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IntelliQuest Information Group, Inc.
and
American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.,
as Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of October 19, 1998
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Rights Agreement, dated as of October 19, 1998, between
IntelliQuest Information Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"),
and American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., a Colorado corporation, as
Rights Agent (the "RIGHTS AGENT").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on October 19, 1998, the Board of Directors of the
Company adopted this Agreement, and has authorized and declared a dividend of
one preferred share purchase right (a "RIGHT") for each Common Share (as defined
in Section 1.6) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on November
2, 1998 (the "RECORD DATE") and has authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each Common
Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in
Sections 3.1 and 7.1), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-hundredth (subject to adjustment) of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "PREFERRED SHARES") of the Company having the
rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of
Designation attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Rights may be issued
with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section
22.
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:
1.1. "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding but shall not include (i) an Exempt Person (as
such term is hereinafter defined) or (ii) if, as of the date hereof, any Person
is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares outstanding (an
"EXISTING HOLDER"), such Existing Holder shall not be or become an "Acquiring
Person" unless and until such time as such Existing Holder shall become the
Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the Company (other
than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the
outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision
of the outstanding Common Shares), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of
such additional Common Shares, such Existing Holder is not then the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the
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Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or
more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the
Common Shares of the Company then outstanding solely by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the
Company, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares
of the Company (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or
made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or
pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares), then
such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" unless upon becoming
the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock such Person
does not beneficially own 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the
Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
Section 1.1, has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation,
because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage
of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring
Person" or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial
Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of
such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement), and without any intention of
changing or influencing control of the Company, and such Person divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such
Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1, then such Person shall not be
deemed to be or have become an "Acquiring Person" at any time for any
purposes of this Agreement. For all purposes of this Agreement, any
calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular
time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
1.2. "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations, under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
1.3. A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and
shall be deemed to "BENEFICIALLY OWN" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant
to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately, or only after the passage of time,
compliance with regulatory requirements, fulfillment of a
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condition or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a
bona fide public offering of securities), 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, (w) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange, (x) securities which such Person has a right to acquire upon the
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, (y) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from
and after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such Rights
were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 22
("ORIGINAL RIGHTS") or pursuant to Section 11.9 or Section 11.15 with respect
to an adjustment to Original Rights or (z) securities which such Person or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates may acquire, does or do acquire
or may be deemed to acquire or may be deemed to have the right to acquire,
pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and
such Person (or one or more of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) if
prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person the Board of Directors of
the Company has approved such agreement and determined that such Person shall
not be or be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such securities within the
meaning of this Section 1.3; or (B) the right to vote 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 clause (B) if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy
or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) and
with respect to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members
with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), whether or not in
writing, for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy or consent as described in the proviso to Section 1.3(ii)(B))
or disposing of any securities of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no
Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be
deemed, solely by reason of such Person's status or authority as such, to be
the "Beneficial Owner" of, to have "Beneficial Ownership" of or to
"beneficially own" any securities that are "beneficially owned" (as defined
in this Section 1.3), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity,
by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an
Exempt Person.
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1.4. "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
1.5. "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.,
Austin, Texas time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Austin, Texas time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
1.6. "COMMON SHARES" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the
Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the
equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such other Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person, and which has issued and
outstanding such capital stock, equity securities or equity interest.
1.7. "EXEMPT PERSON" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, in each case including, without limitation, in its fiduciary
capacity, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company or any entity or trustee holding shares of capital stock of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or for the purpose of
funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary
of the Company.
1.8. "PERSON" shall mean any individual, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company, firm, corporation, unincorporated
association, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger
or otherwise) of such entity.
1.9. "SHARES ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, the filing of a report pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an
Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses
information which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person or such earlier
date as a majority of the Board of Directors shall become aware of the existence
of an Acquiring Person.
1.10. "SUBSIDIARY" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interests is owned, of record or beneficially, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.
1.11. A "TRIGGER EVENT" shall be deemed to have occurred upon any
Person becoming an Acquiring Person.
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1.12. The following terms shall have the meanings defined for
such terms in the Sections set forth below:
Term Section
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Adjustment Shares 11.1.2
common stock equivalent 11.1.3
Company Recitals
current per share market price 11.4
Current Value 11.1.3
Distribution Date 3.1
equivalent preferred stock 11.2
Exchange Act 1.1
Exchange Consideration 27
Existing Holder 1.1
Expiration Date 7.1
Final Expiration Date 7.1
Nasdaq 9
Original Rights 1.3
Preferred Shares Recitals
Principal Party 13.2
Purchase Price 4
Record Date Recitals
Redemption Date 7.1
Redemption Price 23.1
Right Recitals
Right Certificate 3.1
Rights Agent Recitals
Security 11.4
Spread 11.1.3
Substitution Period 11.1.3
Summary of Rights 3.2
Trading Day 11.4
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights
Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agent shall
be as the Company shall
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determine. Contemporaneously with such appointment, if any, the Company
shall notify the Rights Agent thereof.
