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EXHIBIT 4.1
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
between
BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
as Rights Agent
Dated as of September 12, 1989 and
amended and restated as of July 27, 1999 and as of July
25, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Number
Section 1. Definitions................................................. 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................. 4
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates................................ 4
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates................................. 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration........................... 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates................................................ 7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights.............................................. 8
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.......... 9
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares............................ 9
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date................................10
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights............................................10
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares...................................................16
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power............................................16
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.....................17
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................19
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders..................................19
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...........20
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.................................20
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Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent................................................20
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent......................................21
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent......................................23
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.........................23
Section 23. Redemption..................................................24
Section 24. Exchange....................................................25
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events....................................25
Section 26. Notices.....................................................26
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments..................................27
Section 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors........27
Section 29. Successors..................................................27
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement..................................28
Section 31. Severability................................................28
Section 32. Governing Law...............................................28
Section 33. Counterparts................................................28
Section 34. Descriptive Headings........................................28
Signatures ............................................................28
Exhibit A - Form of Amended and Restated Statement of Resolution
Establishing Series of Preferred Shares
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (as the same may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, the "Agreement"), dated as of September 12, 1989
and amended and restated as of July 27, 1999 and as of July 25, 2000, between
Banknorth Group, Inc., a Maine corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent (the "Rights Agent," which term shall
include any successor Rights Agent hereunder).
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
September 25, 1989 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon
the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further
authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common
Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as
such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms
have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of
Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares of
the Company outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares of
the Company beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that, if a Person
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall,
after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be
an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors
of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) 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;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange;
or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also
then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person with 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) for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
l(c)(ii)(B) hereof) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
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(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the State of
Maine are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Eastern Time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a
Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(j) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(l) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Stock Market, Inc.'s National
Market.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Statement of Resolution Establishing
Series of Preferred Shares attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(o) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4
hereof.
(p) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second
paragraph hereof.
(q) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(r) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
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(s) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
hereof.
(t) "Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(u) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(v) "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 interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(w) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(b) hereof.
(x) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)
hereof.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares of the
Company registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates also
shall be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right
Certificates, and (y) the Rights and the right to receive Right Certificates
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares of
the Company, provided, however, that if a tender offer or exchange offer is
terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution
Date shall occur as
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a result thereof. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the
Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the
Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested,
send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Shares of the Company as of the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a
certificate for Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Rights
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) With respect to certificates for the Common Shares outstanding as
of the date of this Agreement, until the Distribution Date (or earlier of the
Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for the Common Shares and the registered holders of the Common
Shares also will be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date), the surrender for transfer of any of the certificates for the Common
Shares outstanding on or after the Record Date also shall constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. Upon the request of the holder of any shares of Common Shares or,
after the Distribution Date, the holder of any Rights, the Company shall, at its
expense, provide a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights").
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in an Amended and Restated Rights
Agreement between Banknorth Group, Inc. (the "Company") and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of
September 12, 1989 and amended and restated as of July 27, 1999 and as
of July 25, 2000 (as it may be amended from time to time, the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The
Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or
held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such
Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.
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With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company which are
no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. The Rights Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto, and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any applicable rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any applicable rule or regulation of any stock exchange
or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates 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 amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of
each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Rights Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents or its Treasurer,
either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or
an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the individual who
signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the
Company; and any Rights Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by
any individual who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
individual 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 Rights
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Rights Certificates,
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the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates
and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Rights
Certificate (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant
to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as
the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined
or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with
respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the
registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall
have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, 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 Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new
Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed
or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby, in whole or in
part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Rights
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred
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Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i)
the Close of Business on September 25, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii)
the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
"Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as
provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $80, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid
by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by
certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, the Rights 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 any such transfer agent
to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion,
shall have elected to deposit Preferred Shares into a depository, requisition
from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing 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 of the Preferred Shares with such depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such
request; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash,
if any, to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 14 hereof; (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder; and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt,
promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including Common Shares) of the Company pursuant to Section 11(a),
the Company shall make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities
are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate or to such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the Rights Agent shall place an appropriate
notation on the Rights Certificate with respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) 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
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registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in
this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the appropriate form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise shall have been properly completed and duly
executed by the registered holder thereof and the 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 Rights
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 cancelled 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 Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and, in such case, shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares,
or any authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number
of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be), and subject to
payment of the Purchase Price, be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and nonassessable shares or securities.
