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EXHIBIT 10.58
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF
MARCH 4, 1997
BETWEEN
QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
AND
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
AS RIGHTS AGENT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 23. Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, etc. . . . . . . . . 32
Section 29. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 32. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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Defined Term Cross Reference Sheet
Acquiring Person............................................. Section 1(a)
Act.......................................................... Section 1(b)
Adjustment Shares............................................ Section 11(a)(ii)
Affiliate.................................................... Section 1(c)
Agreement.................................................... Preface
Associate.................................................... Section 1(c)
Beneficial Owner............................................. Section 1(d)
beneficially own............................................. Section 1(d)
Board of Directors........................................... Section 1(e)
Business Day................................................. Section 1(f)
common share equivalent...................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Close of business............................................ Section 1(g)
Common Shares................................................ Section 1(h)
Corporation.................................................. Preface
Current per share market price............................... Section 11(d)
Current Value................................................ Section 11(a)(iii)
Distribution Date............................................ Section 3
equivalent common shares..................................... Section 11(b)
Exchange Act................................................. Section 1(j)
Exchange Ratio............................................... Section 24(a)
Final Expiration Date........................................ Section 7(a)
Permitted Offer.............................................. Section 1(l)
Person....................................................... Section 1(m)
Principal Party.............................................. Section 13(b)
Proposing Person............................................. Section 1(n)
Purchase Price............................................... Section 4(a)
Qualified Person............................................. Section 1(o)
Record Date.................................................. Preface
Redemption Date.............................................. Section 7(a)
Redemption Price............................................. Section 23(a)
Right........................................................ Preface
Right Certificate............................................ Section 3(a)
Rights Agent................................................. Preface
Rights Agreement............................................. Section 3(c)
Section 11(a)(ii) Event...................................... Section 1(q)
Section 13 Event............................................. Section 1(r)
Security..................................................... Section 11(d)
Shares Acquisition Date...................................... Section 1(s)
Spread....................................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Subsidiary................................................... Section 1(t)
Substitution Period.......................................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Summary of Rights............................................ Section 3(b)
then outstanding............................................. Section 1(d)
Trading Day.................................................. Section 11(d)
Transfer..................................................... Section 1(u)
Triggering Event............................................. Section 1(v)
Voting securities............................................ Section 13(a)
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 4, 1997 (the "Agreement"), between
Quaker Fabric Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation") and The
First National Bank of Boston (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and declared a
dividend of one right (a "Right") for each Common Share (as hereinafter
defined) of the Corporation outstanding at the close of business on March 14,
1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-tenth of a Common Share, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between
the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
or Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided,
however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common Shares that shall
become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions
of Section 22 of this Agreement.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other than as a
result of a Permitted Offer (as hereinafter defined)) or was such a Beneficial
Owner at any time after the date hereof, whether or not such person continues
to be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding Common
Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term "Acquiring Person" shall
not include (i) the Corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, (v) any
Qualified Person, and (B) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person":
(i) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Corporation which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding,
increases the proportional number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person; provided that if
(1) a Person would be or become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of
this subclause (i)) as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Corporation, and (2) after such share acquisition by the Corporation, such
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person shall be deemed an
Acquiring Person; or
(ii) if the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a
Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such
inadvertently, and such Person (A) does not attempt to exercise any control
over the business affairs or management of the Corporation, including by means
of a proxy solicitation, and (B) divests as promptly as practicable a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person", then such Person shall not be deemed an "Acquiring Person"
for any purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other the Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises
solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2)
is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (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 (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities) relating to the acquisition, holding, voting (except to
the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of
any securities of the Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding", when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Corporation,
shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together
with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding
which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(e) "Board of Directors" shall mean the Board of Directors of the
Corporation from time to time.
(f) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday,
federal holiday or day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to
close in New York City.
(g) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New
York time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
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(h) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation
shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01, of the Corporation or,
in the event of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to
such shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock resulting from such
subdivision, combination or consolidation. "Common Shares" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the capital stock
(or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if
such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons
which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3 hereof.