Section 3. ISSUANCE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
3.1. RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY SHARE CERTIFICATES. Until the earlier
of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth
Business Day after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement
of the intent of any Person (other than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender
or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person (other
than an Exempt Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares
aggregating 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares of the Company
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "DISTRIBUTION
DATE"), (x) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3.2) by the certificates for
Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates
for Common Shares shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive certificates
therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying Common Shares. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, prior to the
occurrence of a Distribution Date specified as a result of an event described in
clause (ii) (or such later Distribution Date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may select pursuant to this sentence), the Board of Directors may
postpone, one or more times, the Distribution Date which would occur as a result
of an event described in clause (ii) beyond the date set forth in such clause
(ii). Nothing herein shall permit such a postponement of a Distribution Date
after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except as a result of the operation
of the third sentence of Section 1.1. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign and the Company (or, if requested, the Rights Agent) will send, by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person
or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more certificates for Rights,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "RIGHT CERTIFICATE"),
evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each Common
Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely
by such Right Certificates.
3.2. SUMMARY OF RIGHTS. On the Record Date or as soon as
practicable thereafter, the Company will send or cause to be sent a copy of a
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS"), by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close
of business on the Record Date at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights will be
evidenced by such certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of
the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights and the
registered holders of the Common Shares shall also be registered holders of
the associated Rights. Until the Distribution
6
Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any
certificate for Common Shares outstanding at the close of business on the
Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby.
3.3. NEW CERTIFICATES AFTER RECORD DATE. Certificates for
Common Shares which become outstanding (whether upon issuance out of authorized
but unissued Common Shares, disposition out of treasury or transfer or exchange
of outstanding Common Shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of
the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights, and shall have impressed, printed, stamped, written or
otherwise affixed onto them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in an Agreement between IntelliQuest
Information Group, Inc. (the "Company") and American Securities
Transfer & Trust, Inc., as Rights Agent, dated as of October 19,
1998, as the same may be amended from time to time (the
"Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as
set forth in the 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 Agreement without charge after receipt
of a written request therefor. AS DESCRIBED IN THE AGREEMENT,
RIGHTS WHICH ARE OWNED BY, TRANSFERRED TO OR HAVE BEEN OWNED BY
ACQUIRING PERSONS OR ASSOCIATES OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS DEFINED
IN THE AGREEMENT) SHALL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
TRANSFERABLE.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights associated with
the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificates,
except as otherwise provided herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that
the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but
prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares
shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.
Notwithstanding this Section 3.3, the omission of a legend shall
not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any
holder of the Rights.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase shares, certification and assignment to
be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may
7
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 or trading system on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as
of the Record Date, and shall show the date of countersignature by the Rights
Agent, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth
therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth
therein (the "PURCHASE PRICE"), but the number of such one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, 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 any Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned, either
manually or by facsimile signature, by an authorized signatory of the Rights
Agent, but it shall not be necessary for the same signatory to countersign all
of the Right Certificates hereunder. No Right Certificate shall be valid for
any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who
shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer
of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and
delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be
countersigned by the Rights Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with
the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates, the certificate
number of each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHT CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5, Section 11.1.2 and Section 14, 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 Right Certificate or Right
Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become
void pursuant to Section 11.1.2 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section
27) may be transferred, split up or combined or exchanged for another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a
like number of one one-hundredths of a
8
Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up or combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender,
together with any required form of assignment and certificate duly completed,
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up or
combined or exchanged at the office 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
Right Certificate or Right Certificates until the registered holder shall
have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment
on the reverse side of such Right Certificate or Right Certificates 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
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment from the holders of Right Certificates of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with
any transfer, split up or combination or exchange of such Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 , at any time after
the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the
Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the
loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of
loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to
them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights
Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the
Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company
will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE
OF RIGHTS.
7.1. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS. Subject to Section 11.1.2 and except
as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder of any Right Certificate may
exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of
election to purchase and certification on the reverse side thereof duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the
total number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (or other securities,
cash or other assets) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
time (the "EXPIRATION DATE") that is the earliest of (i) the close of business
on November 2, 2008 (the "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE"), (ii) the time at which the
Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 (the "REDEMPTION DATE"), (iii) the
closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the Company
pursuant to an agreement of the type described in Section 13.3 at which time the
Rights are deemed terminated, or (iv) the time at which the Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 27.
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7.2. PURCHASE. The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall be initially
$40.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11, 13 and 26 and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with Section 7.3.
7.3. PAYMENT PROCEDURES. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and
certification duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase
Price for the total number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid
by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9, in cash or
by certified or cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent
is the transfer agent) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the
Rights hereunder with a depository agent, requisition from the depository agent
depository receipts representing interests in such number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depository agent) and the Company hereby directs the depository
agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from
the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 or otherwise in accordance with Section
11.1.3, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depository
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11.1.3, 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.
