RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of
October 8, 1999
between
▇▇▇▇, INC.
and
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Rights Agent
Table of Contents
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions...........................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent...................................6
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates..................................7
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates..................................10
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration............................11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Rights Certificates..........................................12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.......................................................14
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates..........17
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock................18
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date..................................20
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights..........................................21
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares.......................................................34
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power................................................35
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares......................39
Section 15. Rights of Action.............................................41
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders..................................41
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder...........43
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent..................................43
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent........................................................44
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.......................................45
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.......................................48
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates..........................50
Section 23. Redemption and Termination...................................51
Section 24. Exchange.....................................................52
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.....................................54
Section 26. Notices......................................................56
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments...................................57
Section 28. Successors...................................................58
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors,
etc..........................................................58
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement...................................59
Section 31. Severability.................................................59
Section 32. Governing Law................................................60
Section 33. Counterparts.................................................60
Section 34. Descriptive Headings.........................................60
Exhibit A -Form of Articles of Amendment of ▇▇▇▇, Inc.
Exhibit B -Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -Form of Summary of Rights
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 8, 1999 (this "Agreement"),
between ▇▇▇▇, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the "Corporation"), and
EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association (the "Rights
Agent").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, on September 21, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Corporation
(the "Board of Directors") authorized and declared a dividend distribution of
one preferred stock purchase right (each, a "Right", and collectively, the
"Rights") for each share of common stock, par value $0.05 per share, of the
Corporation (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the Close of Business (as
hereinafter defined) on October 12, 1999 (the "Record Date"), and authorized the
issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each share
of Common Stock of the Corporation that shall become outstanding between the
Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as
such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right
to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of Preferred Stock (as
hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter
set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions.
For purposes of this Agreement, in addition to the terms defined in the
recitals hereof and elsewhere herein, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person that, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent
(15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee
benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of
the Corporation, or any trust or other entity organized, appointed, established
or holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (ii) any
member of the ▇▇▇▇ Family; or (iii) any Person, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, who or which would be an Acquiring Person solely by
reason of (x) being the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock, the
Beneficial Ownership of which was acquired by such Person pursuant to any action
or transaction or series of related actions or transactions approved by the
Board of Directors before such Person otherwise became an Acquiring Person, or
(y) a reduction in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a transaction or a series of related transactions approved by the
Board of Directors; provided that, in case the Person set forth in clause (iii)
does not become an Acquiring Person by reason of clause (x) or (y) above, such
Person set forth in clause (iii) shall nonetheless become an Acquiring Person
upon acquisition of any additional shares of Common Stock unless such
acquisition of additional Common Stock will not result in such Person becoming
an Acquiring Person by reason of such clause (x) or (y). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the Board of Directors 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 shares of Common Stock
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 an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in effect on
the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(2)
hereof.
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to
such terms in Rule l2b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act.
(e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, shall be deemed to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any
securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates,
directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own," securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until
such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange;
(ii) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly
or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has Beneficial Ownership
of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security
under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in
response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person
(or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in the
proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (e)) or disposing of any voting
securities of the Corporation; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph
(e) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to
be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities
acquired through such Person"s participation in good faith in a firm commitment
underwriting until the expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such
acquisition.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day
on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(g) "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.
(h) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Corporation shall mean the
common stock, par value $0.05 per share, of the Corporation. "Common Stock" when
used with reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the
capital stock (or, in the case of an unincorporated entity, the equivalent
equity interest) of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.
(i) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(j) "▇▇▇▇ Family" shall mean, collectively, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇, III, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ and their respective spouses and direct
descendants.
(k) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(l) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(m) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
and as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(n) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a)hereof.
(o) "NASDAQ" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(p) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust or
other entity and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) to such
entity.
(q) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.05 per share, of the Corporation, having the rights,
limitations and preferences set forth in the form of Articles of Amendment
attached as Exhibit A hereto, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient
number of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit
the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock of the
Corporation designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
(r) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(s) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
(t) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(u) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
(v) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(w) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z)
of Section 13(a) hereof.
(x) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement
(which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a
report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Corporation
or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(y) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation or
other entity of which an amount of securities or other ownership interests
having ordinary voting power sufficient to elect at least a majority of the
directors or other Persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(z) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(aa) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13
Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.
