AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC. and EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. Rights Agent Dated as of September 21, 2004

Exhibit 4.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THE ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ COMPANIES, INC.

and

EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Rights Agent

Dated as of September 21, 2004

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. Certain Definitions............................................................ 1

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power 21

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AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT

AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of September 21, 2004 (the “Agreement”), between The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association (the “Rights Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Company entered into a Rights Agreement, dated as of February 6, 1996, as amended, with First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent, which Rights Agreement shall expire on February 6, 2006;

WHEREAS, on January 21, 1996 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each share of common stock, par value $1 per share, of the Company outstanding at the close of business on February 6, 1996 (the “Record Date”), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(o) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company’s treasury) and the earliest of the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in Section 3 hereof), or the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined) each Right initially representing the right to purchase one two-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the “Rights”);

WHEREAS, the parties now desire to amend and restate the Rights Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Certain Definitions.

For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

(a) "Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include:

(i) the Company;

(ii) any Subsidiary of the Company;

(iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company;

(iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan;

(v) any such Person who has reported or is required to report such ownership (but who is the Beneficial Owner of less than 20% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding) on Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report) or on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report) which Schedule 13D does not state any intention to or reserve the right to control or influence the management or policies of the Company or engage in any of the actions specified in Item 4 of such Schedule (other than the disposition of the Common Stock) and, within 10 Business Days of being requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same, certifies to the Company that such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock in excess of 14.9% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the Rights and who, together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter does not acquire Beneficial Ownership of additional  shares of Common Stock equal to 1% of the then outstanding Common Stock of the Company while the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if the Person requested to so certify fails to do so within 10 Business Days, then such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such 10 Business Day Period;

(vi) any Person that is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely as the result of the operation of subsection (iii) of the definition of “Beneficial Owner” and “beneficially own” if and during such period as the Board shall have determined that the operation of such clause should be waived in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders;

(vii) any Person that would not otherwise be an Acquiring Person but for a reduction in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock repurchase program or other similar plan of the Company or from a self tender offer of the Company, which plan or tender offer commenced on or after the date hereof; provided, however, that the term “Acquiring Person” shall include such Person from and after the first date upon which (A) such Person, since the date of the commencement of such plan or tender offer, shall have acquired Beneficial Ownership of, in the aggregate, a number of shares of Common Stock of the Company equal to 1% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding and (B) such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall beneficially own 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; or

(viii) any Person that is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company as of the date hereof and thereafter has continued to be the Beneficial Owner of at least 15% of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that the term Acquiring Person shall include such Person from and after the first date upon which (A) such Person, since the date hereof, shall have acquired, without the prior approval of the Board, Beneficial Ownership of additional shares of Common Stock equal to 1% of the then outstanding Common Stock of the Company and (B) such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall beneficially own more than 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding.

In calculating the percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that are beneficially owned by a Person for purposes of this definition, shares of Common Stock that are beneficially owned by such Person shall be deemed outstanding, and shares of Common Stock that are not beneficially owned by such Person and that are subject to issuance upon the exercise of conversion of outstanding conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options shall not be deemed outstanding. Any determination made by the Board as to whether any Person is or is not an Acquiring Person shall be conclusive and binding upon all holders of Rights.

(b) "Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of this Agreement (the “Exchange Act”).

(c) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to "beneficially own,” any securities:

(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the “Original Rights”) or pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;

(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has beneficial ownership of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” any security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);

(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company; or

(iv) that, on any day on or after the Distribution Date, evidence Rights that prior to such date were represented by certificates for shares of Common Stock that such Person beneficially owns on such day;

provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities acquired through such person’s participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.

(d) "Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

(e) "Close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

(f) "Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $1 per share, of the Company, except that “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.

(g) "Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or other entity.

(h) "Preferred Stock” shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1 per share, of the Company, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

(i) "Redemption Date” shall mean the date of the action of the Board authorizing and directing the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(a) hereof or the exchange of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(c) hereof.

(j) "Rights Expiration Date” shall mean the tenth anniversary of this Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, except if there has been a Distribution Date, then it shall mean the tenth anniversary of the Distribution Date.

(k) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event” shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

(l) "Section 13 Event” shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.

(m) "Stock Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

(n) "Subsidiary” shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.

(o) “Triggering Event” shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.

(p) The following terms shall have the meaning specified in the indicated Section or Sections of this Agreement:

The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.

Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.

(a) Until the earliest of (i) the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13 Event, or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as the Board shall determine) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the earliest of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), provided, however, that the Board shall ultimately determine in its sole discretion whether a Distribution Date has occurred, (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more right certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Rights Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(o) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.

(b) With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.

(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company’s treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement between The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. (the “Company”) and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”), dated as of September 21, 2004, (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, 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. The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.

