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Exhibit 4
THQ Inc.
and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
as Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of June 21, 2000
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of June 21, 2000 (the "Agreement"),
between THQ Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, on June 21, 2000 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share of Common
Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the Close of
Business on July 3, 2000 (the "Record Date"), each Right initially representing
the right to purchase 1/100 of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the form of Certificate of Designation attached hereto as Exhibit A
(the "Rights"), and has further authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p)
hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record
Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) or, in certain circumstances provided in Section
22 hereof, after the Distribution Date;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) Except as provided in the following paragraph, "Acquiring
Person" shall mean any Person which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include any Exempt Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by
reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
by reason of such share purchases by the Company and shall become the Beneficial
Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the
Company determines in good faith that a Person that would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person" (as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a)) has acquired such status inadvertently, and such Person divests
as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that
such Person would no longer beneficially own 15% of the shares of Common Stock,
then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect
on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(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, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not
in writing)
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or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
(A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
if those Rights were acquired by such Person or any such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Sections 3(a) or 22 hereof (the "Original Rights"), or pursuant to
Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect
to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant
to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security
under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response
to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable
by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable
or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (d)) or disposing of any voting
securities of the Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of California are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
California time, on such date, provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., California time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean (i) when used with reference to
the Company, the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, and
(ii) when used with reference to any Person other than the Company, the class of
capital stock of such Person that has the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.
(h) "Exempt Person" shall mean (i) the Company, (ii) any
Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of
any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any Person organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, limited liability
company, corporation, partnership or other entity and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, and, to
the extent that there is not a sufficient number of shares of
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Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock, par value $.01 per
share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially
similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(k) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(b) hereof.
(l) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(m) "Section 13 Event" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(a) hereof.
(n) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean, when used in reference
to a Person, the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this
definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to
Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by the Company or such Person that such
Person has become an Acquiring Person.
(o) "Subsidiary" shall mean, when used in reference to a Person,
any corporation or other entity (i) of which an amount of voting securities
sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation or
other entity is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or
(ii) that is otherwise controlled by such Person.
(p) "Transaction" shall mean (x) the Company's consolidation
with, or merger with and into, any other Person (other than a consolidation or
merger with or into a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), as a result of which the Company is not the
continuing or surviving corporation, (y) any Person's (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof)
consolidation with, or merger with or into, the Company, as a result of which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation and, in connection with
such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock is changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company's sale or other
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries' sale or other transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, of assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of that
complies with Section 11(o) hereof).
(q) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
In addition: (i) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof; (ii) "common stock equivalents" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (iii) "current market price"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof; (iv) "Current Value"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (v) "Distribution
Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof; (vi) "equivalent
preferred stock" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof; (vii)
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof;
(viii) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof; (ix) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof; (x) "Nasdaq" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof; (xi) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b)
hereof; (xii) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a);
(xiii) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto;
(xiv) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a)
hereof; (xv) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereof;
(xvi) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof; (xvii) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xviii) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xix) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xx) "Summary of Rights" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof; and (xxi) "Trading Day" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts
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such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights
Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of
(i) the Close of Business on the tenth day after the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition
Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record
Date); or
(ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors
of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person
(other than an Exempt Person) is first published or sent or given within
the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding
(such date, the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject
to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for
the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock
(which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for
Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company).
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Agent shall send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record
holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date,
at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more
Rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per
share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the
time of distribution of the Rights Certificates the Company shall make the
necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a)
hereof) so that Rights Certificates evidencing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common
Stock 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 Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until
the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for
transfer of any certificate evidencing shares of Common Stock in respect of
which Rights have been issued, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock that are issued (whether originally issued or issued from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22
hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates evidencing such shares of
Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear
a legend substantially in the following form:
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This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between THQ Inc. (the
"Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of June 21, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the
date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, may become null and void.