The Corporation hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the
Corporation and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3
hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common
Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent
hereby accepts such appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint
such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days'
prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of such
co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth (10th) day
after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth (10th) day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
Record Date), or (ii) the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may
be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement of, or
first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than the ▇▇▇▇
Family, the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit
plan or employee stock plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender
or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the
Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) 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 Stock
registered in the names of the holders of Common Stock (which certificates for
Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by
separate Rights Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including
a transfer to the Corporation). As soon as practicable after the Distribution
Date, the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the Close of Business
on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of
the Corporation, one or more right certificates, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each
share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the
event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has
been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the
Rights Certificates, the Corporation shall make the necessary and appropriate
rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Corporation
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, by
first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of
the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates for Common Stock, and the registered holders
of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the
transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of
which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Unless the Board of Directors by resolution adopted at or before the
time of issuance (including pursuant to the exercise of rights under the
Corporation's employee benefit plans) of any shares of Common Stock specifies to
the contrary, Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
that are issued after the Record Date, but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares
of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall
bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between ▇▇▇▇, Inc.
(the "Corporation") and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. (the "Rights
Agent") dated as of October 8, 1999 as the same 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 office of the Corporation. 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 Corporation 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, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. In the event
that the Corporation purchases or otherwise acquires any shares of Common Stock
after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated
with such shares of Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that
the Corporation shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with
shares of Common Stock that are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this
paragraph (c), the omission of a legend shall not affect the enforceability of
any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Corporation may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11,
13 and 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated
as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-hundredth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof
or upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment that represents Rights
beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has the
purpose or effect of avoiding the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof, and any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon
transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate
referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or
were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the
Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights
Agreement.
The provisions of Section 7(e) hereof shall be operative whether or not the
foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by
its Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President, either manually or
by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Corporation's seal or a
facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or by facsimile signature. The
Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually
or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any
of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation
before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and
effect as though the Person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Corporation; and any Rights Certificates may be signed
on behalf of the Corporation by any Person who, at the actual date of the
execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
Corporation to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the
execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place for
surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and
Section 24 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates 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 share
of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation 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 Corporation shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and
Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Corporation
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 Corporation will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of
like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to, or upon the
order of, the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights
are then exercisable, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business
on October 12, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the
Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the date on which
such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earliest of (i),
(ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $36.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section
13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with
the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied
by payment in cash or by certified check, cashier's check or money order payable
to the order of the Corporation, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the
Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights
Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock) certificates for the total
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased, and
the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) if the Corporation in its sole discretion shall have
elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which
case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent), and the
Corporation hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request,
(ii) requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in
lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after
receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to, or upon
the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. In the event
that the Corporation is obligated to issue other securities (including Common
Stock) of the Corporation, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation will make all arrangements necessary so
that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Corporation
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event
that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only
whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less
than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned
by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person,
(ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined is part of a
plan, arrangement or understanding that has the purpose or effect of avoiding
the provisions of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any
further action, and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Corporation shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported transfer or
exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of assignment or form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such transfer or
exercise, (ii) in the case of a transfer, indicated a negative response to
clauses (1) and (2) of the certificate contained in the form of assignment set
forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate and (iii) provided such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Corporation shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Corporation 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 Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Corporation, or
shall, at the written request of the Corporation, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Corporation.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities), the number of shares
of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause, from
and after such time as the Rights become exercisable (but only to the extent
that it is reasonably likely that the Rights will be exercised), all shares
reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of
issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) file, as soon
as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Corporation upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act, with respect
to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Corporation
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance
with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with
the exercisability of the Rights. The Corporation may temporarily suspend, for a
period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause
(i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights
in order to prepare and file such registration statement and to permit it to
become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Corporation shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. In addition, if the Corporation shall determine that a
registration statement is required following the Distribution Date, the
Corporation may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such
time as a registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such
jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be
permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have been
declared effective.
(d) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation
shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that 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
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in
a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any
certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of any Rights until such
tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Corporation's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of such Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered
and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) transfer books of the Corporation are closed, such Person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise)
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on
which the applicable transfer books of the Corporation are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Corporation with
respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to
exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice
of any proceedings of the Corporation, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights.