(j) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which
is for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on terms determined, prior
to the purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by the Board of
Directors to be adequate (taking into account all factors that such directors
deem relevant) and otherwise in the best interests of the Corporation and its
stockholders (other than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on
whose basis the offer is being made) taking into account all factors that such
directors may deem relevant.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership,
corporation, trust, association, joint venture or other entity, and shall
include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Proposing Person" shall mean any Person proposing or
attempting to effect a business combination, tender offer, exchange offer or
similar transaction with the Corporation or its stockholders, including,
without limitation, a merger, tender offer or exchange offer, sale of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets, or liquidation of the
Corporation's assets.
(o) "Qualified Person" shall mean any Person who, together with all
Affiliates of such Person, as of the date hereof, is the Beneficial Owner of
20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or any Person (other than a Person
who is then an Acquiring Person) who acquires 15% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares from such a Person who, immediately prior to such
acquisition, continues to be a Qualified Person; provided, however, that a
Qualified Person shall cease to be a Qualified Person if such Person ceases to
be the Beneficial Owner of at least 5% of the outstanding Common Shares.
(p) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(q) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(r) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(s) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report
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filed pursuant to the Exchange Act) by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person
that an Acquiring Person has become such; provided, that, if such Person is
determined not to have become an Acquiring Person pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii)
hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(t) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
Person of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly, or indirectly, by such Person.
(u) "Transfer" shall mean any sale, assignment, transfer or other
disposition.
(v) "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 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 any such co-Rights
Agent
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of
(i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Corporation's Board
of Directors) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the
Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any Qualified Person, any
employee benefit 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 such plan) of a tender or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person (including, in the case of both (i) and (ii), any such date
which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the
Rights), the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date", (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also
be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and
(y) the right to receive Rights Certificates will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares (including a
transfer to the Corporation); provided, however, that if a tender offer is
terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution
Date shall occur as a result of such tender offer. As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights
Agent will countersign and the Corporation will send or cause to be sent by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Corporation, a Right Certificate, substantially in
the form of Exhibit A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for
each Common Share so held. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Corporation will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares
in the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Corporation. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding
as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the
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Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier
of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for
transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common
Shares.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, and the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date shall be deemed also 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 a Rights Agreement between Quaker
Fabric Corporation and The First National Bank of Boston, dated as of
March 4, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal executive offices of Quaker Fabric 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. Quaker Fabric Corporation will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set
forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person
who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain related
persons, 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 Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented
thereby. In the event that the Corporation purchases or acquires any Common
Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights
associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that
the Corporation shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the
Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificate. (a) The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the
reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the 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 and Section 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
tenths of a Common Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per Common
Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e)
of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right 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 Right Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby are null and void.
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be
operative whether or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right
Certificate.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the 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 Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights
Agent 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 Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Right Certificates may nevertheless 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 Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Corporation by any person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign
such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its office designated as the appropriate place for surrender of
such Right Certificate or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the
Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
certificate number and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any
time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to
the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of Common Shares (or, following a Section 13 Event, other securities, as the
case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right 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
Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights
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Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with
respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the
registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate 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) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to
the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right 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 Right
Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation
of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of
indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the
Corporation's request, 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 Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation
will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
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 Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the
total number of Common Shares (or other securities, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i)
the close of business on March 3, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii)
the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
"Redemption Date").
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") per whole Common
Share at which a holder of Rights may purchase Common Shares or (subject to
Section 14 hereof) fractions thereof upon exercise of such Rights shall
initially be $68.00, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof, and shall be payable in accordance
with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Common Shares (or
other securities, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to
any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the
Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares 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 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder into a depositary, requisition from the depositary agent depositary
receipts representing such number of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the Common Shares represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Corporation will direct the depositary agent to comply with such requests, (ii)
when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be paid
in lieu of issuance of
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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 Right Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) when
appropriate, after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of
the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In the event that the
Corporation is obligated to issue other securities of the Corporation pursuant
to Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation will make all arrangements necessary
so that such other securities are available for distribution by the Rights
Agent, if and when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or
otherwise indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right
Certificate no longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement and if less than all the Rights represented by such Right
Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue to include
the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate
or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof, or the Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right
Certificate with respect to those Rights exercised.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate
or Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate
or Associate thereof) 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 a continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise. The Corporation shall use all reasonable efforts to
insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right 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 exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder
shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of
the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates thereof as the Corporation shall reasonably request.
