Exhibit 4
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc.
and
The First National Bank of Boston
Rights Agent
Dated as of July 25, 1995
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. 7
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates 7
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates 9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 10
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Rights Certificates 10
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights 12
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates 14
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock 15
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date 16
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights 17
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares 27
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power 27
(i)
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 30
Section 15. Rights of Action 31
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders 32
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder 32
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 33
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent 33
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 35
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 36
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates 37
Section 23. Redemption and Termination 38
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events 39
Section 25. Notices 40
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments 40
Section 27. Successors 41
Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc 41
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 42
(ii)
Section 30. Severability 42
Section 31. Governing Law 42
Section 32. Counterparts 43
Section 33. Descriptive Headings 43
Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Summary of Rights
(iii)
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 25, 1995 between ▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and The First National Bank of Boston, a
national banking association (the "RIGHTS AGENT").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on July 24, 1995 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"),
the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company
outstanding at the close of business on August 4, 1995 (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(p) hereof) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date, each
Right initially representing the right to purchase one unit (a "UNIT") with each
such unit consisting initially of one one-thousandth of a share of Class B
Preferred Stock, Series E of the Company having the rights, powers and
preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and
Rights attached hereto as EXHIBIT A, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth ("RIGHTS");
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 or, in the case of
The Gabelli Funds, Inc. ("GABELLI") and its Affiliates and Associates, shall be
the Beneficial Owner of 32% 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, or (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan (each of (i) through
(iv), an "EXEMPTED PERSON"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Person shall
become an "Acquiring Person" as a result of an acquisition of Common Stock by
the Company which, by reducing the number of such shares then outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
to 15% (or, in the case of Gabelli, 32%) or more of the outstanding Common
Stock, except that if such Person, after such share purchases by the Company,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock, such
Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person;" and (ii) if the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would
otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently, and such
Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Stock so
that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person then such Person shall
not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." The term "OUTSTANDING," when used
with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company,
shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together
with the number of such securities not then issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.
(b) "ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "ADJUSTMENT SHARES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
(d) "AFFILIATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(e) "ASSOCIATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(f) 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
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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 ("ORIGINAL RIGHTS") or pursuant to
Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to
any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (f)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this paragraph (f) shall cause a person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition. Notwithstanding
anything in this definition of Beneficial Owner to the contrary, a Person who is
a Continuing Director or officer of the Company or who is an Affiliate or
Associate of a Continuing Director or officer of the Company (each, an "EXCLUDED
PERSON") shall not be deemed to "beneficially own" shares of Common Stock held
by another Excluded Person solely by reason of any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, written or otherwise, entered into in opposition to a transaction
that, at the time such agreement,
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arrangement or understanding was entered into, has not been approved or
recommended by the Board of Directors to the stockholders of the Company (which
approval or recommendation, if adopted following a Stock Acquisition Date,
includes the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors and only if
the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the number of directors then
in office).
(g) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the state in which
the principal office of the Rights Agent is located are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
(h) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(i) "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the common stock, par value $.50 per share,
of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock 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.
(j) "COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(k) "COMPANY" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Agreement.
(l) "CONTINUING DIRECTOR" shall mean a member of the Board of Directors
who is not an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person
or a representative or nominee of an Acquiring Person.
(m) "CURRENT MARKET PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i).
(n) "CURRENT VALUE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
of this Agreement.
(o) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
of this Agreement.
(p) "EQUIVALENT PREFERRED STOCK" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) of this Agreement.
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(q) "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
(r) "EXCLUDED PERSON" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
1(f)(iii) of this Agreement.
(s) "EXEMPTED PERSON" shall have meaning set forth in Section 1(a) of this
Agreement.
(t) "EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) of
this Agreement.
(u) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) of this Agreement.
(v) "ORIGINAL RIGHTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(i)
of this Agreement.
(w) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(x) "PREFERRED STOCK" shall mean shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series
E, par value $.50 per share, of the Company, and, to the extent that there are
not a sufficient number of shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E
authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of
Preferred Stock, par value $.50 per share, of the Company designated for such
purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Class B
Preferred Stock, Series E.
(y) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) of
this Agreement.
