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Exhibit 1
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THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES
GROUP, INC.
and
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
Rights Agreement
Dated as of May 15, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Number
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Section 1. Definitions.................................................................. 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.................................................. 6
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates............................................... 6
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates................................................... 9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration............................................ 10
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates................................. 11
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights................ 12
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates........................... 14
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares............................................. 14
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date................................................. 15
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights........... 16
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares................... 27
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power......... 27
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...................................... 29
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................................. 31
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders................................................... 32
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder............................ 33
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.................................................. 33
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.................... 34
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Page
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent....................................................... 35
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent....................................................... 39
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates........................................... 40
Section 23. Redemption................................................................... 40
Section 24. Exchange..................................................................... 42
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..................................................... 44
Section 26. Notices...................................................................... 45
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments................................................... 46
Section 28. Successors................................................................... 47
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement................................................... 47
Section 30. Severability................................................................. 47
Section 31. Governing Law................................................................ 47
Section 32. Counterparts................................................................. 48
Section 33. Descriptive Headings......................................................... 48
Signatures..................................................................................... 49
Exhibit A - Form of Resolution Establishing the Preferred Shares
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
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Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2000 ("Agreement"), between The
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"),
and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as rights agent (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on May 25, 2000
(the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan, employee stock or deferral plan or director
compensation or deferral plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company,
or any trust or other entity organized, appointed, established or holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring
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Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which,
by reducing the number of Common Shares of the Company outstanding, increases
the proportionate number of Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by
such Person to 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding;
provided, however, that, if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then
such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith
that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient
number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
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(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the
Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by
or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to
such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and
regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of
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securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to
the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B) hereof)
or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in New York or Pennsylvania 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., New York time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such date is
not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $5.00 per share, of the
Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
aggregate voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a
Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control
such first-mentioned Person.
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(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(j) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 24(a) hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(l) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
limited liability company, or other entity, and shall include any successor (by
merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series G Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Statement with Respect to
Shares attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(o) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4 hereof.
(p) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
second paragraph hereof.
(q) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
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(r) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23(a) hereof.
(s) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second
paragraph hereof.
(t) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(u) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(v) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(w) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(x) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d) hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates. (a) Until the
earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be
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determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time
as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan, employee stock or deferral plan or director compensation or
deferral plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any trust or
other entity organized, appointed, established or holding Common Shares of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of a tender or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares of the Company aggregating 10% or more of the
then outstanding Common Shares of the Company (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Shares of the Company registered in the names of
the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right
Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to
receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Shares of the Company. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will notify the Rights Agent thereof and prepare
and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or
cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested and if provided with a
list of record holders of Common Shares of the Company, send) by first-class,
insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares of the
Company as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company's registrar and transfer agent,
a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one
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Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company's registrar and transfer agent. With respect to
certificates for Common Shares of the Company 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 Distribution Date (or the earlier
of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer
of any certificate for Common Shares of the Company outstanding on the Record
Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of
the Company represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, original issuances of Common Shares and
disposition of Common Shares that are reacquired by the Company) after the
Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption
Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written
on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in an Agreement between The PNC Financial
Services Group, Inc. and The Chase Manhattan Bank, dated as of May 15,
2000, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), the
terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy
of which is on file at the principal executive offices of The PNC
Financial Services Group, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Agreement, such Rights (as
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defined in the Agreement) will be evidenced by separate certificates
and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The PNC Financial
Services Group, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy
of the Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor addressed to its Corporate Secretary at its principal
executive offices. As set forth in the Agreement, Rights beneficially
owned by any Person (as defined in the Agreement) who becomes an
Acquiring Person (as defined in the Agreement) become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be
deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company which are
no longer outstanding. The preceding sentence shall not apply to Rights
associated with Common Shares of the Company held by any employee benefit plan,
employee stock or deferral plan or director compensation or deferral plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any trust or other entity
organized, appointed, established or holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto, and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
provided that such marks, legends, summaries and endorsements do not affect the
rights, duties or responsibilities
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of the Rights Agent as set forth in this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any applicable rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any applicable rule or regulation of any applicable
stock exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price
per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase
Price"), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the
Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, any of its Vice Chairmen, its President or any of its Vice Presidents,
either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall also be signed by the Corporate
Secretary or the Treasurer or by any Assistant Corporate Secretary or Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right
Certificates shall be manually countersigned by a duly authorized officer of the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the individual who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any individual who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate,
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shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate,
although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such individual was
not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights
Agent of all information reasonably required by the Rights Agent to do so, the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such
purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and
deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company
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may require prior payment by such holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall have
no duty or obligation under this Section 6 or any other similar provision of
this Agreement unless and until it is reasonably satisfied that all such taxes
and/or governmental charges have been paid in full.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate
if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the
Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in
part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or
prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on May 25, 2010 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such
Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
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(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $180, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and
an amount equal to any applicable tax or governmental charge required to be paid
by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by
wire transfer, certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the
order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A)
requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the
number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B)
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent of the Preferred Shares with such
depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply
with such request; (ii) when necessary to comply with this Agreement,
requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance
of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof; (iii) promptly after
receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder; and (iv) when necessary to comply with this Agreement, after receipt,
promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate.