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Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise (other than an exercise
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)), transfer, split up, combination or exchange
shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or to any of its agents, be delivered
to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to
the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be
issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions
of this Rights Agreement. The Corporation shall deliver to the Rights Agent for
cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire,
any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Corporation otherwise
than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled
Right Certificates to the Corporation, or shall, at the written request of the
Corporation, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Corporation.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Common Shares. The
Corporation covenants and agrees that at all times after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event it will, to the extent reasonably practicable, cause to
be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares
(and/or other securities), or any authorized and issued Common Shares (and/or
other securities) held in its treasury, the number of Common Shares (and/or
other securities, as the case may be) that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
So long as the Common Shares (or other securities, as the case may be)
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, or admitted for quotation on any on a quotation system
sponsored by a registrant national securities association, the Corporation
shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights
become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange or admitted for quotation on such system, as the case may be upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares (or other securities, as
the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares or other securities (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and non-assessable shares or securities.
The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all U.S. federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Common Shares (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 which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depositary receipts for the Common Shares (or other securities,
as the case may be) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the
Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Common Shares (or other
securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of any Rights, until any such
tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Corporation's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if required by law, at
such earlier time following the Distribution Date as so required), 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
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requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder) until the
date of the expiration of the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii). The
Corporation will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue sky
laws of the various states.
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Common Shares (or other securities, as the case may be) is
issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of the Common Shares (or other securities, as the
case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Common Shares (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 on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common Shares (or
other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Corporation are
open.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the
outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue
any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares
(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) and Section 7(e) hereof, (x)
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 (y) the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date,
shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised
after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of
shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Common Shares 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 any Rights be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of
such Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding
sentence, in the event that any time after the date of this Agreement and prior
to the Distribution Date the Corporation shall take any action described in
clause (A), (B) or (C) of the preceding sentence, then in any such case no
adjustment shall be made pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence and (i)
the number of Common Shares receivable after such event upon exercise of any
Right shall be adjusted by multiplying the number of Common Shares so
receivable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to
such event and the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately after such event (except that in the case of the
declaration of a stock dividend the denominator shall be the number of shares
outstanding immediately after payment of such dividend, excluding any shares
issued after the record date other than in connection with such dividend), and
(ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have
associated with respect to it that number of Rights that each Common Share
outstanding immediately prior to such event had associated with respect to it.
If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the
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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).
If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), 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).
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates
and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, then proper provision shall
be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) thereafter shall be entitled to receive, upon exercise thereof at
a price equal to the then current Purchase Price for a whole Common Share, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common Shares as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price per whole Common Share by the number of one-tenths of a Common Share for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event (e.g., if a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event for two one-tenths of a share of Common Stock and the
Purchase Price per whole Common Share was $[X], the product would be $[2X], and
dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of
such first occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the
"Adjustment Shares"); provided, however, that if the transaction that would
otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares that are authorized
by the Corporation's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are
not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
the foregoing Section 11(a)(ii), the Corporation shall (A) determine the excess
of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares based on the "current per share
market price" determined pursuant to Section 11(d) (the "Current Value") over
(2) the Purchase Price (such excess being hereinafter referred to as the
"Spread"), and (B) in respect of each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity
securities of the Corporation (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock that the Board of Directors of the Corporation
has determined to have the same value as the Common Shares (such shares of
preferred stock being referred to herein as "common share equivalents")), (4)
debt securities of the Corporation, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of
the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; provided, however, that
if the Corporation shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value
pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then the Corporation shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of
the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and, if necessary,
cash, that in the aggregate are equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors
of the Corporation shall determine in good faith that it is likely that
sufficient additional shares of Common Shares could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the 30-day period set forth above may be
extended to the extent necessary, but not to more than 120 days following the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date so that Corporation may
seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares of
Common Shares (such period, as it may be extended, being hereinafter referred
to as the "Substitution Period"). To the extent the Corporation determines that
some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of
this Section 11(a)(iii), the Corporation (x) shall provide, subject to Section
7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding
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Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration
of the Substitution Period to seek any authorization of additional Common Shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to
such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Corporation shall deliver notice to the Rights Agent and issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as notice to the Rights Agent and 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 Common Shares shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share
on the date of the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the
value of any common share equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as a
Common Share on such date.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders
of Common Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days
after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or shares
having the same rights and privileges as the Common Shares ("equivalent common
shares")) or securities convertible into Common Shares or equivalent common
shares at a price per Common Share or equivalent common share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares or
equivalent common shares) less than the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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
Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Common Shares and/or
equivalent common shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current per share market price, and the denominator of which shall be
the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
additional Common Shares and/or equivalent common shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of Rights be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable
upon exercise of such Rights. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be 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 Rights Agent. Common Shares 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 the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Common Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Common Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the then current per share market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Common Shares 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 Rights
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Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Common
Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price
of the Common Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of any Rights be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation to be
issued upon exercise of such Rights. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)), including, without limitation the Common Shares, on any date
shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Security for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is
hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in
the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of
(A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such
Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of
thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Security selected by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no such
market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security
on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors shall be
used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary (except the
last sentence of this Section 11(e)), no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall
be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at
least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which
by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations
under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest
ten-thousandth of a Common Share or any other share or security as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i)
three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment
or (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
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(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(i) or 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation other
than Common Shares, thereafter the number of other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Common Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive,
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Common
Shares 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 Common Shares
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), 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
Common Shares (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Common Shares 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 Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Common Shares 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 ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the adjustment of the Purchase
Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after 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 Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least
ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights
pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Corporation shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates
on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14
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 Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
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(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the aggregate par value, if any, of the number of
Common Shares or other securities issuable in respect of the Purchase Price
upon exercise of a Right, 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 such number of fully paid and non-assessable
Common Shares or other securities 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 the Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable
upon such exercise over and above the Common Shares or other securities of the
Corporation, if any, issuable upon exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, the Corporation shall
deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the
event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11 to the contrary, 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 it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Common Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, (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 Common Shares
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 Qualified Person or a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which
does not violate Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other
Person (other than a Qualified Person or a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a
transaction which does not violate 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 its Subsidiaries and/or a Qualified Person in one or more transactions
each of which does not violate Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer there are any
charter or by-law provisions or any rights, warrants or other instruments or
securities outstanding or agreements in effect or other actions taken, which
would materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Corporation shall not
consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior
thereto the Corporation and such other Person shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance with this
Section 11(n).
(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 the purpose of which is to, or if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect
of such action is to materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
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(p) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result
in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and
shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this
Rights Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof, provided,
however, that in the event that at any time prior to the Distribution Date the
Company shall take any action described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section
11(a)(i), then the Company shall not be required to satisfy the obligations set
forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above. 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 unless
and until it shall have received such certificate. Notwithstanding anything in
the foregoing to the contrary, prior to the earlier to occur of the
Distribution Date and the Share Acquisition Date, the Company may, in its
discretion, satisfy the obligation set forth in clause (c) above by including
such summary in its next regular report to shareholders.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. (a) In the event that, on or following the Shares Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any Person, (y) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with, any Person, and the Corporation shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger (other than, in a case of any
transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would
result in all of the securities generally entitled to vote in the election of
directors ("voting securities") of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting securities
of the Corporation or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such
merger or consolidation and the holders of such securities not having changed as
a result of such merger or consolidation, 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 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person (other than
the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation in one or more transactions
each of which does not violate 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 a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
for a whole Common Share, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in
lieu of Common Shares, such number of freely tradeable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal
the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price for a
whole Common Share by a number of one-tenths of a Common Share for which a Right
is then exercisable (without taking into account any adjustment previously made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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
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Section 13 Event; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares) 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 the Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which Common Shares 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 (including, if applicable,
the Corporation if it is the surviving corporation); 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 of the foregoing
cases, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have 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 Shares of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) in case such
Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the
Common Shares 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 Shares having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) in case such
Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the
rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a
"Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in
each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the
total of such interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
its authorized Common Shares 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, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of Section 13, the Principal
Party at its own expense shall:
(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 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 Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
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(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. The rights under this
Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and
adjustments under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section
13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraph (x) or
(y) of Section 13(a) if: (A)(i) such transaction is consummated with a Person
or Persons which acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a
wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per
Common Share offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common
Share paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant
to such Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
Permitted Offer; or (B) such transaction is consummated with a Qualified
Person. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section