(z) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) of
this Agreement.
(aa) "RECORD DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause
of this Agreement.
(bb) "REDEMPTION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23 of
this Agreement.
(cc) "RIGHTS" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause of
this Agreement.
(dd) "RIGHTS AGENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Agreement.
(ee) "RIGHTS CERTIFICATES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
of this Agreement.
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(ff) "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
the "Whereas" clause of this Agreement.
(gg) "SECTION 11(A)(II) EVENT" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
(hh) "SECTION 11(A)(II) TRIGGER DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(ii) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) of this Agreement.
(jj) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) of
this Agreement.
(kk) "STOCK ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the earlier of the date of (i) the
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 or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by the Company or an Acquiring
Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has become an Acquiring Person.
(ll) "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.
(mm) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(nn) "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)
of this Agreement.
(oo) "TRADING DAY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) of
this Agreement.
(pp) "TRANSACTION" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of assets
or earning power described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common
Stock of the Company which, without regard to any required approval of the
Company, would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person.
(qq) "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
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(rr) "UNIT" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause of
this Agreement.
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the Rights
Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after
the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition
Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the Record Date),
(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 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 become an Acquiring Person or (iii) the
Expiration Date (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the
"DISTRIBUTION DATE"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced 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). The Board of Directors of
the Company may defer the date set forth in clause (ii) of the preceding
sentence to a specified later date or to an unspecified later date, each to be
determined, (with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors
following a Stock Acquisition Date and only if the Continuing Directors
constitute a majority of the number of directors then in office) by action of
the Board of Directors of the Company. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will, at the Company's expense, send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of EXHIBIT B 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(p) 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
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Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed
and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable, the Company will send a copy of a Summary
of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT C (the "SUMMARY
OF RIGHTS"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the
Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company.
(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 Rights Agreement between ▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc. (the
"Company") and The First National Bank of Boston (the "Rights Agent") dated
as of July 25, 1995 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The
Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge, promptly
after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person
who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person 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 the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, 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.
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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 B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the 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 one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
one-thousandth of a share, the "PURCHASE PRICE"), but the amount and the 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 Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate) 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 a majority of the Continuing Directors 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
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the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified
in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
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 by an authorized signatory of 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 an authorized
signatory of the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the
same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates
had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates
may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of
the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution
of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its 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
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Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
a like number of one one-thousandths 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 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 by the holder of a Rights Certificate 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.
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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 office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, along
with a signature guarantee and such other and further documentation as the
Rights Agent may reasonably request, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-thousandths of a
share (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier
of (i) the close of business on August 4, 2005 (the "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE"), or
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "EXPIRATION DATE").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $40, 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 one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other 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 one-thousandths 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 one-thousandths of a share
of
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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
check or bank draft 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 Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or
Associate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or
Associate) 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
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transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which a majority of the Continuing
Directors 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 ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b)
hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in 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 such cancelled Rights Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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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 Act with respect to the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier
of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities, or (B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will
also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period
of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of
the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in
order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement, and shall give simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is
-15-
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 one-thousandths 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
non-assessable.
(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 one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of the 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 one-thousandths 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 one-thousandths 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 one-thousandths 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
-16-
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 shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares
of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record
date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he would have
owned upon such
-17-
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date,
become an Acquiring Person, then, proper provision shall be promptly made
so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that
product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be
referred to as the "PURCHASE PRICE" for each Right and for all purposes of
this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such
first occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the
"ADJUSTMENT SHARES").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section
11(a), the Company, acting by resolution of its Board of Directors (which
resolution shall be effective only with the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors), shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment
Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "CURRENT VALUE"), and (B)
with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a
Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board
has deemed to
-18-
have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common
Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as "COMMON STOCK
EQUIVALENTS")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or
(6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to
the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price),
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Board; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30)
days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant
to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein
as the "SECTION 11(A)(II) TRIGGER DATE"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and
without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term "SPREAD" shall mean the excess of (i) the
Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board determines in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common
Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for
the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day period,
as it may be extended, is herein called the "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD"). To the
extent that action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third
sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek
such shareholder approval for such authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant
to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of
any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer
in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on
-19-
the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of
any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("EQUIVALENT
PREFERRED STOCK")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
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,
the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible).