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(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right
Certificate or to such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 6 and Section 14 hereof.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company (other than in a fiduciary capacity) otherwise than upon the exercise
thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the
Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled
Right Certificates, and, in such case, shall as promptly as practicable
thereafter deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its
treasury the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery
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of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price and any required tax or governmental charge), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all taxes and governmental charges which may be payable
in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be
required to pay any tax or governmental charge which may be payable in respect
of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax or governmental charge shall have been paid
(any such tax or governmental charge being payable by the holder of such Right
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or governmental charge is
due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes or
governmental charges) was made; provided, however, that, if the date of such
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books
of the Company's registrar and transfer agent are closed, such Person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares
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on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on
which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company's registrar and
transfer agent are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including,
without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or other
distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation,
a division or a merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company's
registrar and transfer agent were open, such holder would have owned upon
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such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of
the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that
are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void, and any holder
of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time
upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring
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Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent
for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise
of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof (or, if sufficient
Preferred Shares are not available, of equivalent preferred shares, as defined
in Section 11(b) below, or fraction thereof), such that the current per share
market price of one Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred shares) multiplied
by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one
Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares (or equivalent
preferred shares) or fraction thereof.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current
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per share market price (as defined in Section 11(d)) of the Preferred Shares on
such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date
shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and holders
of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company
(other than in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or other representative capacity)
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and,
in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
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(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation, merger or division in
which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the then-current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent and holders of the Rights) of the portion of the
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of
which shall be such then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares
on such record date; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and, in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30
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consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date; provided, however,
that, in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of
such Security or Securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York City
time or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the bid
and asked prices, regular way, reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York City time, in
either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York City
time or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in
the over-the-counter market, as reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York City time by
NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading
Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
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securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business, or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments 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-millionth
of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security, as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
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(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c) hereof, inclusive, and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
ten-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
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(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one 100-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 promptly notify the Rights Agent and make a public announcement of
its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the
adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.
This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any
day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at
least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights
pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable,
cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such
record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the
additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to
such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing
all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.
Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and
countersigned in the manner provided
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for herein, and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer (and shall promptly notify the
Rights Agent of any such election) until the occurrence of such event the
issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares 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; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
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(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it, in its sole discretion, shall
determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the
Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than
the current per share market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares
or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of the Preferred Shares shall not be
taxable to such shareholders.