The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other
securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right, and the number
of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of
Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Corporation 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 Preferred Stock or other capital stock, as the case may be, issuable
on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had
been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred
Stock or other capital stock transfer books of the Corporation 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 Preferred
Stock or other capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that any Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, becomes an Acquiring
Person (other than pursuant to a transaction to which the provisions of Section
13 hereof apply), then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided in
this Section 11 and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the 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 share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right is then exercisable in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock
as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following, such
first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for
each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by fifty percent (50%) of the
current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the
"Adjustment Shares"). From and after the time of occurrence of a Section 13
Event, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with
Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Corporation's Restated Charter but not outstanding or reserved
for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Corporation shall: (A) determine the excess (such
Excess, the "Spread") of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon
the exercise of a Right in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the
"Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (as adjusted in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to
Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) shares of preferred
stock or other equity securities of the Corporation (including, without
limitation, shares, or units of shares, of Preferred Stock and other shares, or
units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors has deemed to
have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common Stock
(such shares of preferred stock or other equity securities or units thereof
being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents)), (4) debt securities of the
Corporation, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing having a
value that, when added to the value of the shares of Common Stock actually
issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the
Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking
firm selected by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that if the
Corporation shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to
clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Corporation's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later
of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Corporation shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price,
shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and then, if necessary, cash,
which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the
Board of Directors determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise
in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be
extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Corporation may seek
shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that action is to be taken pursuant to the
first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Corporation (1)
shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such
shareholder approval for such authorization of additional shares and/or to
decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to this Section
11(a)(iii) and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Corporation shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes
of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the
current market price per share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or
per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the
current market price per share of Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same
preferences, limitations and relative rights as the shares of Preferred Stock
("equivalent preferred stock ")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock
or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per
share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if
a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription
or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); 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 Preferred Stock or other capital stock of
the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price
may be paid by delivery of 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, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the holders of the
Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock and equivalent preferred stock owned by or
held for the account of the Corporation shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights, options
or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Corporation is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend of the Corporation in compliance with Section 55-6-40 of the North
Carolina Business Corporation Act), assets (other than a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than
Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to
in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share
of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
holders of the Rights) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be
such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
share of Preferred Stock; 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 Preferred Stock or other capital stock of
the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the current market price per share
of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the current market price per share
of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive
Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the
event that the current market price per share of Common Stock is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of
(A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other
than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of
such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution,
or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, shall
not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading
Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such
case, the current market price shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if
on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the
Board of Directors. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or
not so listed or traded, current market price per share shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the holders of the Rights.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the current market price
per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth
above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the
last sentence thereof). If the current market price per share of Preferred Stock
cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock is
not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of
this Section 11(d), the current market price per share of Preferred Stock shall
be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to one hundred (100) (as such
number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of
the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, current market price per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the holders of the Rights.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock or one hundredth of a share of Common Stock or other 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
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation 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 share of
Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Corporation shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) 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 share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) 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 (ii) dividing the product so obtained
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the
Purchase Price.
(i) The Corporation may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one 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 Corporation shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Corporation 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 Corporation, 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
Corporation, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Corporation, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share and the
number of one one-hundredths of a share which were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Stock or other
shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Corporation
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Corporation may validly and legally issue fully paid
and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock or such other shares at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the
Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the
Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance
to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred
Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable
upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder a due ▇▇▇▇ or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Corporation
shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to
those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent
that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors shall determine to be
advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less
than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of
Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends, or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be
taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Corporation in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Corporation and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each
of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if at the time of or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
(o) The Corporation covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event
that the Corporation shall at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding shares
of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated
with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered
thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common
Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying
the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately
prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which shall be the total number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the
event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13
hereof, the Corporation shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate,
and (c) mail, or cause the Rights Agent to mail, a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each
holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 26 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the
Corporation to make such certification or to give such notice shall not affect
the validity, force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such
adjustment until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Corporation shall not be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any
Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Corporation, and the Corporation shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or the Corporation or cash or any other property, or (z) the Corporation
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than fifty percent (50%) of the assets
or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to
any Person or Persons (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the
Corporation in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof,
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely
tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying
the number of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) fifty percent (50%) of the
current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such
Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties
of the Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being
specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only
to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to,
the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in
connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to
assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as
reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any
Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the issuer
of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Corporation are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation;
and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party " shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Corporation and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date and
similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party
shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or on
another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or
continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon the
exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such other
securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall
not be listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, to
cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights
to be authorized for quotation on or reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all
respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any
successor form) under the Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive
rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject to
purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a
Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall,
subject to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof, thereafter become exercisable
in the manner described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors. 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 shall be used.
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the option of the
Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Corporation may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the
time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his
right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of
a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action.
All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of
action given to the Rights Agent 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 Stock); and any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Corporation to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.
Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the
Corporation and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only
on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms
and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Corporation must use its
best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder.
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Corporation 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 shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote
for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Corporation agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The
Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it
harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Corporation,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any Corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate
trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without
the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of
the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be eligible
for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this
Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Corporation and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel
for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or
omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights
Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including,
without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination
of "current market price") be proved or established by the Corporation prior to
taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to
be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation
and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith
by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Corporation 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 Corporation of any covenant or condition
contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be
responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions
with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant
Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights
Agent for written instructions from the Corporation may, at the option of the
Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by
the Rights Agent with respect to its obligations under this Agreement and the
date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be
effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or
omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall
not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of the
Corporation actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the
Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of
the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Corporation
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 Corporation or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby
vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its
attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable
for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or
for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, default, neglect or
misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or
risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance
of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall
be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent
for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or
form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed
or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights
Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise
of transfer without first consulting with the Corporation.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from
its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed
to the Corporation, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred
Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to
the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Corporation may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days'
notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the
case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock,
by registered or certified mail, and, following the Distribution Date, 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
Corporation shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation
shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after
giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Corporation), then any registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of North Carolina (or of any other state of the United States so
long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution
in the State of North Carolina), in good standing, having an office in the State
of North Carolina, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority. 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 Corporation shall file
notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to
the contrary, the Corporation may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Corporation (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so
issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Corporation, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board of Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the
appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided,
however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the
extent that, the Corporation shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Corporation or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and
(ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the
earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to
the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) day following the
Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than
all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such
amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price
being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding any
action taken by any Person or Persons subsequent to the date hereof, the
Corporation's right of redemption hereunder may be exercised only by the Board
of Directors acting solely in its discretion in accordance with its fiduciary
duties to the Corporation and its shareholders. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Corporation's right of redemption hereunder has expired.
(b) The Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
shares of Common Stock (based on the current market price, as defined in Section
11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other
form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the
Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.
Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of
the Rights, the Corporation shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights
Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to
all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Corporation may, at its option, by resolution of its Board of Directors
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
which have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common
Stock at an exchange rate of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange
at any time after any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, any employee benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Corporation
or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation, or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Stock of the
Corporation then outstanding.
(b) Without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights to be so exchanged will terminate at the effective time of the action of
the Board of Directors ordering the exchange and the only right thereafter of
each holder of such Rights, subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph
(a) of this Section, shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock
equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Exchange Ratio. The Corporation shall promptly give notice of the exchange to
the holders of such Rights then outstanding by mailing such notice to all such
holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. Each such notice shall
state the method by which the exchange for Rights will be effected and, in the
event of a partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any
partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other
than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.
(c) The Corporation may at its option substitute, and, in the event that there
shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or
authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in
accordance with this Section 24, the Corporation shall substitute to the extent
of such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be
issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Preferred Stock or
fractions thereof (or equivalent preferred stock, as such term is defined in
Section 11(b) hereof) having an aggregate current per share market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) equal to the current per share
market price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) as of the effective date of such exchange.
(a) The Corporation shall not, in connection with any exchange pursuant to this
Section 24, be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to
distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu
of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Corporation shall pay to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value
of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common
Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
(b) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exchange
of the Rights.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Corporation shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend of the Corporation
in compliance with Section 55-6-40 of the North Carolina Business Corporation
Act), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares
of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to
effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than fifty
percent (50%) of the assets or earning power of the Corporation and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, then, in each such case, the
Corporation shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent
feasible and 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, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein
by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be
fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least ten (10) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least ten (10) days prior
to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the
earlier. The failure to give notice required by this Section 25 or any defect
therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the
Corporation or the vote upon any such action.
(b) In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then (i) the Corporation
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities issuable in respect of the Rights.
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 Rights Certificate to or on the Corporation
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:
▇▇▇▇, Inc.
Post Office Box 2686
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation 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 Corporation) as follows:
EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.
c/o EquiServe Limited Partnership
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Client Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Corporation.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.
Prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of
this Section 27, the Corporation may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Corporation so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of
Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the
penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Corporation and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Corporation so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any
ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement
the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Corporation may deem necessary
or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided that this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Corporation which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (x) no supplement or
amendment shall be made which decreases the Redemption Price, and (y) no
supplement or amendment that changes the rights or duties of the Rights Agent
shall be made without the consent of the Rights Agent. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors.