In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall
not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or
-20-
merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation), of evidences of
indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend
payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be 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 distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "CURRENT
MARKET PRICE" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date,
and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a
dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading
Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current
Market Price
-21-
shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The
closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or,
in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock
are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System or such
other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
market in the Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date no
market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such
shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall be used.
The term "TRADING DAY" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per
share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above
or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
amount equal to 1000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted
-22-
for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock. If
neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so
listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of
this Agreement, the Current Market Price of a Unit shall be equal to the
Current Market Price of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 1000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest hundred-thousandth of a share of Common
Stock or other share or one-ten-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
-23-
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-ten-millionth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of
-24-
the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names
of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in
the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a
share and the number of one one-thousandths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and non-assessable such number of one one-thousandths 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 until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of one one-thousandths 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 one-thousandths 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 evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price thereof, (iii) issuance
wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their
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terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv)
stock dividends, or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in
this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter
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associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal
the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each
share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator
of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event.
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, the adjusted Purchase Price 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. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one
or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so
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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, not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall
be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-thousandths 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 a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one
one-thousandths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product
(which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred
to as the "PURCHASE PRICE" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "COMPANY" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its
Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common
Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
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(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
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) 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.
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
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after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not
theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner
described in Section 13(a).
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(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth 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 one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one
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one-thousandth 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 one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes
of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-thousandth of a share
of Preferred Stock shall be one one-thousandth 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) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Current
Market Value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the Current Market Value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent, are vested
in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief
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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 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 obligations; 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 one-thousandths 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
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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 such compensation as
shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent for all
services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the
Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, 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 and executed, and where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the
advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT.
(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
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Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust 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 expressly imposed by this Agreement, and no implied duties or
obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent, 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 of its selection (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
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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
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 change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof); 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.
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(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 or for
any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon
thirty (30) days' notice in
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writing mailed to the Company. 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. 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 the Company shall become
the Rights Agent until a successor Rights Agent has been appointed, and 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 any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust or shareholder services powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $100,000,000. 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, subject to Section 4 hereof, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the
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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.
SECTION 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Company may, by a resolution of its Board of Directors (which
resolution shall, if adopted following the Stock Acquisition Date, be effective
only with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors and only if
the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the number of directors then
in office), at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE"). Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's
right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay
the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current
Market Price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
-38-
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(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or
any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate and to the Rights Agent, 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.
(b) In the event that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then (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
-39-
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 first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
The First National Bank of Boston
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇; Mail Stop 45-02-62
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Shareholders Services Division
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
SECTION 26. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company may by
resolution of its Board of Directors (which resolution, if adopted following the
Stock Acquisition Date, shall be effective only with the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors and only if the Continuing Directors
constitute a majority of the number of directors then in office) and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of
this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the
penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company may by resolution of its
Board of Directors (which resolution, if adopted following the Stock Acquisition
Date, shall be effective
-40-
only with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors and only if
the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the number of directors then
in office) and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates
in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or
(iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which, in the case of this clause
(iv), shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the 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 contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the
Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
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 OF DIRECTORS, ETC. For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which
any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (with, where specifically
provided for herein, the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors
and only if the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the number of
directors then in office) shall have
-41-
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 of Directors (with, where specifically provided
for herein, the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors and only
if the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the number of directors
then in office) 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 or the Continuing Directors 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) 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 of Directors of the Company
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from
this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement,
the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and
shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date
of such determination by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 31. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a
-42-
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.
-43-
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.