Until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the
Rights associated with the Common Stock evidenced by certificates containing the
foregoing legend shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights, and the surrender for transfer of any of such certificates shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock evidenced
by such certificates. In the event the Company purchases or acquires any shares
of its Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date,
any Rights associated with such shares shall be deemed canceled and retired.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the form of election to
purchase and form of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each
be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such
marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon (i) as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) as may be required
to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto, (iii) with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the
Rights may from time to time be listed, or (iv) to conform to usage. Subject to
the provisions of Sections 11 and 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
irrespective of when distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date (or, in
the case of Rights with respect to shares of Common Stock issued or becoming
outstanding after the Record Date, the same date as the stock certificate
evidencing such shares), and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase such number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per 1/100 of a
share, the "Purchase Price"); but the amount and type of securities purchasable
upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Sections 3(a) or
22 hereof that evidences Rights beneficially owned by any Person known to be (i)
an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of any Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate of any Person) who
becomes a transferee after such Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (iii) a
transferee of any Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate of any Person) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with such Person becoming an
Acquiring Person and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from such Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights, or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
that has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and
any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Sections 6 or 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned
by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights evidenced hereby may become
null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights
Agreement.
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Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof that shall be attested by the Secretary or
an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned manually or by
facsimile signature by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose
unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to hold such office before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to hold such
office. Any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any
person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate,
shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate,
irrespective whether at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement such
person did hold such office.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep
or cause to be kept, at its principal office(s) designated as the appropriate
place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
the registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the certificate number and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14
hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and at
or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights
Certificate(s) (other than Rights Certificates evidencing Rights that have
become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) or that have been exchanged
pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate(s) shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate(s) to
be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office(s) of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or
the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall,
subject to Sections 4(b), 7(e), 14 and 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the
Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender
to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificates if mutilated,
the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to
the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in
lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
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(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, and except as limited by
Sections 9(c), 11(a)(ii), 11(a)(iii), 13(a)(i) and 23(a) hereof or other
provisions of this Agreement, the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby, in whole or in part, at any time
after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the
form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office(s) of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price with respect to the total number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable. Subject to such limitations,
such exercise may be made at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of
Business on June 21, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which
the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof, or (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof. The earliest of
such three times is herein referred to as the "Expiration Date".
(b) The Purchase Price for each 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right shall initially be $100, shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof, and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate evidencing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares, securities, cash
or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an
amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of
the Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly:
(i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the
shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of
1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts evidencing such number of 1/100 of a share of
Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock evidenced by such receipts shall be
deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request;
(ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if
any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section
14 hereof;
(iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder; and
(iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any,
to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate.
The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or
bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay
cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the
Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash
and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and
when necessary to comply with the terms of this Agreement. The Company reserves
the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon
any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole
shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of
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such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a) (ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of any Person (or of any Associate or
Affiliate of any Person) who becomes a transferee after such Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, or (iii) a transferee of any Person (or of any Associate or
Affiliate of any Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
such Person becoming an Acquiring Person and receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from such Acquiring
Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) or to any Person
with whom such Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary
purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void
without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights
whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this
Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure
that the provisions of Sections 7(e) and 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company's failure to
make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise pursuant to this Section 7 hereof unless such registered holder shall
have (i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered to the Company or any of its agents for the
purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall 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 Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other
Rights Certificates purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights
Certificates to the Company or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities) or out
of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury, the number of shares
of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange or The Nasdaq National Market (or any successor), the
Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the
Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on
such exchange or The Nasdaq National Market (or any successor), upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
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(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon
as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act with respect
to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the
Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or
to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various
states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety days after the
date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, and a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has not occurred, the Company may
temporarily suspend (and shall give the Rights Agent prompt notice thereof) the
exercisability of Rights until such time as a registration statement has been
declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification or exemption in such jurisdiction shall not have been
obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a
registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
actions as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay,
when due and payable, any and all transfer taxes and governmental charges that
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates
and of any certificates for a number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that
may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to
a Person other than (or the issuance or delivery of a number of 1/100 of a share
of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
in respect of a name other than that of), the registered holder of the Rights
Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise. The Company shall not
be required to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of 1/100 of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of
any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by
the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has
been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate evidencing Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) evidenced
thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Company's transfer books for the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have
become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which such
transfer books are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares or other securities for which
the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to
vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights; and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
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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) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)
and Section 7(e) hereof, in the event the Company shall at any time
after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred
Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock
into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital
stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock,
as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately
adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall
be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in
effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder
would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.
