf of the Corporation by its President and attested by its Assistant
Secretary this 15th day of October, 1998.
EXCITE, INC.
By:_____________________________________
Vice President and Secretary
5
37
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- _____ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 15, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER
RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
EXCITE, INC.
This certifies that ____________________ or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of October 15, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Excite, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and BankBoston, N.A. (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution
Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m.,
Massachusetts Time, on October 15, 2008 at the principal office of the Rights
Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of
a fully paid non-assessable share of Series F Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a
purchase price of $175.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Certification and the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of _________, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase
Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$0.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in
38
whole or in part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock,
par value $0.001 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _______ __, 199_.
ATTEST:
EXCITE, INC.
By:________________________________ By:________________________________
Countersigned:
BANKBOSTON, N.A., Rights Agent
By:________________________________
Authorized Signature
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39
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ___________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee) this Right Certificate, together
with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint __________________________________________________,
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ________________________
___________________________________
Signature
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
--------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
___________________________________
Signature
40
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate--continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate)
To _______________________:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _____________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
_____________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Dated: __________, 199_
___________________________________
Signature
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
2
41
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate--continued
---------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement).
___________________________________
Signature
---------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On September 24, 1998, the Board of Directors of Excite, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right")
for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
"Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable to stockholders of
record on October 30, 1998 (the "Record Date"). In addition, one Right shall be
issued with each Common Share that becomes outstanding (i) between the Record
Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date (as defined below), the date the
Rights are redeemed and the date the Rights expire or (ii) following the
Distribution Date and prior to the date the Rights are redeemed and the date the
Rights expire, pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of other
securities of the Corporation, which options or securities were outstanding
prior to the Distribution Date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series F Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Preferred
Shares"), of the Company, at a price of $175.00 per one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description
and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights
Agreement") between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement or disclosure that a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons (an "Acquiring Person"), has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later
date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to the time
a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person), following the announcement of an
intention to make a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of
such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced,
with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the
Record Date, by such Common Share certificates with a copy of this Summary of
Rights attached thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Person shall
become an Acquiring Person if the Board of Directors of the Company determines
in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person has
become such inadvertently, and such Person as promptly as practicable takes such
actions as may be necessary so that such Person would no longer be considered an
Acquiring Person and (ii) the Designated Percentage shall be 20% for any person
or group of affiliated or associated persons who or which held beneficial
ownership of 5% or more of Common Shares of the Company outstanding as of
September 24, 1998.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights will be mailed to holders of record of the
Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and such
separate certificates alone will evidence the Rights. If Common shares are
issued or sold after the Distribution Date (but prior to the redemption or
expiration of the Rights) in connection with the exercise of stock options or
upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities of the Company
outstanding prior to the
43
Distribution Date, the Company shall issue the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with such issuance or sale.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on October 15, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
expiration date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in
Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common
Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend
payment of 1000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, each Preferred Share will be entitled to a $10.00 preference, and
thereafter the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an aggregate
payment of 1000 times the aggregate payment made per Common Share. Each
Preferred Share will have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares.
Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which
Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive
1000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, unless the
event causing the Designated Percentage threshold to be crossed and the Person
to thereby become an Acquiring Person is a merger, acquisition or other business
combination described in the next paragraph each holder of a Right, other than
Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be
void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of
Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right
on the terms and conditions set forth in the Rights Agreement. If the Company
does not have authorized but unissued Common Shares sufficient to satisfy such
obligation to issue Common Shares, the Company is obligated to deliver upon
payment of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or other securities
equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right.
In the event that any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
the Company merges into or engages in certain other business combination
transactions with an Acquiring Person, or 50% or more of its consolidated assets
or earning power are sold to an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other
than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person, will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, that number of shares of common stock of
ii
44
the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market
value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange
ratio of one Common Share, or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a
share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent
rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to such time as a person or group becomes an
Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in
whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price").
The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis
and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. After the period for redemption of the Rights has expired, the Board
may not amend the Rights Agreement to extend the period for redemption of the
Rights. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by a resolution of the Board of
Directors without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and
after such time as any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, no such
amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other
than an Acquiring Person).
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.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
October __, 1998. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
iii