▇▇▇▇ GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Treasurer
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
as Rights Agent
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Administration Manager
-44-
Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND
RIGHTS OF CLASS B PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES E
OF
▇▇▇▇ GROUP, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
I, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Secretary of ▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc., a corporation
organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY
CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of this Corporation, the Board
of Directors on July 24, 1995, adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 5,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, a series of Preferred Stock of the
Corporation be and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount
thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional
and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series shall
be designated as "Class B Preferred Stock, Series E" and the number of shares
constituting such series shall be 5,000.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E with respect to dividends, the holders of
shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall be entitled to receive, when,
as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for
the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of January,
April, July and October in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E,
in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 times the aggregate per share
amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other
than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared
on the Common Stock, par value $.50 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common
Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or,
with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first
issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Class B Preferred Stock, Series
E. In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares
of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Class B Preferred Stock, Series E as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately
after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date
for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such
shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless
the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Class B
A-2
Preferred Stock, Series E entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before
such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on
the shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E entitled to receive
payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall
be no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Class B Preferred
Stock, Series E shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall entitle the holder thereof
to 1000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by
a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E and the holders of shares of Common
Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends
thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall ▇▇▇▇ the beginning of a period
(herein called a "default period") which shall extend until such time when all
accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend periods and for
the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E then outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart for
payment. During each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock (including
holders of the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E) with dividends in arrears in
an amount equal to six (6) quarterly
A-3
dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series, shall have the
right to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the holders of
Class B Preferred Stock, Series E may be exercised initially at a special
meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any
annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of
stockholders, provided that neither such voting right nor the right of the
holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in certain
cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be exercised unless the holders
of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding shall be
present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common
Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such
voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall
exercise such voting right initially during an existing default period, they
shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such
vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2)
Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2)
Directors. If the number which may be so elected at any special meeting does
not amount to the required number, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have
the right to make such increase in the number of Directors as shall be necessary
to permit the election by them of the required number. After the holders of the
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect Directors in any
default period and during the continuance of such period, the number of
Directors shall not be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of
Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity
securities ranking senior to or PARI PASSU with the Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an existing
default period, have previously exercised their right to elect Directors, the
Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders owning in the
aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request, the calling of
a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting shall
thereupon be called by the President, a Vice-President or the Secretary of the
Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual meeting at which holders
of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant to this paragraph (C)(iii)
shall be given to each holder of record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of
such notice to him at his last address as the same appears on the books of the
Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than twenty
(20) days and not later than sixty (60) days after such order or
A-4
request or in default of the calling of such meeting within sixty (60) days
after such order or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice by any
stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent
(10%) of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), no such special
meeting shall be called during the period within sixty (60) days immediately
preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and other
classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be entitled
to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders of Preferred Stock
shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a class,
after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall have been
elected by such holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y)
any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining
Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected
the Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in this
paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class of stock
shall include Directors elected by such Directors to fill vacancies as provided
in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the
right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Preferred Stock
as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such number
as may be provided for in the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the certificate of incorporation
or by-laws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions
of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a majority of
the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be
required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common
Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
A-5
Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on,
or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions
on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E, except dividends paid ratably on the Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in
arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or
otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of
any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E, or any shares of stock ranking on a
parity with the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E, except in accordance
with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by
the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as
the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and
equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
A-6
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. (A) Upon any
liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E unless, prior thereto, the
holders of shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall have received
$10.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment.
Thereafter, the holders of the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock. Following the
payment of the foregoing, holders of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E and
holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate
share of the remaining assets to be distributed.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Class B Preferred Stock, Series E
Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of
preferred stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Class B Preferred
Stock, Series E, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation
preferences.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), or (iii) combine
the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such
A-7
case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of the Class B Preferred
Stock, Series E were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted
by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall at the same time be similarly exchanged
or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or
change of shares of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. RANKING. The Class B Preferred Stock, Series E shall rank
junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. AMENDMENT. The Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
of the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Class B Preferred Stock, Series E so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E voting separately as a class.
A-8
Section 11. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Class B Preferred Stock, Series E may
be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion
to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other
rights of holders of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate
and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this 25th day
of July, 1995.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Secretary
A-9
Exhibit B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER August 4, 2005 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
▇▇▇▇ GROUP, INC.
This certifies that , or registered assigns,
is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1995 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between ▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and The First
National Bank of Boston, a national banking association (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) and at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York
City time) on August 4, 2005 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Class B Preferred Stock,
Series E (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $40 per
one one-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
-------------------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and related Certification duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock 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 July 25, 1995, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted
at such date. 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.
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, Affiliate or
Associate, 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.
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 Rights Agent.