If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this
Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made
prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Sections 23(a) and 24 hereof, in the
event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right
(except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock,
such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by
the then number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) dividing that product (which, following such
first occurrence shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the
current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number
of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common
Stock that are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation,
as amended, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A) determine
the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right, 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) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred
stock, such as the Preferred Stock, that the Board of Directors of the
Company has deemed to have substantially the same value or economic
rights as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock,
"common stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5)
other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any
reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by
the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the
Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant
to clause (B) above within thirty days following the later of (x) the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) the date on which
the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the
later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date"), then the
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Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise
of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares
of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash,
which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the
excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the
Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it
is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the
thirty-day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval
for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty day period,
as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that
action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of
this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights (subject to Section 7(e)
hereof), and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such stockholder
approval for such authorization of additional shares and/or to decide
the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well
as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
Adjustment Share shall be the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common stock
equivalent" shall be deemed to equal the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common
Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of
Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period
expiring within forty-five calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock
(or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of
Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred
Stock or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price
per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock) less than the current market price per share of Preferred Stock
on such record date (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) 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 number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/ or
equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). If
such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of
which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if
such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market
price per share of Preferred Stock on such record
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date (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof), less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights) of
the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market
price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date, and
for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
"current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to
be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the ten consecutive Trading Days immediately following but not including such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per
share of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights),
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall not have occurred
prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty Trading Days or ten Trading
Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the "current market
price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account any trading during the
period prior to such ex-dividend date or record date. 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 on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock 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 Common Stock is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Common Stock 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
Quotation System ("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
date the Common Stock 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 such securities selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.
If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the
fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a
day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Common
Stock is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business
or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or
not so listed or traded, "current market price" shall mean the fair value of
such shares as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in Section 11(d)(i) hereof (other
than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above, or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in Section 11(d) hereof, the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock
shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of
this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of the Common
Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or
so listed or traded, "current market price" per share of the Preferred Stock
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and
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shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of 1/100 of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one share of
Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(e) are
not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or one one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the transaction that mandates such adjustment, or (ii)
the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Sections
11(a)(ii) or 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m) hereof, and the provisions of Sections
7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on
like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of 1/100 of a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of 1/100 of a share covered by a
Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing
the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment
in the number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of 1/100 of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten days after the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i) the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date additional Rights Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment (or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date
of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment). Such additional or new Rights Certificates
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein
(and may state, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
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Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per 1/100 of a share and the
number of 1/100 of a share that were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel,
be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid
and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, and in the event a holder of any Right exercises such Right
after such record date, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of
such event the issuance to that holder of the Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the amount of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment. The Company shall deliver to such holder a
due ββββ or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the
occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that the Board of Directors of the Company, in its good faith
judgment, shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities that by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such holders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date engage in a Transaction if (x) at the time of
or immediately after such Transaction there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect that would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such Transaction, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would
constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall
have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of
its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23 or 27 hereof,
take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) In the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and
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the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for
such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate,
and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or,
if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate evidencing
shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. 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.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that the Company consummates a Transaction
following the Stock Acquisition Date (a "Section 13 Event"), then, and in each
such case, proper provision shall be made so that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Sections 7(e) and 23(a) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of
1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of validly authorized
and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (free of all liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims) as shall be equal to
the result obtained by:
(l) multiplying the then current Purchase Price
by the number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such 1/100
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and
(2) dividing that product (which, following the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement),
by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to
refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number
of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of
any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions
hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be,
in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be
of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
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(i) in the case of any Transaction described in clause
(x) or (y) of Section 1(o) hereof, the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any Transaction described in clause
(z) of Section 1(o), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such
Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of
which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall mean such other
Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of
more than one Person, the Common Stock of two or more of which are and have been
so registered, "Principal Party" shall mean whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any Transaction unless (i)
the Principal Party has a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common
Stock that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise
in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13, and (ii) prior thereto
the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the
Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as