(c) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates 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 Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts 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 Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any
certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise
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of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable 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 Rights 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 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 Rights
Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF
RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon the exercise of one Right.
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(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, becomes an Acquiring
Person, each holder of a Right (except as provided below) shall thereafter have
a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of
the Company (or in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company, one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) as shall equal the result obtained by (A)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one- hundredths
of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and (B) dividing that
product by 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares
of the Company (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the
first occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an
Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not
take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of any such event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be null and void, and any holder of
such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. No Rights Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Rights Certificate shall be issued at any
time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would
be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate; and any Rights Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer
to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the
preceding sentence shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above and
the Rights become so exercisable, the Company shall take all such action as may
be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of
the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable
to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common
Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise
be issuable upon exercise of a Right, 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 as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or
fraction thereof.
(b) If the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the 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 shares having the
same or more favorable rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("equivalent preferred shares") or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or
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equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or 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 holders
of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and,
in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) If the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as
defined in Section 11(d)) 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 and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and holders of the Rights) of the portion
of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such then-current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to
be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of
the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and, in
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the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as defined below) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that,
in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of
such Security or Securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by 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 market maker is making
a market in the Security, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used
and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business, or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be
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described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and holders of Rights.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or
security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section
11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than
the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires
such adjustment or (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, 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 Section 11(a) through (c) hereof, inclusive, and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted 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.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
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
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-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
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Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein, and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or in 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 and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Preferred
Shares, Common Shares or other securities 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, Common Shares or other securities
at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(1) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred
Shares, Common Shares or other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect
prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to
such holder a due ββββ or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's
right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
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(m) Anything to the contrary in this Section 11
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it, in its sole discretion, shall
determine to be advisable in order that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of
the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at
less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred
Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable
for Preferred Shares, (iv) dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
Shares or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in Section
11(b) hereof, hereafter made by the Company to holders of the Preferred Shares
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then, in any such case, (A)
the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such
event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately
prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event,
and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have
issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share
outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the
Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly
file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or
the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment
occurs at any time after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to
each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The
Rights Agent may rely on such certificate and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has
become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person, (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 any other Person or cash or any other property, or
(c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one
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or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right, except as otherwise provided in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including
the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation), free and
clear of liens, rights of call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse
claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common
Shares 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 issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to ensure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Shares of the Company thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the
Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer unless, prior thereto, the Company and such issuer shall have executed
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The
Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this
Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants,
instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which,
as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or
substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The
provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a),
the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the
Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or
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admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are
listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any
such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on
any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair
value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and the holders of Rights.
(b) 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 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).
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 depositary
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share
shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of (i) one of the transactions or
events specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to receive Common
Shares, equivalent preferred shares or other securities upon the exercise of a
Right or (ii) an exchange of Rights for Common Shares pursuant to Section 24
hereof, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares,
equivalent preferred shares or other securities upon exercise or exchange of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractions of Common Shares,
equivalent preferred shares or other securities. In lieu of fractional Common
Shares, equivalent preferred shares or other securities, the Company may pay to
the registered holders of Rights 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 market value of a Common Share, equivalent preferred
share or other security. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market
value shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11(d) hereof for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.
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(d) The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of the Right,
expressly waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as otherwise expressly
provided above.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights 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 Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in such holder's own behalf and
for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement, and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate form completed and fully
executed; and
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(e) hereof, the Company
and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights
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
Rights Certificate 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; and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of
its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason
of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling
issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation
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or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No holder,
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares, Common 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 Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any
Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company
or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted
to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder,
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses
and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent 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 indemnity provided for herein shall survive the expiration of
the Rights, the termination of this Agreement and the resignation or removal of
the Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or
shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without
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the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of
the parties hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and, in all such
cases, such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and, in all such cases, such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President, the
Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and
such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action
taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect, consequential or incidental loss
or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits),
even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or
damage.