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of
the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their
respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors or to the Corporation, or as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend 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 in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the
Corporation, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties,
and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other
than the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the
Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the
Common Stock).
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; provided, however, that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term,
provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be
invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors determines in its good
faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would
adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of
redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not
expire until the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) day following the date of
such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law.
This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder
shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of North
Carolina and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be performed
entirely within such State.
Section 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.
(Signatures on following page)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
▇▇▇▇, INC.
By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
: EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Managing Director
Exhibit A
FORM OF
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
OF
▇▇▇▇, INC.
The undersigned corporation hereby submits these Articles of Amendment for
the purpose of amending its Restated Charter to fix the designation,
preferences, limitations and relative rights of a series of its Preferred Stock.
1. The name of the corporation is ▇▇▇▇, Inc.
2. The Restated Charter of the corporation is hereby amended by adding the
following provisions, as follows:
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors in accordance
with the provisions of its Restated Charter, a series of Preferred Stock
designated as Series A Participating Preferred Stock, $0.05 par value per share,
be, and it hereby is, created, 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 (in addition to the provisions in the Restated Charter that
are applicable to the Preferred Stock of all classes and series) are as follows:
Series A Participating Preferred Stock
1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series of Preferred Stock
shall be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Stock," par value $0.05
per share, and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 2,000,000.
Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board
of Directors; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock to less than the number of
shares then issued and outstanding plus the number of shares issuable upon
exercise of outstanding rights, options or warrants or upon conversion of
outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
Participating Preferred Stock.
2. Dividends and Distribution.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares
of any series of capital stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders
of shares of the Corporation's Common Stock, par value $0.05 per share ("Common
Stock"), and of any other shares of any class or series of stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, shall
be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out
of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash
on the first day of __________, __________, __________ and __________ 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 Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $1.00 or (b) the sum of (x) the Adjustment Number (as defined below)
times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and (y) the
Adjustment Number 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 Participating Preferred Stock. The "Adjustment
Number" shall initially be one hundred (100). In the event the Corporation shall
at any time after October 12, 1999, declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding 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 Adjustment
Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such Adjustment 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) The Board of Directors shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends on shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall be
cumulative: (i) on the first such shares issued, from the date of issuance; and
(ii) on any such shares issued thereafter, from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issuance. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not
bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend
or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than sixty
(60) days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof at any time to a number of votes equal to the Adjustment Number
(as in effect at such time) on all matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Corporation.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Charter as from
time to time amended, or by law, the holders of Series A Participating Preferred
Stock and the holders 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 shareholders of the Corporation.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Charter as from
time to time amended, or by law, holders of Series A Participating 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.
4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Participating 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 Participating
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 Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on
any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Participating 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 Participating 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
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating 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
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or to such holders and holders of
any such shares ranking on a parity therewith, 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.
5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their retirement and cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein, or in any other Articles of Amendment creating a series of Preferred
Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto,
the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall have
received $100.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment
(the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full
amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall
be made to the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) the Adjustment Number.
Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference
and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of (1) Series A
Participating Preferred Stock and (2) Common Stock, respectively, (a) holders of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock and (b) holders of shares of Common Stock
shall, subject to the prior rights of all other series of Preferred Stock, if
any, ranking prior thereto, receive their ratable and proportionate share of the
remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1
with respect to (x) the Series A Participating Preferred Stock and (y) the
Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(b) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, that
rank on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
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
Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment Number 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.
8. No Redemption. Shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
not be subject to redemption by the Corporation.
9. Ranking. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall rank junior to
all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series
shall provide otherwise, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to such
matters.
10. Amendment. At any time that any shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Restated Charter 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 Participating 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 Participating Preferred
Stock, voting separately as a single class.
11. Fractional Shares. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may be issued
in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
3. The foregoing amendment was adopted on the 21st day of September, 1999,
by the directors without shareholder action, which was not required because the
Restated Charter of the Corporation provides that the Board of Directors may
determine the preferences, limitations and relative rights of the blank-check
preferred stock authorized in the Restated Charter.
This the _______ day of October, 1999.
▇▇▇▇, INC.
By: __________________________________
Name: __________________________________
Title:__________________________________
Exhibit B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- ___________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 12, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY
THE CORPORATION. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE
OPTION OF THE CORPORATION, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY
THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND
THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]1
Rights Certificate
▇▇▇▇, INC.