13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Corporation
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or 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 Common
Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Corporation
shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Common Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
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(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, 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 Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holder of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the 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 the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate form fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares 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 a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its
inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of
any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation 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. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or any
other securities of the Corporation which may
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at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a stockholder of the 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 stockholders (except as provided in Section
25 hereof), or to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance
with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. 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 other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of it 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. In no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood
of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. The indemnity
provided for herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights, the resignation
or removal of the Rights Agent and the termination of this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent pursuant to Sections 6 and 7 of this
certificate for Common Shares 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.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may
be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock
transfer or all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper
or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
corporation 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 Right
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 Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any
successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the
name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
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In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
only those duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following
terms and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the 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 an Acquiring Person and the
determination of the current market price of any Security) 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 any one of the Chairman of the Board,
the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer
or the 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
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 Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, 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 Right 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 change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or 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 Right Certificates
after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12 hereof); nor shall it
by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares will,
when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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(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 any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good
faith or lack of action 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 under this Rights Agreement and the date
on 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 instruction 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 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
it believes in good faith 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 not been
completed, 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 the
transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and,
subsequent to the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right Certificates
by first-class mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent or any
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successor Rights Agent upon sixty (60) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to the
transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and,
subsequent to the Distribution Date, to holders of the Right Certificates by
fist-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 Right Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the
Corporation), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.
Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the 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 New York (or of any other state of the United
States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking
institution in the State of New York), in good standing, having an office in the
State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Corporation shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and the transfer agent of the Common Shares, and,
subsequent to the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the successor
Rights Agent or the appointment of the Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Corporation may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by the 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 upon exercise of the Rights
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date, the Corporation (a) shall with respect to
Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Corporation, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance of sale, provided, however, that (i)
the Corporation shall not be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates 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 Right Certificate would be
issued, and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent
that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the
issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of Directors
may, at its option, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of
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$0.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"), at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the time that any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, or (y) the Final Expiration Date. The Corporation
may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares (based on
the "current per share market price," as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of
the Common Shares at the time of redemption) or cash; provided that if the
Corporation elects to pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares, the
Corporation shall not be required to issue any fractional Common Shares and the
number of Common Shares issuable to each holder of Rights shall be rounded down
to the next whole share. The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors
may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as
the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of
the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right
so held. The Corporation shall promptly give notice of any such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights in the manner set forth in Section
26, provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such
notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the
Corporation nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or
purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than specifically
set forth in this Section 23 and other than in connection with the purchase of
Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) Subject to Section 24(d), the Board of
Directors may, at its option, at any time after the time that any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and
exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for
Common Shares of the Corporation at an exchange ratio of one Common Share (or a
lesser ratio as determined by the Board of Directors, if the Corporation does
not have sufficient authorized and unreserved Common Shares) per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Corporation, any
Subsidiary of the Corporation, any Qualified Person, any employee benefit plan
of the Corporation or any such Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or any trustee, administrator or
fiduciary of such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a)
of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise such rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of
a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal
to the number of such rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice
shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Corporation promptly shall
mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights
Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given, whether or not the
24
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holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in
the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued (and not reserved for
issuance other than upon exercise of the Rights) to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the (i) Corporation
shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common
Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights, or (ii) the Board of Directors
may determine to exchange Common Shares for then outstanding and exercisable
Rights at such exchange ratio of less than one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted as set forth in Section 24(a) above, so that all (and
not less than all) Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued (and not reserved for issuance other than upon exercise of the Rights)
are issued in the exchange contemplated by this Section 24.
(d) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Corporation,
at its option, may substitute common stock equivalents (as defined in Section
11(a)(iii)) for shares of Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial
rate of one common stock equivalent for each share of Common Stock, as
appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in dividend liquidation and
voting rights of common stock equivalents pursuant to the terms thereof, so
that each Common Stock equivalent delivered in lieu of each share of Common
Stock shall have essentially the same dividend, liquidation and voting rights
as one share of Common Stock.