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(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner,
method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or
the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights
Certificates after receipt of a certificate delivered pursuant to Section 12
hereof describing 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, Common Shares or other securities to be
issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any
Preferred Shares, Common Shares or other securities will, when issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Executive Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the
Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection
with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by
it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
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(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided that reasonable care was exercised
in the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (which
holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good
standing, so long as such corporation (i) complies with the applicable rules of
the New York Stock Exchange, as such rules and requirements may be amended or
modified from time to time, (ii) is authorized under such laws to exercise stock
transfer or corporate trust powers and (iii) 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 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a) of this
sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares
or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in
this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new
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Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or
property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem
all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$0.0l 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"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company
may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as
the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion, may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the
then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor
any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value
any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in
this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the
purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
(c) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its
obligations with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing
the manner of redemption of the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and
(ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the
Rights at their last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent of the Common Shares, and upon such action, all outstanding
Rights and Rights Certificates shall be null and void without any further action
by the Company.
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Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not
be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected,
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company,
at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares,
as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the Common
Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share, as
appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the
Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a
Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same
voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) The Board of Directors shall not authorize any exchange
transaction referred to in Section 24(a) hereof unless at the time such exchange
is authorized there shall be sufficient Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares
issued but not outstanding, or authorized but unissued, to permit the exchange
of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24.
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Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall, at any time after the
Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class
to the holders of the Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the
holders of the Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend),
(ii) to offer to the holders of the Preferred Shares rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect
any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other
transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or
other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any
other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in
Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in
Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder
of a Rights Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is
to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered
by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and, in
the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to
each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Banknorth Group, Inc.
β.β. βββ ββββ
βββ ββββββββ ββββββ
ββββββββ, βββββ
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
ββ ββββ ββββββ
βββ ββββ, βββ ββββ βββββ
Attention: Relationship Manager
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from time to time
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that, from and after such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which
would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting
the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set
forth in Sections l(a) and 3(a) hereof to not less than the greater of (a) the
sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then
known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (b) 10%.
Section 28. DETERMINATIONS 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 all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or 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 to amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
of Directors of the Company in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company,
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the Rights Agent, the holders of Rights and all other parties and (y) not
subject the Board to any liability to the holders of Rights.
Section 29. 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 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, 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 Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
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.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Rights Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Maine 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 HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
/s/ βββββ β. ββββββββ By: /s/ βββββββ β. ββββ
-------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: βββββ β. ββββββββ Name: βββββββ β. ββββ
Title: Executive Vice President Title: Chairman, President and
and Clerk Executive Officer
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
/s/ βββββββ β'βββββ By: /s/ βββββββ ββββββ
-------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: βββββββ β'βββββ Name: βββββββ ββββββ
Title: Vice President Title: Vice President and Counsel
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EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
AMENDED AND RESTATED
STATEMENT OF RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
I, βββββ β. ββββββββ, Clerk of Banknorth Group, Inc. (the "Corporation"), a
corporation organized and existing under the Maine Business Corporation Act
which was formerly known as "Peoples Heritage Financial Group, Inc.", in
accordance with the provisions thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That (i) pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, on September 12, 1989, the
Board of Directors adopted a resolution creating a series of 300,000 shares of
Preferred Stock designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;"
(ii) the Corporation filed a Statement of Resolution Establishing the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock on September 13, 1989 (the "Statement of
Resolution") and (iii) no shares of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock have been issued; and
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the
Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation and the Maine Business Corporation
Act, (i) on July 27, 1999, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution amending
and restating the Statement of Resolution originally filed with the Secretary of
State of the State of Maine on September 13, 1989 that created a series of
preferred stock designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock"
and (ii) on July 25, 2000, the Board of Directors adopted the following
resolution amending and restating the Amended and Restated Statement of
Resolution filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Maine on July 27,
1999:
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of the Corporation by the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, the
Amended and Restated Statement of Resolution filed with the Secretary of State
of the State of Maine on July 27, 1999
A-1
34
relating to a series of preferred stock designated as "Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock" of the Corporation be, and it hereby is, amended,
and that the designation and amount thereof and the powers, preferences and
relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such
series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are 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 600,000. 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) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the
Corporation (or any similar stock) 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
$0.01per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior
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 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 or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series 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.