practicable after the date of the Transaction, the Principal Party will:
(i) (i) prepare and file a registration statement under
the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates
that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
(d) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive Transactions. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any
time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights that have not
theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner
described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates evidencing fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported to 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,
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if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used; provided, however, that if
the fair market value of the Common Stock on such date is less than the Purchase
Price, the fair value of the Rights shall be presumed to be zero.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are integral multiples of
1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates evidencing fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other
than fractions that are integral multiples of 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock). Fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of 1/100 of
a share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided, however, that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the shares
evidenced by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred
Stock that are not integral multiples of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the
time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of 1/100 of
a share of Preferred Stock shall be 1/100 of the closing price of a share of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) on the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates evidencing fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant
to the terms of this Agreement, are vested in the respective registered holders
of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in such holder's
own behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting such Right, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with each other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office(s) of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
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(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificates made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree, judgment 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 Company must use
reasonable efforts to have any such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or
otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder of any Rights Certificate shall, solely by virtue of such holding, be
entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose to be the
holder of the Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at
any time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby; nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, solely by virtue of such
holding, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote
for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time
to time, on the written request of the Rights Agent, to reimburse it for all
reasonable expenses and counsel fees incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations and duties
hereunder. The Company also covenants and agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the
performance of its obligations and duties hereunder, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly
or indirectly.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by
it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock
transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be
the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
subject to the condition that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. If at the time
such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency
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created by this Agreement any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and if at the time any of the Rights Certificates
shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of
the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) If at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed, and
if at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and if at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company, but which legal counsel may not be an employee of
the Rights Agent or any Affiliate of the Rights Agent), and the opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any responsibility with
respect to the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or with
respect to the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of Sections 11, 13 or 24 hereof or responsible for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice
of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
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(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any
such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, Affiliate,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights
or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by
or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys
or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, subject to the condition that reasonable care is
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) The Rights Agent shall not be required to expend or risk its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any
of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be
reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and
Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty days after giving notice of such removal
or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by
the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights
Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (i) a Person organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of California or
the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long as
such Person is authorized to do business in the State of California or the State
of New York), in good standing, having an office or agency in the State of
California or the State of New York, that is authorized under such laws to
exercise stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and that has at the time of its appointment as Rights
Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (ii) a
Subsidiary of such Person. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall
be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities
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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 reasonable assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21 or any defect therein
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or
awarded prior to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any
other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company, issue Rights Certificates evidencing an appropriate number of Rights in
connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth day
following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001
per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price").
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable after the occurrence of a Triggering Event until such
time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company
may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock
(based on the "current market price," as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of
the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. 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, evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for
each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption
to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given whether or not the holder
receives such notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
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(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for
shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) hereof 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 any such
Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any exchange; provided, however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such
exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of exchange shall state the method by which the
exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of
any partial exchange, the number of Rights that will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange will be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at
its option, may substitute shares of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred
stock, as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11 hereof) for shares
of Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of 1/100 of a share
of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock) for each share of Common
Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of
the Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a
share of Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of each share of Common Stock shall
have the same voting rights as one share of Common Stock.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such actions as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates evidencing fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there
shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard
to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (e), the current
market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a
share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange
pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only
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the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to
the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to
be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty days prior to
the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any
such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify
the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
THQ Inc.
βββββ ββββββ ββββ, βββββ βββ
βββββββββ βββββ, ββββββββββ βββββ
Attention: Vice President - Finance and Administration
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
ββββ - ββββ ββββββ
ββββββββ, ββ βββββ
Attention: Vice President
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates evidencing shares
of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as
shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to
the Rights that the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement
or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner that would
adversely affect the interests
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of the holders of Rights; and, provided further, that the Rights Agent shall not
be obligated to enter into any such supplement or amendment that would change or
increase the duties, liabilities or obligations of the Rights Agent hereunder.
Prior to the Distribution Date, the interest of the holders of Rights shall be
deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors,
etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(l)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company
or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of
this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement
(including, but not limited to, a determination to redeem or not redeem the
Rights or to amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board
of Directors of the Company in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other Persons, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of the Company to any
liability to the holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent shall be entitled to
assume that the Board of Directors of the Company acted in good faith and shall
be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
Section 30. Beneficiaries of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of
the Company.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 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.
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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 their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
THQ Inc.