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 its Common Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of its Common Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Common
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Common
Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Common Shares (other than
a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Common Shares),
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate
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 or
more transactions, of 50% or more 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 does not violate 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 the Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action to the extent feasible and file a certificate with the Rights Agent to
that effect, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares, if any such date is to be fixed,
and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause
(i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Common Shares for purposes of such action, and in
the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date
of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by
the holders of the Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
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30
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary,prior to the Distribution Date a filing by the Corporation with the
Securities and Exchange Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the
holders of the securities of the Corporation, including the Rights, for
purposes of this Agreement and no other notice need be given to such holders.
(c) If a Triggering Event shall occur, then (i) the Corporation
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence
of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of
such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 hereof,
as the case may be, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph (a) to
Common Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer also, if appropriate, to
capital stock equivalents, as provided for in Section 11(a)(iii).
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the 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:
Quaker Fabric Corporation
βββ ββββββββ ββββββ
ββββ βββββ, ββ βββββ
Attention: Chief Executive 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 Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
The First National Bank of Boston
β.β. βββ ββββ
ββββββ, ββ βββββ-ββββ
Attention: President
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
Common Shares, shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as
shown on the registry books of the Corporation.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of Directors so
directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and
after the Distribution Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Board of Directors so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Right 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 Board of Directors may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely effect the interests of
the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however, that this
Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to
26
31
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, provided that
such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the rights or obligations
of the Rights Agent under Section 18 or Section 20 of this Agreement. Prior to
the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares.
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation, etc. The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors, or 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, without limitation, a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and
whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of
Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares or other securities outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares or any other securities of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(l)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of 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 Right
Certificates and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any
liability to the holders of the Right Certificates.
Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agents shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
27
32
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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
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33
Exhibit A
[Form of Right Certificate]
No. R- ____________________Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EARLIER OF MARCH 3, 2007 AND THE DATE ON WHICH THE
RIGHTS EVIDENCED HEREBY ARE REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY THE COMPANY AS SET FORTH
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. 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 BE NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR AN ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BE OR MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]*
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
This Right Certificate certifies that _______________, or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the holder (upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in the Rights Agreement dated as of March 4, 1997 (the "Rights
Agreement") between Quaker Fabric Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and The First National Bank of Boston (the "Rights Agent")) to
purchase from the Company, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to
the Expiration Date, one one-tenth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of the
Common Stock, par value $0.01 (the "Common Shares"), of the Company at a
purchase price of $68.00 per whole Common Share (the "Purchase Price"), payable
in lawful money of the United States of America, upon surrender of this Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and related certificate duly
executed, and payment of the Purchase Price at an office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose.
Terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings
assigned to them in the Rights Agreement.
The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the
number and kind of shares issuable upon exercise of each Right) and the
Purchase Price set forth above are as of March __, 1997, and may have been or
in the future be adjusted as a result of the occurrence of certain events, as
more fully provided in the Rights Agreement.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (a) an Acquiring
Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (b) a transferee of
a Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate thereof) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (c) under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of an Acquiring
Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate thereof) who becomes a transferee
prior to or concurrently with the
_______________________
*If applicable, insert this portion of the legend and delete the preceding
sentence.
A-1
34
Acquiring Person becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void without
any further action, and no holder hereof shall have any rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of the Rights Agreement or
otherwise.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right 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.
Upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
the Rights Agreement, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred
or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates evidencing a like
number of Rights as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Board of
Directors of the Company may, at its option,
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time that
any person becomes an Acquiring Person 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 (subject to adjustment); or
(b) at any time after the time that any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person (but before such Person, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the Common Shares then outstanding), exchange all or part of the
then outstanding Rights (other than Rights held by the Acquiring Person
and certain related Persons) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of
one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. If this Right Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof
another Right Certificate or Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised, or the Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on this Right
Certificate with respect to those Rights exercised.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares of capital stock
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 Company 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 Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
A-2
35
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal by its authorized officers.
Dated as of _______________, 199_ QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
By:_____________________________
President and Chief Executive
Officer
Countersigned:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
as Rights Agent
By:______________________________
Authorized Signature
A-3
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed if the registered holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
-------------------------------------------------------------
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
--------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to
-----------------
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: , 19
------------- --
--------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
A-4
37
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate _____ are _____
are not being assigned by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it _____ did _____ did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person;
(3) the action requested by the undersigned is not prohibited by
the provisions of the Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the
provisions relating to the (i) transfer, split-up, combination and exchange of
rights which are null and void or (ii) exercise by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person of any Right which by its terms
is null and void.