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(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after
it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); 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 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 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 or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series 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 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.
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(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.
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 (either as to dividends or 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.
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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 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 or as
otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, 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 $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 or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series 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 were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case 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 or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
A-5
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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.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to
the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of
any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock, unless the terms of any
such series provide otherwise.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends and
distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Amendment. The Articles 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
together as a single class.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Statement of Resolution Establishing Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock is executed on behalf of the Corporation by
its Clerk and attested by its President this 25th day of July 2000.
Attest: BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
_________________________________ By:________________________________
Name: βββββββ β. ββββ Name: βββββ β. ββββββββ
Title: Chairman, President and Title: Executive Vice President,
Chief Executive Officer and Clerk
A-6
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EXHIBIT B
Form of Rights Certificate
Certificate No. R- _____Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.0l PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT.
Rights Certificate
BANKNORTH 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 Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement, dated as of September 12, 1989 and amended and restated as of
July 27, 1999 and as of July 25, 2000 (the "Agreement"), between Banknorth
Group, Inc., a Maine corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer &
Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the
Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on September 25, 2009 at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
(the "Preferred Shares"), at a purchase price of $80 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof)
set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of July 27, 1999, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted
at such date. As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise
of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification
and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Rights 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 Rights Certificates. Copies of the Agreement are
on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the
Rights Agent.
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This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred
Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a
cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained in the Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder of
any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the
Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter
submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent
to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions
affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 of the Agreement), or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as
provided in the Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of:
-------------------------------------
ATTEST: BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
By:
--------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
as Rights Agent
By:
---------------------------------
Name:
Title:
β-β
ββ
ββββ ββ βββββββ ββββ of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the
within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full
power of substitution.
Dated:
------------------------------
------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).
------------------------------------
Signature
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Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _____ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights 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
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44
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).
--------------------------
Signature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as
the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this
Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or
the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Assignment or
Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
Introduction
On September 12, 1989, the Board of Directors of Banknorth Group, Inc. (the
"Company"), formerly Peoples Heritage Financial Group, Inc., declared a dividend
of one preferred share purchase right (as amended, a "Right") for each
outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
(the "Common Shares") to stockholders of record at the close of business on
September 25, 1989 (the "Record Date"), with such rights to expire on September
25, 1999. On July 27, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Company extended the
expiration date of the Rights and adopted certain amendments to the terms of the
Rights, and on July 25, 2000 the Board of Directors of the Company adopted
certain amendments to the Rights to reflect the change in the name of the
Company and the consummation of its acquisition of Banknorth Group, Inc. The
description and terms of the Rights, as amended, are set forth in an Amended and
Restated Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Purchase Price
Except as set forth below, each Right, when exercisable, entitles the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, par value $0.01
per share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $80 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
Flip-in
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(an "Acquiring Person"), each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially
owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be null and void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
Flip-over
If the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold
after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right
(other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring
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Person, which will be null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive
that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time
of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of
the Right.
Distribution Date
The Distribution Date is the earlier of
(i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares; or
(ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any person or group
of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement
of, 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 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
Transfer and Detachment
Until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only
with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record
Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of
any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even
without such notation, also will constitute the transfer of Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights
("Rights 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 Rights
Certificates alone will thereafter evidence the Rights.
Exercisability
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will
expire on September 25, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
Adjustments
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
customary adjustments from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of
certain changes in the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or distributions on
such shares. With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will
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47
be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made, as provided
in the Rights Agreement.
Preferred Shares
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum
preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred
Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in
the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common
Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 times
the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary
antidilution provisions.
The value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred Share
purchasable upon exercise of each Right should, because of the nature of the
Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, approximate the value
of one Common Share.
Exchange
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person, which will have
become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, per Right (subject to
adjustment).
Redemption
At any time prior to any person or group becoming an Acquiring Person, the
Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
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.
Amendments
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the
Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment
to lower certain thresholds
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described above to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the
largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to
be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
and (ii) 10%, except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment
may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Rights and Holders
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
Further Information
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A,
dated July 25, 2000. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-4