(d) Certificates for shares of Common Stock issued at any time on or after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

This certificate does not represent any Right issued pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Right Agreement dated as of September 21, 2004 by and between the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent.

Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.

(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one two-hundredth of a share, the “Purchase Price”), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person, or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:

The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.

(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned (or by facsimile if permitted by law) by the Rights Agent, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Amended and Restated Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.

Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.

(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.

(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the Rights Expiration Date, or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Date”).

(b) The Purchase Price for each one two- hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.

(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of their respective Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

(g) Until the Distribution Date, no Right may be exercised.

(h) Prior to the Distribution Date, if the Board shall have determined that such action adequately protects the interests of the holders of Rights, the Company may, in its discretion, substitute for all or any portion of the Preferred Stock that would otherwise be issuable after the Close of business on the Distribution Date and upon the exercise of each Right and payment of the Purchase Price: (i) cash, (ii) other equity securities of the Company, (iii) debt securities of the Company, (iv) other property or (v) any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price equal to the aggregate Current Market Price of the Preferred Stock for which substitution is made. Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, in the event that the Company takes any action pursuant to this Section 7(h), such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights.

(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7, the exercisability of the Rights shall be suspended for such period as shall reasonably be necessary for the Company to register and qualify the Preferred Stock and/or Common Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to the exercise of the Rights under the Act (as such term is defined in Section 9 hereof) and any applicable securities law of any jurisdiction; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 7 shall relieve the Company of its obligations under Section 9(c) hereof.

(j) Neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights or any other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make any determination under this Section 7 or any other section with respect to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.

All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy or cause to be destroyed, such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.

(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act”), with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.

(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.

Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.

Each person in whose name any certificate for a number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.

The Purchase Price, the number and kind of securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a 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 that the Company shall at any time after the Close of business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of business on the Expiration Date (A) declare or pay any dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issue Preferred Stock or other securities of the Company (other than those issuances for which an adjustment is required under Section 11(b) hereof) in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) or in a reorganization of the Company, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, then, and upon each such event, the number and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities issuable upon the exercise of a Right on the date of such event shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised on or after such date shall be entitled to receive, upon the exercise thereof and payment of the Purchase Price, the aggregate number and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities or other property, as the case may be, that, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when such Right was exercisable and the transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and would have been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

(ii) In the event that a Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred, and the Expiration Date shall not have occurred prior to the tenth Business Day following such event (a “Section 11(a)(ii) Event”), then, and upon each such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be made so that, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the then current Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as equals the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such Section 11(a)(ii) Event (or, if the Distribution Date shall not have occurred prior to the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right would have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event), and (B) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of a share of Common Stock on the date of occurrence of the relevant Section 11(a)(ii) Event (such number of shares being hereinafter referred to as the “Adjustment Shares”). Successive adjustments shall be made pursuant to this paragraph each time a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs.

(iii) In the event that on the date of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that are authorized by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is less than the aggregate number of Adjustment Shares thereafter issuable upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the excess of such number of Adjustment Shares over and above such number of shares of Common Stock being hereinafter referred to as the “Unavailable Adjustment Shares”), then, and upon each such event, the Company shall substitute for the pro rata portion of the Unavailable Adjustment Shares that would otherwise be issuable thereafter upon the exercise of each Right and payment of the Purchase Price (A) cash, (B) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares of preferred stock of the Company or units of such shares having the same Current Market Price as one share of Common Stock (a “Common Stock Equivalent”)), (C) debt securities of the Company, (D) other property or (E) any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price equal to the aggregate Current Market Price of the Unavailable Adjustment Shares for which substitution is made. Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, in the event that the Company takes any action pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii), such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights.

(b) In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling such holders initially to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock (“Equivalent Preferred Stock”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock, at a price per Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, then, and upon each such event, 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 equal to the sum of the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock that the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be so offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities to be so offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities to be so offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that if such rights, options or warrants are not exercisable immediately upon issuance but become exercisable only upon the occurrence of a specified event or the passage of a specified period of time, then the adjustment to the Purchase Price shall be made and become effective only upon the occurrence of such event or such passage of time, and such adjustment shall be made as if the record date for the issuance of such rights, options or warrants had been the Business Day immediately preceding the date upon which such rights, options or warrants became exercisable. Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment to the Purchase Price shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, fix a record date for the making of a distribution of assets to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation, other than a distribution for which an adjustment is required under Section 11(a)(i) or (b) hereof or a regular quarterly cash dividend), then 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 equal to the excess of the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date over and above the fair market value of the portion of the securities or assets to be so distributed with respect to one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which shall be equal to such Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such a distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(d)(i) “Current Market Price” per share of a stock or unit of any other security on any date shall mean the average of the daily Closing Prices of such stock or other security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days through and including the Trading Day immediately preceding the date in question; provided, however, that if any event shall have caused the Closing Price on any Trading Day during such 30-day period not to be fully comparable with the Closing Price on the date in question (or, if no Closing Price is available on the date in question, on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date in question), then each such non-comparable Closing Price so used shall be appropriately adjusted by the Board in order to make the Closing Price on each Trading Day during the period used for the determination of the Current Market Price fully comparable with the Closing Price on such date in question (or, if applicable, the immediately preceding Trading Day). "Current Market Price” per share of any stock or unit of such other security that is not publicly held or so listed or traded, and “Current Market Price” of any other property, shall mean the fair value per share of such stock or unit of such other security, or the fair value of such other property, respectively, as determined in good faith by the Board based upon such appraisals or valuation reports of such independent experts as the Board shall in good faith determine appropriate, which determination shall be described in a statement filed by the Company with the Rights Agent. “Closing Price” of a stock or other security on any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, per share of such stock or unit of such other security on such day 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 such stock or other 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 such stock or other security is listed or admitted to trading or, if such stock or other 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 on the Nasdaq National Market or such other system then in use or, if on any such date such stock or other security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as determined in good faith by the Board. “Trading Day” shall mean, as to any stock or other security, a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which such stock or other security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such stock or other security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