(n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then, in any such case, (A)
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such
event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately
prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event,
and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have
issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share
outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall
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be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a
subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief, reasonably detailed, statement of the facts and
computations accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and
with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares and the
Securities and Exchange Commission a copy of such certificate and (c) if such
adjustment occurs at any time after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment contained therein, and shall have no duty with
respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such a certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, or the Company shall divide into two
or more corporations (Persons) and the Company shall not survive the division,
(b) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the
Company, or the Company shall divide, and the Company shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such merger or division and, in connection with such
merger or division, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or
exchanged for or shall receive as a distribution thereon stock or other
securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property,
or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries
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shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than
the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each
such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right
(except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such
other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving
corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other
Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation
of such consolidation, merger, division, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of
such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue
of such consolidation, merger, division, sale or transfer, all the obligations
and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company"
shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall
take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient
number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection
with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
the Common Shares of the Company thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the
Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer unless, prior thereto, the Company and such issuer shall
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have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so
providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred
to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights,
warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would
eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or divisions or sales or other transfers.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York City time or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York City time, in either
case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
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exchange, the last quoted price reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York City
time or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in
the over-the-counter market, as reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York City time by
NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such
market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company
shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall
provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
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closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of the Right,
expressly waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
(d) The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation with
respect to this Section 14 or Section 24(d) unless and until it has received
reasonably specific instructions (and sufficient cash, if required) from the
Company with respect to its duties and obligations under such Sections.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in 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 Right
Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement, and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under,
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and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(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 (whether
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36
interlocutory or final) 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, that the Company must use its best efforts to have any such
order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
possible.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder, and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation,
delivery, administration, execution and amendment of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to
indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss,
liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or
expense incurred without
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gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), for any
action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement or the exercise or performance
of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement and
the termination and the expiration of the Rights. The reasonable costs and
expenses incurred by the Rights Agent in enforcing this right of indemnification
shall be paid by the Company.
The Rights Agent shall be authorized to rely on, shall be
protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its acceptance and administration
of this Agreement or the exercise or performance of its duties hereunder in
reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or
Common Shares 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. 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
corporate trust powers 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
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further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and, in
all such cases, such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and, in all such cases, such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations, and only the duties and obligations
imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties and obligations) upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
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(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the oral or written 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 be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or
omitting any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in
respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the
Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Corporate 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 in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction).
Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall
the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, incidental or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited
to, lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility
of such loss or damage.
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(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability for, nor
shall it be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution and
delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution
of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained
in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for
any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the
Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section
3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that
would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise
of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change
or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make
any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
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(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Corporate Secretary or the
Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and such advice or instructions, if
in writing, 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 in accordance with the written advice or
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
such advice or instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer,
Affiliate 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, absent gross negligence or willful
misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof.
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(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds in the performance of any of its duties
hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if it believes that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured
it; provided, however, that the Rights Agent shall first provide written notice
to the Company of its intention to act, or to fail to act, in reliance upon this
Section 20(j).
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate
(which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Right Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a Person organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States, in good
standing under such laws, subject to supervision or examination
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by federal or state authority and having at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or (b) an
Affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of this sentence, in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized. After appointment,
and its written acceptance of such appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall
be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property, records, files, data or other materials at the time held by
it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or
deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors of
the Company to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the
number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable
under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, redeem all,
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but not less than all, the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01
per Right, 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"). The redemption of the Rights
by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company, in
its sole discretion, may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall
promptly notify the Rights Agent and give public notice of any such redemption;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the
then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor
any of its Affiliates or Associates may, except insofar as they may be acting in
a fiduciary capacity or in connection with a trust or other entity established
for or pursuant to the terms of an employee or director plan, redeem, acquire or
purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in
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Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the
number of Rights pursuant to Section 11(i) (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, employee stock or deferral plan or
director compensation or deferral plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or
any trust or other entity organized, appointed, established or holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such
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Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for
Rights will be effected, and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number
of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro
rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of
Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange
of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares (or, if sufficient Preferred Shares are
not available, of equivalent preferred shares, as defined in Section 11(b)
above) or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one
Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) multiplied by such number or
fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as
of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred share)
or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares, Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares. In lieu of such
fractional Common Shares, Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
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with regard to which such fractional Common Shares, Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share,
Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share. For the purposes of this
paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share, Preferred Share
or equivalent preferred share shall be the closing price of a Common Share,
Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall, at any time after the Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of the Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of the Preferred Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of the Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of the Preferred Shares (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to, any other Person or to divide into two or more Persons, (v) to effect
the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company
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shall give to the Rights Agent and each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution
of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, division, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or
winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders
of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed,
and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause
(i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining
holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and, in the case of
any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such
proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to
the Rights Agent and each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
One PNC Plaza
βββ βββββ ββββββ
ββββββββββ, ββββββββββββ βββββ-ββββ
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
The Chase Manhattan Bank
c/o CMSS
βββ ββββββββ βββββ
ββββ βββββ
ββββ ββββββββ, ββ βββββ
Attention: Relationship Manager
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect
to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such
supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and
the Rights Agent; provided, however, that, from and after such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any
manner which would adversely affect the interests of the Rights Agent or the
holders of Rights.