Dated: __________________, 19 ___ _____________________________________
Signature
____________________
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
____________________
A-5
38
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if the registered holder desires to exercise Rights represented
by the Right Certificate.)
To: QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such securities 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 specified above shall not be all the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate, the Rights Agent shall place an
appropriate notation on this Right Certificate with respect to those Rights
exercised or a new Right 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: ___________, 19__
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
A-6
39
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate __ are __ are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
__ did __ did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person;
(3) the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate is
not prohibited by the terms of the Rights Agreement, including, without
limitation, the provisions relating to the exercise by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person of any Right which by its terms
if null and void.
Dated: ____________, 19__
____________________________________
Signature
________________
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
________________
β-β
ββ
βββββββ β
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE SHARES
On February 24, 1997, the Board of Directors of Quaker Fabric
Corporation (the "Corporation") declared a dividend distribution of one right
(a "Right") to purchase one one-tenth of a share of the Common Stock, $.01 par
value, of the Corporation (the "Common Shares") for each outstanding share of
Common Stock, payable to the stockholders of record on March 14, 1997 (the
"Record Date"). The Board of Directors also authorized and directed the issuance
of one Right with respect to each Common Share issued thereafter until the
Distribution Date (as defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect
to Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date. Except as set forth below,
each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Corporation one one-tenth of a Common Share at a price of
$68.00 per whole Common Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Corporation and The First National Bank of
Boston, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of March 4, 1997.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Shares upon the earliest
to occur of (i) a person or group of affiliated or associated persons having
acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(except pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined) other than any
Person who, as of the date hereof, beneficially owns 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares or any Person (other than a Person who is then an
Acquiring Person) who acquires 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares from
such a Person who, immediately prior to such acquisition, continues to be a
Person who beneficially owns 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
("Qualified Persons"); provided that a Qualified Person shall cease to be a
Qualified Person if such Person ceases to beneficially own at least 5% of the
outstanding Common Shares; or (ii) commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in a person (other than a Qualified Person) or group becoming an
Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being
called the "Distribution Date"). A person or group whose acquisition of Common
Shares causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring
Person." The date that a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person is the
"Shares Acquisition Date." A person who acquires Common Shares pursuant to a
tender or exchange offer which is for all outstanding Common Shares at a price
and on terms which a majority of the Board of Directors determines (prior to
acquisition) to be adequate and in the best interests of the Corporation and its
stockholders (other than such person, its affiliates and associates) (a
"Permitted Offer") will not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person and such
person's ownership will not constitute a Distribution Date.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon the transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the
B-1
41
Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following
the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right
Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date (and to each initial record
holder of certain Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date), and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, and will
expire at the close of business on March 3, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by
the Corporation as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder
of Rights (other than Rights that have become void as described below) will
thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, upon exercise of
such Rights, the number of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other
securities of the Corporation) having a value (immediately prior to such
triggering event) equal to two times the aggregate exercise price of such
Rights. The Board, at its option, may exchange each Right (other than those
that have become void as described below) for one Common Share in lieu of the
Flip-In Right, provided no person is the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the
Common Shares at the time of such exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
following the occurrence of the event described above, all Rights that are or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate
thereof will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the holders of
all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the
Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, then each holder
of Rights (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon
exercise of such Rights, common shares of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two times the aggregate exercise price of the Rights; provided,
however, that the Flip Over Right shall not apply to (A) any transaction
described in clause (i) if (x) such transaction is with a person or persons (or
a wholly owned subsidiary of any such person or persons) that acquired Common
Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer and (y) the price and form of
consideration offered in such transaction is the same as that paid to all
holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased to the Permitted Offer or
(B) any transaction described in clause (i) or clause (ii) if such transaction
is with a Qualified Person. The holder of a Right will continue to have the
Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In
Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common Shares or other
securities 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 Common Shares, (ii) upon
the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities convertible
into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market
price of the Common Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made
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42
based on the market price of the Common Shares on the last trading day prior to
the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Corporation may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"), which redemption shall be effective at such time, on such
basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors may establish in its
sole discretion. The Corporation may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price
in Common Shares.
All 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 in order to
cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person), or, subject to certain limitations, to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights
become exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
B-3