7.4. PARTIAL EXERCISE. In case the registered holder of any
Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a
new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered
holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to
the provisions of Section 14.
7.5. FULL INFORMATION CONCERNING OWNERSHIP. 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 of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in
this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for
such exercise shall have been duly completed and signed by the registered holder
thereof and the
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Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates
or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK. The
Company covenants and agrees that from and after the Distribution Date it will
cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, out of its
authorized and unissued Common Shares or other securities or out of its shares
held in its treasury) the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) that will
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of
a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable upon the
exercise of Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or traded
in the over-the-counter market and quoted on the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") (including the
National Market or Small Cap Market), 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 or admitted to trading on such exchange
or quoted on Nasdaq upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) delivered
upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for
such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the
Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such
Preferred Shares under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or
"Blue Sky" laws (to the extent exemptions therefrom are not
11
available), cause such registration statement and qualifications to become
effective as soon as possible after such filing and keep such registration
and qualifications effective until the earlier of the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and the Expiration Date.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90
days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a
registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall
have been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities
Act (if required) shall have been declared effective.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all Federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or
of any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be
required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer
or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of certificates for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of, the registered
holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to
issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares 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 any such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at
the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other
securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the 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 Shares (or Common Shares 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 Right Certificate shall not be entitled to
any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends or other
12
distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of
Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
11.1. POST-EXECUTION EVENTS.
11.1.1. CORPORATE DIVIDENDS, RECLASSIFICATIONS, ETC. In the
event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare
and pay a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11.1, the Purchase Price in effect at the
time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares
of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both Section 11.1.1 and Section 11.1.2, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11.1.1 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to,
the adjustment required pursuant to, Section 11.1.2.
11.1.2. ACQUIRING PERSON EVENTS; TRIGGERING EVENTS. Subject
to Sections 23.1 and 27, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from
and after the first occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right, except as
provided below, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof
at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2), in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this
Section 11.1.2) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the current per share
market price of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the
first of the date of the occurrence of, or the date of the first public
announcement of, a Trigger Event (the "ADJUSTMENT SHARES");
13
PROVIDED that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall
thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with
Section 11.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Trigger
Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by (1) any
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof, (2) a transferee of
any Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (3) a transferee of
any Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such
and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests
in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has
any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the
Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of this Section 11.1.2, and
subsequent transferees, shall become void without any further action, and any
holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) of such Rights shall thereafter have no
right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the type
described in this Section 11.1.2 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction,
would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights. From and after the Trigger Event, no Right
Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 that
represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of
this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that
represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of
this paragraph shall be canceled.
The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
provisions of this Section 11.1.2 are complied with, but shall have no liability
to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure
to make any determinations with respect to any Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section
13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this
Section 11.1.2 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section
13 and not pursuant to this Section 11.1.2.
11.1.3. INSUFFICIENT SHARES. The Company may at its option
substitute for a Common Share issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance
with the foregoing Section 11.1.2 a number of Preferred Shares or fraction
thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share
multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market
price of one Common Share. In the event that upon the occurrence of one or more
of the events listed in Section 11.1.2 above there shall not be sufficient
Common Shares authorized but unissued, or held by the Company as treasury
shares, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing Section 11.1.2, the Company shall take all such
14
action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance
upon exercise of the Rights, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company
determines that it is unable to cause the authorization of a sufficient
number of additional Common Shares, then, in the event the Rights become
exercisable, the Company, with respect to each Right and to the extent
necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments
in effect on the date hereof to which it is a party, shall: (A) determine
the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the "CURRENT VALUE"), over (2) the Purchase Price (such
excess, the "SPREAD") and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2), make adequate provision
to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
Preferred Shares or other equity securities of the Company (including,
without limitation, shares, or fractions of shares, of preferred stock which,
by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially
comparable to those of the Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the
Company has deemed in good faith to have substantially the same value as
Common Shares) (each such share of preferred stock or fractions of shares of
preferred stock constituting a "COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENT")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the
foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company; 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 first occurrence of one of the events listed in Section 11.1.2 above,
then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the extent necessary and
permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on
the date hereof to which it is a party, upon the surrender for exercise of a
Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, such number or fractions of
Preferred Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash,
which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the
Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is
unlikely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary, but not
more than ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of one of the
events listed in Section 11.1.2 above, in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
period as may be extended, the "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD"). To the extent that
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the second
and/or third sentences of this Section 11.1.3, the Company (x) shall provide
that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to
such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights 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
15
11.1.3, the value of a Common Share shall be the current per share market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of the occurrence
of a Trigger Event and the value of any "common stock equivalent" shall be
deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date. The Board
of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, establish
procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares upon the exercise
of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.1.3.