(ii) For the purpose of any computation under this Section 11, if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or traded, the “Current Market Price” per share of Preferred Stock conclusively shall be deemed to be the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock multiplied by 200 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement).

(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 then current Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments that are not required to be made by reason of this Section 11(e) shall be cumulated 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-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.

(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right shall be entitled to receive any securities of the Company other than Preferred Stock upon exercise of such Right, and if an event occurs in respect of such securities that, if it were to occur in respect of Preferred Stock, would require an adjustment under this Section 11 in respect of Preferred Stock, then the number of such other securities so receivable upon exercise of each Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to Preferred Stock contained in this Section 11, and the other provisions of this Agreement with respect to Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other securities.

(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall represent the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i) below, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter represent the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by multiplying (i) the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of one Right immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price by (ii) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment, and dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment.

(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights instead of making any adjustment in the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one one-thousandth of a Right) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing of any such election and shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), indicating the record date for the adjustment and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. Such record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if separate Right Certificates have been issued, it shall be at least ten days after the date of such public announcement. If separate Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause Right Certificates representing the additional Rights to which such holders are entitled as a result of such adjustment to be distributed, subject to Section 14 hereof, to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date or, at the option of the Company, cause new Right Certificates representing all the Rights to which such holders are entitled after such adjustment 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 such adjustment, and upon surrender thereof if required by the Company. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of 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 two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of one Right, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock and the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of one Right that were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the advice or opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.

(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent), until the occurrence of such event, the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ▇▇▇▇ or other appropriate instrument representing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

(m) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11, the Company shall be entitled to make such further adjustments in the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock that may be purchased upon exercise of one Right, and such further adjustments in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that the Company in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price thereof, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Stock or securities that by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, (iv) dividends on Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

(n) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

(o) In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of business on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date, either (A) pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (D) issue shares of Common Stock in a reclassification of the Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then, and upon each such event, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such event shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Successive adjustments shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(o) each time such a dividend is paid or such a subdivision, combination or reclassification is effected. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(o) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(o) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.

Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such certification or to give such notice shall not affect the validity or the force and effect of such adjustment. Any adjustment to be made pursuant to Sections 11 or 13 hereof shall be effective as of the date of the event giving rise to such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained, and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment nor shall it be deemed to have any duty with respect to or any knowledge of such an adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.

(a) In the event (a “Section 13 Event”) that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that:

(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to a fraction, the numerator of which is:

(A) if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has not occurred prior to such Section 13 Event, the product of the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one two- hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if the Distribution Date shall not have occurred prior to the date of such Section 13 Event, the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock that would have been so purchasable if the Distribution Date had occurred on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Section 13 Event); or

(B) if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, the product of the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such Section 11(a)(ii) Event multiplied by the number of such one two-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (or, if the Distribution Date shall not have occurred prior to the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock that would have been so purchasable if the Distribution Date had occurred on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event),

and the denominator of which is 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;

(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;

(iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;

(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its  shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and

(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.

(b) “Principal Party” shall mean

(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and

(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;

provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.

(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that such Principal Party will assume this Agreement in accordance with the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13, that all rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the issuance of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party upon exercise of outstanding Rights have been waived, that such Section 13 Event shall not result in a default by such Surviving Person under this Agreement, and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will

(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Rights Expiration Date;

(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act; and

(iii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the Common Stock of the Principal Party purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a national securities exchange, or use its best efforts to cause the Rights and such Common Stock to meet the eligibility requirements for quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable only in the manner described in Section 13(a). In the event that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs on or after the date of a Section 13 Event, Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 11 hereof but shall instead be exercisable pursuant to, and only pursuant to, this Section 13.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Section 13 Event is the sale or transfer in one or more transactions of assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), but less than 100% thereof, then each Person acquiring all or a portion thereof shall assume the obligations of the Company as to a fraction of each of the Rights equal to the fraction of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) acquired by such Person, and the obligations of the Company as to the remaining fraction of each of the Rights shall continue to be the obligations of the Company.