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 one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate
B-2
or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be
entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right. 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 one-thousandth 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.
B-3
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of July 25, 1995
▇▇▇▇ GROUP, INC.
By_____________________
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON,
as Rights Agent
By______________________________
Authorized Representative
B-4
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ______________, 199
________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
B-5
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
CERTIFICATION
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 any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the 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: ____________, 199 _____________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certification 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.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Certificate) and such Assignment
will not be honored.
B-6
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: ▇▇▇▇ Group, 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:
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:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ___________, 199_
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
B-7
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
CERTIFICATION
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 any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the 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: ___________, 199 ____________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certification
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.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Certificate) and such Election to
Purchase will not be honored.
B-8
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On July 24, 1995, the Board of Directors of ▇▇▇▇ Group, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of the Company's common stock, par value $.50 per share (the "Common
Stock"), payable to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 4,
1995 (the "Record Date") and with respect to the Common Stock issued thereafter
until the Distribution Date (defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with
respect to the Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date. Except as set
forth below, each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting initially of one
one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit") of Class B Preferred Stock, Series E, par
value $.50 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a Purchase
Price of $40 per Unit, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement"), dated as of July 25, 1995, between the Company and The
First National Bank of Boston, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and no separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be distributed. The Rights will
separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the
earlier of (i) ten (10) days (or such later date as the Board of Directors shall
determine) following public disclosure that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons has become an "Acquiring Person" (as defined below), or (ii)
ten (10) business days (or such later date as the Board shall determine)
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result
in a person or group becoming an "Acquiring Person". Except as set forth below,
an "Acquiring Person" is a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
who has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock. The term "Acquiring Person" excludes (i) the Company, (ii) any
subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company, and (iv) any person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. The
Gabelli Funds, Inc. and its affiliates and associates ("Gabelli"), whose current
level of beneficial ownership is known to exceed 15%, will become an Acquiring
Person only if its level of beneficial ownership exceeds 32%.
Until the occurrence of the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only
with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued
after the
Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificate. Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will
be issued.
As soon as practicable after the occurrence of the Distribution Date,
Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as
of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate
Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except in certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement or as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the occurrence of the Distribution
Date and until the Rights no longer are redeemable. The Rights will expire at
the close of business on August 4, 2005, unless extended or earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.
In the event that, at any time following the Distribution Date, a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph,
all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and
void and nontransferable and any holder of any such right (including any
purported transferee or subsequent holder) will be unable to exercise or
transfer any such right. For example, at an exercise price of $40 per Right,
each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties)
following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder
to purchase $80 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above)
for $40. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $10 at such
time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 8 (eight)
shares of Common Stock for $40.
In the event that, at any time following the date on which there has been
public disclosure that, or of facts indicating that, a person has become an
Acquiring Person (the "Stock
2
Acquisition Date"), (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation,
or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is sold, mortgaged
or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph
and in the preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment
in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the
last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one share of Common Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock
will be entitled to a quarterly dividend payment of 1000 times the dividend
declared per share of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, each share of
Preferred Stock will be entitled to a $10.00 preference, and thereafter the
holders of the shares of Preferred Stock will be entitled to an aggregate
payment of 1000 times the aggregate payment made per share of Common Stock.
Each share of Preferred Stock will have 1000 votes, voting together with the
shares of Common Stock. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions.
3
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price (the
"Redemption Price") of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors) by resolution of the
Board of Directors (provided that following a Stock Acquisition Date such
resolution is approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors and only if the
Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the directors then in office). A
"Continuing Director" is a member of the Board of Directors who is not an
Acquiring Person, an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person or a
representative or nominee of an Acquiring Person. The redemption of the Rights
may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the
Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon such
action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of the
Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
resolution of the Company's Board of Directors (provided that following a Stock
Acquisition Date such resolution is approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors and only if the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the
directors then in office) prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
resolution of the Company's Board of Directors (provided that following a Stock
Acquisition Date such resolution is approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors and only if the Continuing Directors constitute a majority of the
directors then in office) in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which
do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person or its affiliates or associates), or to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
4
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
August 1, 1995. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from
the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is incorporated herein by reference.
August 10, 1995
5