11.2. DILUTIVE RIGHTS OFFERING. In case the Company shall fix a
record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of
Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days
after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or
securities having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("EQUIVALENT PREFERRED STOCK")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred stock at a price per Preferred Share or per share
of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion or exercise price per
share, if a security convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred stock) less than the current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on such record date,
the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
and shares of equivalent preferred stock outstanding on such record date plus
the number of Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock which
the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or
shares of equivalent preferred stock to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current per share market price and the denominator of which shall be the
number of Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock outstanding
on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or shares
of equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or
into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In
case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which
shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred
Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock owned by or held for the account
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding
for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments 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.
11.3. DISTRIBUTIONS. In case the Company shall fix a record date
for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares
(including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
16
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (other
than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the
rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case
regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not
in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the
four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares (which dividend, for purposes of this
Agreement, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.1(A))) or
convertible securities, or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11.2), 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 per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as
determined pursuant to Section 11.4) 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, securities or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11.4); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
11.4. CURRENT PER SHARE MARKET VALUE.
11.4.1. GENERAL. For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the "CURRENT PER SHARE MARKET PRICE" of any security (a "SECURITY"
for the purpose of this Section 11.4.1) on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty
(30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the
current per share market price of the Security is determined during any
period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (i) a
dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security
or securities convertible into such shares or (ii) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration
of thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current per share market
price" shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price
per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal
17
national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Security, the fair value of the Security on such date as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term
"TRADING DAY" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Security
is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date the
Security is not so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the
Security, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company
or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
Directors, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a
reasonable and objective manner, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
11.4.2. PREFERRED SHARES. Notwithstanding Section 11.4.1,
for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market
price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in the same manner as set
forth above in Section 11.4.1 (other than the last sentence thereof). If the
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares cannot be determined in
the manner described in Section 11.4.1, the "current per share market price" of
the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100
(as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits,
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Shares
occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current per share
market price of the Common Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4.1). If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, or if on any such date neither the Common Shares nor the
Preferred Shares are so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in
either the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares, "current per share market
price" of the Preferred Shares shall mean the fair value per share as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, or, if at the time of
such determination there is an Acquiring Person by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, which
shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective
manner, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For purposes of this
Agreement, the "current per share market price" of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share shall be equal to the "current per share market price" of one
Preferred Share divided by 100.
11.5. INSIGNIFICANT CHANGES. No adjustment in the Purchase Price
shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease
of at least 1% in the
18
Purchase Price. Any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11.5 are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundred thousandth of a Preferred
Share or the nearest one-hundredth of a Common Share or other share or
security, as the case may be.
11.6. SHARES OTHER THAN PREFERRED SHARES. If as a result of an
adjustment made pursuant to Section 11.1, the holder of any Right thereafter
exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the
Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares
so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11.1,
11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.13, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10,
13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any
such other shares.
11.7. RIGHTS ISSUED PRIOR TO ADJUSTMENT. 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-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to
time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
11.8. EFFECT OF ADJUSTMENTS. Unless the Company shall have
exercised its election as provided in Section 11.9, upon each adjustment of the
Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11.2 and 11.3,
each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest
one-hundred thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred 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.
11.9. ADJUSTMENT IN NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Company may elect
on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the
number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of a Right.
Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights
shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right was exercisable 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-hundredth)
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
19
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on
which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.9,
the Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at
the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of
record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by
such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right
Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned
in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the
Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of
the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in
the public announcement.
11.10. RIGHT CERTIFICATES UNCHANGED. Irrespective of any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price per share and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
11.11. PAR VALUE LIMITATIONS. Before taking any action that would
cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the
then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares or other shares of capital stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred
Shares or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
11.12. DEFERRED ISSUANCE. 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 of that number of Preferred Shares and shares of other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the Preferred Shares and shares of other capital stock or other
securities, assets or cash 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 upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
11.13. REDUCTION IN PURCHASE PRICE. Anything in this Section 11
to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such
reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly
required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in
20
its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for
cash of any of the Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options
or warrants referred to hereinabove in this Section 11, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
11.14. COMPANY NOT TO DIMINISH BENEFITS OF RIGHTS. The Company
covenants and agrees that after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date or
Distribution Date it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 26 or
Section 27, 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
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
11.15. ADJUSTMENT OF RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMON SHARES.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the date hereof and prior to the
Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding Common
Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) effect a subdivision or consolidation of
the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by the
payment of dividends payable in Common Shares), or (iii) combine the outstanding
Common Shares into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such
case, the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding,
or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date or in
accordance with Section 22 shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number
of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11.15
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such
a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13, the
Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly
file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or
the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25.
The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and
on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
21
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS
OR EARNING POWER.