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(o) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market 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. 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 shall be used.

(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one two-hundredth of the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.

Section 15. Rights of Action.

All rights of action in respect of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his or her own behalf and for his or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.

Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;

(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;

(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.

Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.

No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.

(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.

(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust, stock transfer or shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.

(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.

The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.

(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.

(l) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for failure to perform any duties except as specifically set forth herein and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent whose duties and obligations are ministerial and shall be determined solely by the express provisions hereof.

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.

The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. In the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to resign automatically on the effective date of such termination; and any required notice will be sent by the Company.If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York), in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which, at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent, has, or is an affiliate of a corporation which has, a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.

Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.

Section 23. Redemption, Exchange of Rights and Termination.

(a) The Board of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earliest of (i) the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) the date of the first Section 13 Event, or (iii) the Rights Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price, as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.

(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Within ten Business Days after the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder’s last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock; provided, however, that neither the failure to give any such notice nor any defect therein shall affect the legality or validity of such redemption. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may, directly or indirectly, redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23, or in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the earlier of the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13 Event. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Stock, Preferred Stock, other equity securities of the Company, debt securities of the Company, other property or any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price on the Redemption Date equal to the Redemption Price.

(c) (i) The Board may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Stock, one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, debt securities of the Company, cash, other equity securities of the Company, other property, or any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price equal to the result obtained by (i) multiplying the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on the record date for such exchange by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is exercisable on such record date and (ii) subtracting from such product the Purchase Price on such Record Date (the “Exchange Ratio”).

(ii) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (c)(i) of this Section 23 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company, within ten Business Days, shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.

(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock whichever shall be the earlier; provided, however, that neither the failure to give the notice required by this Section 24 nor any defect therein shall affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.

(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.

Section 25. Notices.

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by telecopier (with receipt confirmed) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telecopier: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by telecopier (with receipt confirmed) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

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 Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

Section 26. Supplements and Amendments.

(a) The Board may from time to time supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in any manner without the approval of any holders of Rights, whether or not such supplement or amendment is adverse to any holder of Rights, and further may direct the Rights Agent to so supplement or amend such provision, and the Rights Agent shall so supplement or amend such provision; provided, however, that from and after the earliest of (i) the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or (ii) the date of the first Section 13 Event, this Agreement shall not be supplemented or amended in any manner that would materially and adversely affect the Rights Agent or any holder of outstanding Rights other than an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party.

(b) Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights, obligations, liabilities and duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement in any manner adverse to the Rights Agent will be effective against the Rights Agent without the consent and execution of such supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.

Section 27. Successors.

All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board, etc.

For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.

Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock, other than those representing Rights that have become null or void) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).

Section 30. Severability.

If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board.

Section 31. Governing Law.

This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be 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. Certain Covenants.

Subject to Section 26 hereof and the other provisions of this Agreement, from and after the earlier of the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13 Event and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, the Company shall not (a) issue or sell, or permit any Subsidiary to issue or sell, to an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party, or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party, or any Person holding Common Stock of the Company that are Beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party, (i) any rights, options, warrants or convertible securities on terms similar to, or that materially adversely affect the value of, the Rights or (ii) Preferred Stock, Common Stock or shares of any other class of capital stock, if such sale is intended to or would materially adversely affect the value of the Rights, or (b) take any other action that is intended to or would materially adversely affect the value of the Rights.

Section 35. Force Majeure.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

Title: Senior Account Manager Title: Senior Account Manager

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Exhibit A

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER    OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]¹

Rights Certificate

The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc.

This certifies that    , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of September 21, 2004 (the “Rights Agreement”), between The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time) on    at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one two-hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the Company, at a purchase price of $50.00 per one two-hundredth of a share (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of September 21, 2004 based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of

¹ The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.

a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including Triggering Events.

This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company.

This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one two-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Rights Expiration Date. In addition, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the Company having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing any such exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such exchange.

No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one two-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, 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 Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.

Dated as of    ,

Countersigned:

EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.

By   

Authorized Signature

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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED    

hereby sells, assigns and transfer unto    

(Please print name and address of transferee)

this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint    Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:    ,    

Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Certificate

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

(1) this Rights Certificate is [ ] is not [ ] being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement);

(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did [ ] did not [ ] acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Dated:    ,    

Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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NOTICE

The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)

To: The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc.:

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise    Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security or other identifying number

(Please print name and address)

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Certificate

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are [ ] are not [ ] being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement);

(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did [ ] did not [ ] acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Dated:    ,    

Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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NOTICE

The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

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