By: /s/ βββββ βββββββ
------------------------------------------
βββββ β. βββββββ, President &
Chief Executive Officer
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
By: /s/ βββ ββββ
------------------------------------------
Its: Vice President
-----------------------------------------
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Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
THQ INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
The undersigned do hereby certify that the following resolution
was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of THQ Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Corporation"), on June 20, 2000:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the board of
directors of the Corporation by the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended
(the "Charter"), the Board of Directors does hereby create, authorize and
provide for the issue of a series of Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Corporation, to be designated "Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock" (hereinafter referred to as the "Series A Preferred Stock"), initially
consisting of 200,000 shares, and to the extent that the designations, powers,
preferences and relative and other special rights and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions of the Series A Preferred Stock are not stated and
expressed in the Charter, does hereby fix and herein state and express such
designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special rights and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as follows (all terms used
herein that are defined in the Charter shall be deemed to have the meanings
provided therein):
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the
number of shares constituting such series shall be 200,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if
declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first
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business day of January, April, July and October in each year (each such date
being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded
to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $.01 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount
(payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock")
since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with
respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event
the Corporation shall at any time after June 21, 2000 (the "Rights Declaration
Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each case the
amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately
after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, subject to the prior and superior
rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking
prior to and superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, a dividend of $.01 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless by payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record
date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or
unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after
the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series
A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at
the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights.
The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the
following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the
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number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock
shall vote collectively as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Preferred Stock
shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly dividends thereon, the
occurrence of such contingency shall ββββ the beginning of a period (herein
called a "default period") that shall extend until such time when all accrued
and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend periods and for the
current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series A Preferred Stock then
outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart for payment. During
each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of the
Series A Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to six
(6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall have the right to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series A Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a
special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section
3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that such voting right shall not be
exercised unless the holders of ten percent in number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The
absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the
exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such voting rights. At any
meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such
voting right initially during an existing default period, they shall
have the right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such
vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two
Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect
two Directors. If the number that may be so elected at any special
meeting does not amount to the required number, the holders of the
Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the number
of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election by them of the
required number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have
exercised their right to elect Directors in any default period and
during the continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not
be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred
Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity
securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series A Preferred
Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall,
during an existing default period, have previously exercised their right
to elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder
or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%)
of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding,
irrespective of series, may request, the calling of special meeting of
the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon be called
by the Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President or the
Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual
meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote
pursuant to this paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of
record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him or her
at his or her last address as the same appears on the books of the
Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 10
days and not later than 50 days after such order or request, or in
default of the calling of such meeting within 50 days after such order
or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice by any
stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten
percent of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), no such
special meeting shall be called during the period within 50 days
immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the
stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock,
and, if applicable, other classes of capital stock of the Corporation,
shall continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors
until the holders of Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to
elect two Directors voting as a class, after the exercise of which right
(x) the Directors so elected by the holders of
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Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall
have been elected by such holders or until the expiration of the default
period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as
provided in paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a
majority of the remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders
of the class of capital stock that elected the Director whose office
shall have become vacant. References in this paragraph (C) to Directors
elected by the holders of a particular class of stock shall include
Directors appointed by such Directors to fill vacancies as provided in
clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period,
(x) the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the
holders of Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the
number of Directors shall be such number as may be provided for in the
certificate of incorporation or bylaws irrespective of any increase made
pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such
number being subject, however, to change thereafter in any manner
provided by law or in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws). Any
vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of
clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a
majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be
required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common
Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2
hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of capital stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series
A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable
or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any capital stock ranking on a parity (either as
to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any capital stock of the Corporation ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or
winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of capital stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in
accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon
such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in
good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.
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(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares.
Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise
acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and
canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and
may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by
resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions
and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of capital stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
received $10,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment
(the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full
amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall
be made to the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received an amount per
share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i)
the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 100 (as appropriately adjusted as
set forth in subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock splits,
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such
number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the
full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in
respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Common Stock,
respectively, and the payment of liquidation preferences of all other shares of
capital stock that rank prior to or on a parity with Series A Preferred Stock,
holders of Series A Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall
receive their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be
distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such
Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, that
rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion
to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event, however, that there
are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Common
Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc.
In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation,
merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are
exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other
property, then in any such case the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at
the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share
(subject to the provision for adjustment
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32
hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of capital stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, for which or into which each share of Common Stock is exchanged or changed.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 8. No Redemption.
The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking.
The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other
series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and
the distribution of assets, whether or not upon the dissolution, liquidation or
winding up of the Corporation, unless the terms of any such series shall provide
otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment.
The Charter shall not be amended in any manner that would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares.
Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share
that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares,
to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and
to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THQ Inc. has caused this certificate to be
signed by βββββ β. βββββββ, its Chief Executive Officer and President, and the
same to be attested to by ββββ ββββ, its Vice President - Finance and
Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, this 21st day of June,
2000.