13.1. CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS. In the event that, from and after
the first occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly or indirectly, (A) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person and
the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation, (B) any
Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company
and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of the
Company or any other Person or cash or any other property, or (C) the Company
shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more
wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11.14), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the
then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to
Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12), in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares or Common Shares,
such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and
freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined) not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently
adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12) and
(y) dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share market price
of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section
11.4) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; PROVIDED, that the price per Right so payable and the number of
Common Shares of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right
shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in
accordance with Section 11.6 to reflect any events covered thereby occurring
in respect of the Common Shares of such Principal Party after the occurrence
of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party; and (iv) such
Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
authorization and reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in
accordance with Section 9) in connection with such consummation as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; PROVIDED that, upon
the
22
subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party,
each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise
of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price as provided in this Section
13.1, such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such
holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of
such transaction, owned the Common Shares of the Principal Party receivable
upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13.1, and such
Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to,
reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent
exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash,
shares, rights, warrants and other property. The Company shall not
consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that the
requirements of this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 shall promptly be
performed in accordance with their terms and that such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer of assets shall not result in a default by the Principal
Party under this Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the
Principal Party pursuant to this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 and providing
that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this
Section 13, the Principal Party, at its own expense, shall
(1) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and
similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;
(2) use its best efforts, if the Common Shares of the Principal
Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or
on another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or
continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if
the Common Shares of the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to
cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be
authorized for quotation on Nasdaq or on such other system then in use;
(3) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the
Exchange Act; and
(4) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive
rights in respect of the Common Shares of the Principal Party subject to
purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
23
In case the Principal Party has provision in any of its authorized
securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other instrument
governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Shares or
common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current
market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) or
securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or common stock
equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price
(other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), or (ii) providing
for any special payment, taxes or similar provision in connection with the
issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provision
of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder
of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto
the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the
Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question
of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will
have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of
the proposed transaction.
The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Trigger Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in
clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 13.1 if (i) at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other
transaction 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, (ii)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13.2 shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such
Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii) the form or nature of
organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability
of the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive transactions of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this
Section 13.1.
13.2. PRINCIPAL PARTY. "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (A) or
(B) of the first sentence of Section 13.1: (i) the Person that is the issuer of
the securities into which the Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common
Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (ii) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party
to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than
one such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest
aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the
other party to the merger does not survive the merger,
24
the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company if it
survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (C) of
the first sentence in Section 13.1, the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such
transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning
power so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the
assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any such case described in the foregoing
clause (A) or (B) of this Section 13.2, if the Common Shares of such Person are
not at such time or have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person
is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which
are and have been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of
more than one Person, the Common Shares of all of which are and have been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons
is the issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of
shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a
joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above
shall apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the
Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint
venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations
set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person
bears to the total of such interests.
13.3. APPROVED ACQUISITIONS. Notwithstanding anything contained
herein to the contrary, upon the consummation of any merger or other acquisition
transaction of the type described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 13.1
involving the Company pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement
between the Company and any Person (or one or more of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates) which agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to any Person becoming an Acquiring Person, this Agreement and
the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall be terminated in accordance with
Section 7.1.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
14.1. CASH IN LIEU OF FRACTIONAL RIGHTS. The Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates
which evidence fractional Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date in
accordance with Section 11.15). In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall
be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which
such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the
purposes of this Section 14.1, 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
25
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average
of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the current market value of the Rights on such date shall be the fair
value of the Rights as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company, or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring
Person by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company, which shall have the duty to make such
determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
14.2. CASH IN LIEU OF FRACTIONAL PREFERRED SHARES. The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share) upon exercise or exchange of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Interests in
fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depository selected by it; PROVIDED, that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depository receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred
Shares represented by such depository receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised or exchanged as herein provided an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the current per share market price of one
Preferred Share (as determined in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
14.3. CASH IN LIEU OF FRACTIONAL COMMON SHARES. The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares upon the exercise or
exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall
pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which
such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share
(as determined
26
in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the
date of such exercise or exchange.
14.4. WAIVER OF RIGHT TO RECEIVE FRACTIONAL RIGHTS OR SHARES.
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 or
exchange of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce this Agreement, and may institute and maintain any suit, action
or proceeding against the Company to enforce this Agreement, or otherwise
enforce or act in respect of his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of
any Person (including, without limitation, the Company) subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right
by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) as of and after the Distribution Date, the Right
Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights
Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer with all required certifications completed; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat
the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced
thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by
anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
27
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 24), or to receive dividends or
subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from
time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel
fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of
this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The
Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith
or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or
omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration
of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any
claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate
or certificate for the Preferred Shares or the Common Shares or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, instruction, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT. Any corporation or limited liability company into which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation or limited liability company resulting from any
merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation or limited liability company succeeding to
the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto, PROVIDED that such corporation or limited
liability company would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 21. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the
28
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent
may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
20.1. LEGAL COUNSEL. The Rights Agent may consult with legal
counsel selected by it (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.