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Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to
contracts to be made and performed entirely within such state; provided,
however, that all provisions regarding the rights, duties, and obligations of
the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed
entirely within such State.
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Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first
above written.
Attest: THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES
GROUP, INC.
By /s/ ββββββ β. βββββ By /s/ β. ββββββββββ
------------------------------- ---------------------------
Name: ββββββ β. βββββ Name: β. ββββββββββ
Title: Corporate Secretary Title: Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial
Officer
Attest: THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
By /s/ ββββββββ βββββββ By /s/ ββββ β. ββββββ
------------------------------- ---------------------------
Name: ββββββββ βββββββ Name: ββββ β. ββββββ
Title: Financial Director Title: Vice President
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Exhibit A
FORM
of
RESOLUTION
establishing the
SERIES G JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 1522 of the
Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law - to
be attached to "Statement with Respect to Shares"
or incorporated into amended and restated
Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation)
---------------------
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested
in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation and Section 1522 of the
Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Corporation (the
"Preferred Stock"), and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and
fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
SERIES G JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series G Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the
"Series G Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series G
Preferred Stock initially shall be 450,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that
no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series G Preferred Stock to a
number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or
warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
Corporation convertible into Series G Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and
superior to the Series G Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series G Preferred Stock, in preference to the
holders of Common Stock, par value $5.00 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the
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Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to
receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series G
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to the greater of (a) $0.10 or (b) subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share
amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share
amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect
to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series G Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series G 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 G Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $0.10 per share on the Series G Preferred
Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series G 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 G 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
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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 G Preferred Stock entitled to receive
payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series G
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series G Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which
holders of shares of Series G Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Statement with Respect to Shares pursuant to Section 1522 of the
Business Corporation Law or amendment to the Corporation's Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation creating a series of Preferred Stock
or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series G
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other
capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall
vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
shareholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series G 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 G Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of
Series G Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) to the Series G Preferred Stock;
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(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series G Preferred Stock, except
dividends paid ratably on the Series G Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears
in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to
the Series G Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation
may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares
of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series G
Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series G Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series G
Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer
made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board
of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as
the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable
treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under
paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such
shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Except as otherwise provided by
action of the Board of Directors, any shares of Series G Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
(other than by conversion) shall not be retired or cancelled but shall become
authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of
the same or a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Amended and Restated Articles
of Incorporation of the Corporation, or in any other Statement with Respect to
Shares pursuant to Section 1522 of the Business Corporation Law creating a
series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series G
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series G
Preferred Stock shall have received $1.00 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series G
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to
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1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of
shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a
parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)
with the Series G Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the
Series G Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series G Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination, division or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed
into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such
case each share of Series G Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series G 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 G Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Rank. The Series G Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to
all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. If any shares of Series G Preferred
Stock are then outstanding, the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series G
Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of
the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series G
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
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Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- Rights
-----
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER May 15, 2010 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT
$0.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE
AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
This certifies that, ______________ or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2000 (the "Agreement"), between The PNC
Financial Services Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), and
The Chase Manhattan Bank (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at
any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement)
and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York time, on May 15, 2010 office of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights
Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series G
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company
(the "Preferred Shares"), at a purchase price of $180 per one one-thousandth of
a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of
this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of May 15, 2000, based on the Preferred Shares as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the
rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of
the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies
of the Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company
and the offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by
the Right
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Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to
purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall
be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part
for Preferred Shares, equivalent preferred shares or shares of the Company's
Common Stock, par value $5.00 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu
thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement
or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the duly authorized
officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of __________, ____.
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
By_______________________________
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ___________________
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).
________________________________
Signature
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ___________________
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).
________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Assignment
or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
TO PURCHASE SHARES
Introduction.