This certifies that _________________________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of October 8, 1999 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between ▇▇▇▇, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the
"Corporation"), and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., a national banking
association (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Corporation at any time
prior to 5:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on October 12, 2009 at the
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable
share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the
Corporation, at a purchase price of $36.00 per one one-hundredth of a share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares
which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase
Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of October
12, 1999, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii)
under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
Person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal offices of the
Corporation and are also available upon written request to the Corporation.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Corporation at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the Close
of Business on (i) the tenth (10th) day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Rights may
be exchanged by the Corporation, in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock
or shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation having essentially the same
value or economic rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors authorizing any such exchange, and without any further action
or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights that are not subject to such
exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive the
shares issuable upon such exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _________________, _____
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇, INC.
________________________ By: ____________________________________
__________, ______Secretary Name: ____________________________________
Title:
____________________________________
Countersigned:
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
By: ____________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title:____________________________________
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ____________________________________ hereby sells, assigns
and transfers unto _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee) ______ Rights represented by 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 Corporation, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _______________, ______
__________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(including banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, clearing agencies
and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion
program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) This Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) After due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _______________, ______
__________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(including banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, clearing agencies
and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion
program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate)
To: ▇▇▇▇, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Corporation or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name
of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ___________________, ______ __________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (including
banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, clearing agencies and credit
unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program)
pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) The Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such
terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) After due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
the undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ___________________, ______
__________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(including banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, clearing
agencies and credit unions with membership in an approved signature
guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
Exhibit C
[Form of Summary of Rights]
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT (REFERRED TO
BELOW), RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID AND
MAY NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
▇▇▇▇, INC.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
On September 21, 1999, the Board of Directors of ▇▇▇▇, Inc. (the
"Corporation") declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.05
per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") to shareholders of record at
the close of business on October 12, 1999. Each Right entitles the holder to
purchase from the Corporation a unit (a "Unit") consisting of one one-hundredth
of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, $0.05 par value per share,
of the Corporation (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $36.00 per
Unit (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement dated as of October 8, 1999, as
the same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between the
Corporation and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights
Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) ten (10) days following
public announcement that a Person or group of affiliated or associated Persons,
with such exceptions as are set forth in the Rights Agreement (an "Acquiring
Person"), has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership
of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the
"Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) ten (10) Business Days (or such later date as
may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or first
public announcement of the intent of a Person or group to commence, a tender
offer or exchange offer that would result in a Person or group (with such
exceptions as are set forth in the Rights Agreement) beneficially owning fifteen
percent (15%) or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock. The principal
exception to the definition of "Acquiring Person" is the family of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.
▇▇▇▇, III, Chief Executive Officer and a founder of the Corporation, who
currently controls more than fifteen percent (15%) of the outstanding shares of
the Corporation. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced
by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after
October 12, 1999 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and, under the
circumstances summarized in the second succeeding paragraph, until the Rights
are no longer redeemable. The Rights will expire at the Close of Business on
October 12, 2009, unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Corporation as
described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that an Acquiring Person becomes the beneficial owner of
fifteen percent (15%) or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock,
each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Corporation), having a value equal to two times the Exercise Price of the
Right. The Exercise Price is the Purchase Price times the number of shares of
Common Stock associated with each Right (initially, one). Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing, following the occurrence of an event set forth in this paragraph,
all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and
void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of an event
set forth in this paragraph until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Corporation as set forth below.
In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the
Corporation is acquired in a merger or consolidation in which the Corporation is
not the surviving corporation, (ii) the Corporation engages in a merger or
consolidation in which the Corporation is the surviving corporation and the
Common Stock of the Corporation is changed or exchanged, or (iii) more than
fifty percent (50%) of the Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or
transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have previously been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise of the Right, Common Stock of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two times the Exercise Price of the Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights, are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or
(iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
Stock certificates issued after October 12, 1999 will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the
Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after a Person or group of affiliated or associated Persons
becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such Person or group
of fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of
Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Person or its
affiliates and associates, which have become void), in whole or in part, at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock (or of a share of a series of the Corporation's preferred stock
having equivalent preferences, limitations and relative rights), per Right
(subject to adjustment).
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Corporation may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01
per Right. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. Although the distribution of the Rights
should not be taxable to shareholders or to the Corporation, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Corporation as set forth above or in the event that the Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of the
Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date,
the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors
in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect
the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring
Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement;
provided, however, that no amendment to lengthen the time period governing
redemption may be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable and the
Final Expiration Date may not be advanced.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
October __, 1999. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Corporation. This Summary Description of the Rights does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time, which is incorporated
herein by reference.
--------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.