20.2. CERTIFICATES AS TO FACTS OR MATTERS. Whenever in the
performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it
necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer,
the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer,
the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or 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.
20.3. STANDARD OF CARE. The Rights Agent shall be liable
hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
20.4. RELIANCE ON AGREEMENT AND RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Rights
Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or
recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except as to
its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
29
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have
been made by the Company only.
20.5. NO RESPONSIBILITY AS TO CERTAIN MATTERS. The Rights Agent
shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof
by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right
Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible
for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this
Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any
change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void
pursuant to Section 11.1.2) or any adjustment required under the provisions of
Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 27 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of
any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such change or
adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when so
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
20.6. FURTHER ASSURANCE BY COMPANY. 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.
20.7. AUTHORIZED COMPANY OFFICERS. The Rights Agent is hereby
authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance
of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors,
the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any
Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or
Assistant Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties under this Agreement, 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 these instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for
written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent,
set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights
Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the
date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be
effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable to the Company for any action
taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified therein (which
date shall not be less than three business days after the date any such officer
actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented
in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking of any such action (or
the effective date in the case of omission), the Rights Agent
30
shall have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
20.8. FREEDOM TO TRADE IN COMPANY SECURITIES. 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.
20.9. RELIANCE ON ATTORNEYS AND AGENTS. 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, omission,
default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss
to the Company resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or
misconduct, PROVIDED that reasonable care was exercised in the selection and
continued employment thereof.
20.10. INCOMPLETE CERTIFICATE. If, with respect to any Rights
Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the
certificate contained in the form of assignment or the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been
completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof), the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with
respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the
Company.
20.11. RIGHTS HOLDERS LIST. At any time and from time to time
after the Distribution Date, upon the request of the Company, the Rights Agent
shall promptly deliver to the Company a list, as of the most recent practicable
date (or as of such earlier date as may be specified by the Company), of the
holders of record of Rights.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to
each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable,
by registered or certified mail. Following the Distribution Date, the Company
shall promptly notify the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail
of any such resignation. 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 Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable, by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the resigning, removed, or incapacitated Rights Agent shall
remit to the Company, or to any successor Rights Agent designated by the
Company, all books, records,
31
funds, certificates or other documents or instruments of any kind then in its
possession which were acquired by such resigning, removed or incapacitated
Rights Agent in connection with its services as Rights Agent hereunder, and
shall thereafter be discharged from all duties and obligations hereunder.
Following notice of such removal, resignation or incapacity, the Company
shall appoint a successor to such 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 Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New
York or the State of California (or any other state of the United States so
long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking
institution in the State of New York or California) in good standing, having
an office in the State of New York or the State of California, which is
authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust
powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $10 million. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the samepowers, rights, duties
and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent
without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver
and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by
it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any
such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or
Preferred Shares, as applicable, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and
prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common
Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any
employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or
upon exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by
the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the
appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that (i) no such Right Certificate
32
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material
adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Right
Certificate would be issued, (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been
made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
Section 23.1. RIGHT TO REDEEM. The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to a Trigger Event, redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001
per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE"), and
the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based
on the "current per share market price," determined pursuant to Section 11.4, of
the Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of
the Rights by the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.
Section 23.2. REDEMPTION PROCEDURES. Immediately upon the action
of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights
(or at such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the
effectiveness of such redemption), 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. The Company shall promptly give public notice of such
redemption; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any
such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. The Company shall
promptly give, or cause the Rights Agent to give, notice of such redemption to
the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such
holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of
its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23 or in Section 27, and other than in connection with the purchase,
acquisition or redemption of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. In case the Company shall
propose at any time after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date and the
Distribution Date (a) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Shares (other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a
33
rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash
dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have
not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net
income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior
to the payment of such dividends, or a stock dividend on, or a subdivision,
combination or reclassification of the Common Shares), or (b) to offer to the
holders of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or
any other securities, rights or options, or (c) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), or (d) to
effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to, any other Person (other than pursuant to a merger or other
acquisition agreement of the type described in Section 1.3(ii)(A)(z)), or (e)
to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (f)
to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares
or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares
(by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common
Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, 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 Preferred Shares and/or Common
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (a) or (b) above at least ten (10)
days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares
for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares
and/or Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
In case any event set forth in Section 11.1.2 or Section 13 shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate,
in accordance with Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which
notice shall describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of
Rights under Section 11.1.2 and Section 13, and (ii) all references in this
Section 24 to Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common
Shares and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior
to the Distribution Date a filing by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the holders of
securities of the Company, including the Rights, for purposes of this Agreement
and no other notice need be given.