The Board of Directors of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan effective May 15, 2000 providing for the
issuance of share purchase rights (the "Rights") in order to protect
shareholders from coercive or otherwise unfair tactics to acquire control of the
Company. In general terms, the Rights Plan works by imposing a significant
penalty upon any person or group that acquires 10% or more of our outstanding
common stock without the approval of our Board. The Rights Plan would not
interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by our Board.
You do not need to take any action to receive the Rights, which will
attach to each share of our common stock automatically upon issuance pursuant to
the terms of the Rights Agreement. Nor do you need to maintain a copy of this
"Summary of Rights" for your records. We will keep all shareholders informed of
any subsequent developments relevant to the Rights Plan.
We provide the following summary description for those interested in
the basic features of the Rights Plan. This description is only a summary, is
not complete, and should be read together with the entire Rights Agreement,
which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31,
2000. A copy of the Rights Agreement is also available free of charge from our
Company by calling (βββ) βββ-ββββ.
The Rights. Our Board authorized the issuance of a Right with respect
to each share of common stock outstanding on May 25, 2000. The Rights will
initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the common stock. The Rights
are evidenced only by the certificates that represent shares of our common
stock.
New Rights automatically accompany any new shares of common stock we
issue after May 25, 2000 until the Distribution Date described below. For
example, holders of our convertible preferred stock, convertible debentures and
stock options will receive the Rights when they convert or exercise.
Exercisability. The Rights are not exercisable immediately, and prior
to exercise they do not give their holders any dividend, voting, or liquidation
rights. The Rights only become exercisable:
o 10 days after the public announcement that a person or group has
become an "Acquiring Person" by obtaining beneficial ownership of
10% or more of our outstanding common stock, or, if earlier,
o 10 business days (or a later date determined by our Board before
any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person) after a person or
group begins a tender or exchange
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offer which, if completed, would result in that person or group
becoming an Acquiring Person.
We refer to the date when the Rights become exercisable as the
"Distribution Date." Until that date, the common stock certificates will also
evidence the Rights, and any transfer of shares of our common stock will also
constitute a transfer of Rights. After that date, the Rights would separate from
the common stock and be evidenced by Rights certificates that we would mail to
all eligible holders of common stock. Any Rights held by an Acquiring Person
would be void and could not be exercised.
Consequences of a Person or Group Becoming an Acquiring Person.
Once a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, the Rights have
certain "Flip-In" and "Flip-Over" features:
o Flip-In. If a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, all
holders of Rights except the Acquiring Person may, for $180 per
Right, purchase shares of our common stock (or equivalent
preferred stock) with a market value of $360, based on the market
price of the common stock prior to the acquisition.
o Flip-Over. If our Company is later acquired in a merger or similar
transaction after the Distribution Date, all holders of Rights
except the Acquiring Person may, for $180 per Right, purchase
shares of the acquiring corporation with a market value of $360,
based on the market price of the acquiring corporation's stock
prior to such merger.
Exercise Price and Other Rights Features. Once the Rights become
exercisable, the Rights holder can purchase one one-thousandth of a share of our
Series G Junior Participating Preferred Stock ("Preferred Shares") from our
Company for $180 for each Right held. This portion of a Preferred Share has
approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as one share of
our common stock and should have approximately the same value.
Redemption. Our Board may redeem the Rights for $0.01 per Right at any
time before any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person. If our Board
redeems any Rights, it must redeem all of the Rights. Once the Rights are
redeemed, the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
redemption price of $0.01 per Right. The redemption price will be adjusted if we
have a stock split or stock dividends relating to our common stock.
Exchange. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, but
before an Acquiring Person owns 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, our
Board may extinguish the Rights by exchanging one share of common stock (or
equivalent preferred stock) for each Right, other than Rights held by the
Acquiring Person.
Anti-Dilution Provisions. Our Board may adjust the purchase price of
the Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares issuable and the number of
outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a
stock split, or a reclassification of the Preferred
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Shares or common stock. Adjustments to the purchase price of less than 1% will
be deferred until the earlier of three years after the transaction requiring the
adjustment or the date the right to exercise the Rights expires.
Amendments. The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by our
Board without the consent of the holders of the Rights. After a person or group
becomes an Acquiring Person, our Board may not amend the Rights Agreement in a
way that adversely affects the holders of the Rights.
Expiration. The Rights will expire on May 25, 2010.
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