THQ INC.
By: /s/ βββββ βββββββ
------------------------------------------
βββββ β. βββββββ, Chief Executive Officer
and President
Attest:
/s/ ββββ ββββ
-----------------------------------------------------
ββββ β. ββββ, Vice President - Finance and
Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
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Exhibit B
Form of Rights Certificate
Certificate No. R- Rights
----------
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JUNE 21, 2010 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$.001 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON
(AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS EVIDENCED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
--------
*The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and
shall replace the preceding sentence.
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Rights Certificate
THQ INC.
This certifies that _______________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of June 21, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between THQ Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Los Angeles time) on
June 21, 2010 at the office(s) of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
or its successors as Rights Agent, 1/100 of a fully paid, nonassessable share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $100 per 1/100 of a
share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the
number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase
Price as of July 3, 2000, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such
date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that, upon
any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole
shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, such Rights shall
become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to
such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities that may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office(s) of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of 1/100 of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificates surrendered shall have
entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised
in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may, in each case at the option of the Company, be
(i) redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $.001 per
Right or (ii) exchanged in whole or in part for shares of Common Stock or other
securities of
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the Company. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company authorizing redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of
the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions that are
integral multiples of 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company that may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned manually or by facsimile
signature by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of June 21, 2000
ATTEST: THQ Inc.
By: /s/ ββββ ββββ By: /s/ βββββ βββββββ
------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------
Name: ββββ β. ββββ Name: βββββ β. βββββββ
Title: Vice President - Finance and Administration, Title: Chief Executive Officer and President
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Countersigned:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
By: /s/ βββ ββββ
------------------------------------------------
Authorized Signature
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36
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and
-------------------------------------
transfers unto
------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: , 20__
----------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to 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 Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: , 20
--------------------- ---- --------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights evidenced
by the Rights Certificate.)
TO: THQ INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares (or other 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 shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:-------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: , 20
----------------------------- ----
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ]
are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to 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 Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: , 20
------------------------ ---- --------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
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Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On June 21, 2000 the Board of Directors of THQ Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"),
to stockholders of record at the close of business on July 3, 2000. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of
1/100 of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $100
per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set
forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") dated as of June 21, 2000
between the Company and American Stock Transfer, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates evidencing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock
and the Distribution Date will occur upon the earliest of (i) 10 days following
a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
(an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as
may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any
person or group becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of a
tender offer or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in a person
or group beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after July
3, 2000, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference
and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock evidenced by such certificate.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company reserves the right
to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined below)
that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only
whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the Close of Business on June 21, 2010, unless earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
certificates alone will evidence the Rights. Except as otherwise provided in the
Rights Agreement, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution
Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that, (i) at any time following the Distribution
Date, a Stock Acquisition Date occurs, or (ii) a Distribution Date occurs
following a Stock Acquisition Date, (each such occurrence, an "Event") the
holder of each Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
If an insufficient number of shares of Common Stock is authorized for issuance,
then the Board would be required to substitute cash, property or other
securities of the Company for the Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
following the occurrence of an Event, all Rights that are or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable
following the occurrence of an Event until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $100 per Right, each Right
not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following an
event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase
$200 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $100.
Assuming
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that the Common Stock had a per share value of $50 at such time, the holder of
each valid Right would be entitled to purchase four shares of Common Stock for
$100.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date and the Distribution Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction in which the Company is not the surviving
corporation, (ii) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction in which the Company is the surviving corporation and
all or part of the Common Stock is converted into securities of another entity,
cash or other property, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning
power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights that
previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right
to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."
The purchase price payable, and the number of shares of
Preferred Stock or amount of other securities or property issuable, upon
exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent
dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination
or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred
Stock are granted certain rights, options or warrants to subscribe for Preferred
Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the
Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred
Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash
dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to
above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company
may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group that
will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share
of Common Stock, or 1/100 of a share of Preferred Stock (or of a share of a
class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges) per Right (subject to adjustment).
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not
in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (subject to adjustment and payable in
cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors) at any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors authorizing any
redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not result in the recognition of taxable income by stockholders or the
Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable
income after a Triggering Event.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors
of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that
from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from
the Rights Agent. This description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
2