34
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 Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
IntelliQuest Information Group, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 and Section 24, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Shareholder 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 Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing Common
Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 26. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. For so long as the
Rights are then redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion,
and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders
of Rights or Common Shares. From and after the time that the Rights are no
longer redeemable, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company
so directs, from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, or (ii) to make any other changes or
provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable, including but not limited to extending the
Final Expiration Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such supplement or amendment
shall adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person),
and no such supplement or amendment may cause the Rights again to become
redeemable or cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in
accordance with this sentence; PROVIDED FURTHER, that the right of the Board of
Directors to extend the Distribution Date shall not require any amendment or
supplement hereunder. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate
officer of the
35
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. Without limiting the foregoing, at any time
prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company and
the Rights Agent may amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth
in Sections 1.1 and 3.1 to not less than the greater of (i) any percentage
greater than the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then
known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than an
Exempt Person) and (ii) 10%.
Section 27. EXCHANGE.
27.1. EXCHANGE OF COMMON SHARES FOR RIGHTS. The Board of
Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after the occurrence of
a Trigger Event, exchange Common Shares for all or part of the then outstanding
and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) by exchanging at an exchange ratio
of that number of Common Shares having an aggregate value equal to the Spread
(with such value being based on the current per share market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of the occurrence of a Trigger
Event) per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such amount per
Right being hereinafter referred to as the "EXCHANGE CONSIDERATION").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Acquiring Person shall have become
the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. From
and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that
theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1 shall
thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be
exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1. The exchange of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
27.2. EXCHANGE PROCEDURES. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange for any Rights pursuant
to Section 27.1 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange
shall state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights
will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based
on the number of Rights (other than the Rights that have become void pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11.1.2) held by each holder of Rights.
36
27.3. INSUFFICIENT SHARES. The Company may at its option
substitute, and, in the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of
Rights for Common Shares as contemplated in accordance with this Section 27, the
Company shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each Common
Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of
Preferred Shares or fraction thereof (or equivalent preferred stock, as such
term is defined in Section 11.2) such that the current per share market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11.4) of one Preferred Share (or equivalent
preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current
per share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to Section 11.4)
as of the date of such exchange.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person or corporation other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
Section 30. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company 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, without
limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or amend this
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) that are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in
good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights
Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
37
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADING. 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.
38
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.
INTELLIQUEST INFORMATION GROUP, INC.
By /s/ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------------
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Chief Operating Officer
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST,
INC.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Senior VP/Trust Officer
39
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
INTELLIQUEST INFORMATION GROUP, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
------------------------------
IntelliQuest Information Group, Inc., a corporation organized and
existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter
called the "CORPORATION"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151
of the General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on October 19,
1998.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in
the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "BOARD OF
DIRECTORS" or the "BOARD") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation of this Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "PREFERRED STOCK"),
of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and
fixes the relative rights, powers and preferences, and qualifications,
limitations and restrictions thereof as follows:
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the
"SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK") and the number of shares constituting the Series A
Preferred Stock shall be 300,000. Such number of shares may be increased or
decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; PROVIDED, that no decrease
shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less
than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved
for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or
upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
A-1
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any shares of any class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking
prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in
preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(the "COMMON STOCK"), of the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking
junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive,
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the
first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such
date being referred to herein as a "QUARTERLY DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE"),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock,
in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter
set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and 100 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 since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise
than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater
or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock 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 Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
2 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided
that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared
on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a
dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
A-2
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares,
or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and
before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events
such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not
bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock
in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time
accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The
Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital
stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together
as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting
rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they
are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein)
for taking any corporate action.
A-3
Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series
A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably
on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such
junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the
Corporation ranking junior (both as to dividends and upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred
Stock, 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.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph
(A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such
time and in such manner.
Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation
A-4
become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued
as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of
Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series
of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. (A) Upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or
otherwise, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share
(the "Series A Liquidation Preference") equal to $100 per share, plus an amount
equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not
declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per
share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to
100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares
of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
under the proviso in clause (1) 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 are
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and
series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with
the Series A Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets
available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
(C) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into
or with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other
corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the
meaning of this Section 6.
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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 each share
of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable by the Company.
Section 9. RANK. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to all series of any other class
of the Corporation's Preferred Stock, except to the extent that any such other
series specifically provides that it shall rank on a parity with or junior to
the Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 10. AMENDMENT. At any time any shares of Series A
Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a single class.
Section 11. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share that 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 Series A Preferred Stock.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed
on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board this ___ day of
October, 1998.
---------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Chairman
A-7
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 2, 2008 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE IS GIVEN OR IF THE COMPANY IS MERGED OR
ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED IN SECTION
1.3(ii)(A)(z) OF THE AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 11.1.2 OF THE AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR
TRANSFERRED TO AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT),
OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID
AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
Right Certificate
INTELLIQUEST INFORMATION 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 October 19, 1998, as the
same may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), between IntelliQuest
Information Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American
Securities Transfer & Trust, a Colorado corporation, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the
Distribution Date and prior to 5:00 P.M. (central time) on November 2, 2008,
at the offices of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent,
designated for such purpose, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per
share (the "Preferred Shares") of the Company, at a purchase price of $40.00
per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase and certification duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the
number and Purchase Price as of ________, ____ based on the Preferred Shares
as constituted at such date. Capitalized terms used in this Right Certificate
without definition shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.
As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred
Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
B-1
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Agreement are on file at the principal offices of the Company and the Rights
Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates,
upon surrender at the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like
tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the Rights
evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have
entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised
in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another
Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Board of Directors
may, at its option, (i) redeem the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate at
a redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) exchange Common Shares for the
Rights evidenced by this Certificate, in whole or in part.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Shares
which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
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 Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Agreement.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of the 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 the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in
no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
B-2
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or binding 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 _______________, 1998.
Attest: INTELLIQUEST INFORMATION GROUP, INC.
By By
---------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC., as Rights Agent
By
----------------------------------
Authorized Signature
B-4
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address
of transferee)
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title
and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
_____________ Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the
books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________
--------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
--------------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor
institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
B-5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not
beneficially owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or an Associate thereof; and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Dated: ____________
---------------------------------------
Signature
B-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To: IntelliQuest Information Group, Inc.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
__________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the
Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights (or such other
securities or property 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 print name and address)
------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
------------------------------------------------------------
Dated:
--------------
-----------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
----------------------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor
institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
B-7
The undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not
beneficially owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or an Associate thereof; and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Dated:
--------------
-----------------------------
Signature
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
------
The signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment and Form of
Election to Purchase must conform to the name as written upon the face of this
Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase is not completed, the Company will
deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to
be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate hereof and such Assignment
or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-8
EXHIBIT C
AS DESCRIBED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS WHICH ARE
HELD BY OR HAVE BEEN HELD BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ASSOCIATES OR
AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES
THEREOF SHALL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On October 19, 1998 the Board of Directors of IntelliQuest
Information Group, Inc. (the "COMPANY") declared a dividend of one preferred
share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of common stock, $0.0001 par
value (the "COMMON SHARES"), of the Company outstanding at the close of business
on November 2, 1998 (the "RECORD DATE"). As long as the Rights are attached to
the Common Shares, the Company will issue one Right (subject to adjustment) with
each new Common Share so that all such shares will have attached Rights. When
exercisable, each Right will entitle the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock (the "PREFERRED SHARES") at a price of $40.00 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share, subject to adjustment (the "PURCHASE PRICE"). The description
and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of October
19, 1998, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "AGREEMENT"),
between the Company and American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., as Rights
Agent (the "RIGHTS AGENT").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has
acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or more
of the Common Shares (an "ACQUIRING PERSON") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior
to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring
Person) following the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a
tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the
beneficial ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the Common Shares
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being called the "DISTRIBUTION DATE"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate together
with a copy of this Summary of Rights.
The Agreement provides that until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption exchange, termination, or expiration of the Rights), the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the close of business on the Record Date
upon transfer or new issuance of the Common Shares will contain a notation
incorporating the Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption, exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
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Shares, with or without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights,
will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("RIGHT
CERTIFICATES") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on November 2, 2008, subject to the Company's right to extend
such date (the "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE"), unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by
the Company or terminated.
Each Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
be entitled, when, as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly
dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend, if any, declared per Common Share. In the
event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of
the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation
payment of $100 per share (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends) but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes and will vote together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. Preferred Shares will
not be redeemable. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Share's dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares or convertible
securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred Shares or
(iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of
indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (excluding regular periodic cash
dividends at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular
periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash
dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the
average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended
immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or dividends payable in
Preferred Shares (which dividends will be subject to the adjustment described in
clause (i) above)) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the
Company were the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or
any affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person and the Common Shares were not
changed or exchanged, each holder of a
C-2
Right, other than Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by
the Acquiring Person (which Rights will thereafter be void), will thereafter
have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a
market value of two times the then current Purchase Price of the Right. In
the event that, after a person has become an Acquiring Person, the Company
were acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or more
than 50% of its assets or earning power were sold, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price of the
Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which
at the time of such transaction would have a market value of two times the
then current Purchase Price of the Right.
At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior
to the earlier of one of the events described in the last sentence of the
previous paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which will
have become void), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of
one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).
No adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until
cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase
Price. No fractional Preferred Shares or Common Shares will be issued (other
than fractions of Preferred Shares which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), and in lieu thereof, a payment
in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares or
Common Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.001 per Right (the "REDEMPTION PRICE") by the Board of Directors at any
time prior to the time that an Acquiring Person has become such. The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis
and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have
no rights as a stockholder of the Company beyond those as an existing
stockholder, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends.
Any of the provisions of the Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors of the Company for so long as the Rights are then redeemable,
and after the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may amend or
supplement the Agreement in any manner that does not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
C-3
A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of
the 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 Agreement, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
C-4