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EXHIBIT 1
ADVANTA CORP.
and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
as
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of March 14, 1997
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Table of Contents
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Page
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Certain Definitions.......................................................... 1
Appointment of Rights Agent.................................................. 5
Issue of Rights Certificates................................................. 5
Form of Rights Certificates.................................................. 7
Countersignature and Registration............................................ 8
Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates............... 8
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights................ 9
Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.......................... 11
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock................................ 11
Preferred Stock Record Date.................................................. 13
Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.. 13
Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares................... 21
Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power......... 21
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...................................... 24
Rights of Action............................................................. 25
Agreement of Rights Holders.................................................. 25
Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder........................... 26
Concerning the Rights Agent.................................................. 26
Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.................... 27
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Duties of Rights Agent...................................................... 27
Change of Rights Agent...................................................... 29
Issuance of New Rights Certificates......................................... 30
Redemption and Termination.................................................. 31
Notice of Certain Events.................................................... 32
Notices..................................................................... 32
Supplements and Amendments.................................................. 33
Exchange.................................................................... 34
Successors.................................................................. 35
Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc................... 35
Benefits of this Agreement.................................................. 36
Severability................................................................ 36
Governing Law............................................................... 36
Counterparts................................................................ 36
Descriptive Headings........................................................ 36
Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences
and Rights of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Summary of Rights to Purchase Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 14, 1997 (the "Agreement"), between
Advanta Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, on March 14, 1997 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Class A Right ("Class A Rights") for each share of Class A
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Class A Common
Stock") and one Class B Right ("Class B Rights" and, together with the Class A
Rights, the "Rights") for each share of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Company (the "Class B Common Stock" and, together with the
Class A Common Stock, the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business
on April 11, 1997 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one
Class A Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Class A Common Stock and
one Class B Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Class B Common Stock
issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof),
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one ten-thousandth of a
share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock") of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights attached
hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter
set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or 15% or more of
the shares of Class A Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include (i)
the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan
of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan, or (v) any Exempted Person.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
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(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right
is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence
of an event) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities
are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, (C) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section
3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i)
hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights, or (D) securities issued or issuable pursuant to any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employment
agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company and any Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates; or
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has
"beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of (A)
an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such
agreement, arrangement or understanding: (1) arises solely from a revocable
proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (2) is not also then reportable by such
Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report), or (B) securities issued or issuable pursuant to any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employment
agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company and any Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates; or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in
the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any
voting securities of the Company;
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provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition; and provided,
further, however, that any stockholder of the Company, with Affiliates,
Associates or other Person(s) who may be deemed representatives of it serving as
director(s) or officer(s) of the Company, shall not be deemed to beneficially
own securities held by other Persons as a result of (i) Persons affiliated or
otherwise associated with such stockholder serving as director(s) or officer(s)
or taking any action in connection therewith, (ii) discussing the status of its
shares with the Company or other stockholders of the Company similarly situated
or (iii) voting or acting in a manner similar to other stockholder(s) similarly
situated, absent a specific finding by the Board of Directors of an express
agreement among such stockholders to act in concert with one another as
stockholders so as to cause, in the good faith judgment of the Board of
Directors, each such stockholder to be the Beneficial Owner of the shares held
by the other stockholder(s).
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized
or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the recital
to this Agreement, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with
the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest
having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is not
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a
representative or nominee of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, and was a member of the Board prior to the date of this Agreement, or
(ii) any Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board, while such
Person is a member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative or nominee of an
Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's
nomination for election or election to the Board is recommended or approved by a
majority of the Continuing Directors.
(h) "Exempted Person" shall mean any Person who, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, (i) is the Beneficial Owner of
securities (as disclosed in public filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date), representing 15% or more of
the shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Rights
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Dividend Declaration Date or 15% or more of the shares of Class A Common Stock
outstanding on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date or (ii) becomes the
Beneficial Owner of securities representing 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding because of a reduction in the number of outstanding
shares of Common Stock then outstanding as a result of the purchase by the
Company or a Subsidiary of the Company of shares of Common Stock or (iii)
becomes the Beneficial Owner of securities representing 15% or more of the
shares of Class A Common Stock then outstanding because of a reduction in the
number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock then outstanding as a
result of the purchase by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company of shares
of Class A Common Stock; provided, however, that any such Person described in
clause (ii) or (iii) shall no longer be deemed to be an Exempted Person and
shall be deemed an Acquiring Person if such Person, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner, at any time after
the date such Person became the Beneficial Owner of (and so long as such Person
continues to be the Beneficial Owner of) 15% or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock or 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Class A
Common Stock, of additional securities representing 1,000 or more shares of
Common Stock, except (x) pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants to
purchase Common Stock outstanding and beneficially owned by such Person as of
the date such Person became the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock or Class A Common Stock or as a result of an
adjustment to the number of shares of Common Stock for which such options or
warrants are exercisable pursuant to the terms thereof, or (y) as a result of a
stock split, stock dividend or the like. A purchaser, assignee or transferee of
the shares of Common Stock (or warrants or options exercisable for Common Stock)
from an Exempted Person shall not thereby become an Exempted Person, except that
a transferee from the estate of an Exempt Person who receives Common Stock as a
bequest or inheritance from an Exempt Person shall be an Exempt Person so long
as such Person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock or 15% or more of the then outstanding shares
of Class A Common Stock.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, limited
liability company, partnership or other entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of Class B Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially
similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(k) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(l) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
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(m) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(n) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by such Person or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(o) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
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.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day
after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day (or such
later date as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine) after the
date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than any Exempted
Person, the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding or 15% or more of the shares of Class A Common
Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as
the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Class A Rights will be evidenced (subject to
the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the
Class A Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Class A
Common Stock (which certificates for Class A Common Stock shall be deemed also
to be certificates for Class A Rights), and the Class B Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Class B Common Stock registered in the names of the holders
of the Class B Common Stock (which certificates for Class B Common Stock shall
be deemed also to be certificates for Class B Rights), and, in each such case,
not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including
a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date,
the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to
each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
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shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in
substantially the forms of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"),
evidencing one right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of
Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof,
at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make
the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of
and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common
Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined
in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of
Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury)
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall
also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following
legend: "This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Advanta Corp. (the
"Company") and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"),
dated as of March 14, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal offices of the Rights Agent. Under certain circumstances, as set forth
in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates
and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Rights Agent will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect
on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement,
Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by
any subsequent holder, may become null and void." With respect to such
certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the
Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
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Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the forms set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one ten-thousandth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and
type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee
of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
"The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented
hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e)
of such Agreement."
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its
President, its Vice Chairman or any Vice President, either manually or by
facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates
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shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile
signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution
Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any
Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of one ten-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
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(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the
close of business on April 11, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $150.00,
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company shall direct the
depositary
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agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount
of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to, or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if
any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate.
The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or
bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay
cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the
Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash
and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and
when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of
Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be
issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the
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form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act")
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the
expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under,
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or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various
states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after
the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all one ten-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (or Units) (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates
and of any certificates for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay
any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one ten- thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was
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duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such
Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares
(fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open.
Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company
with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including,
without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be
in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than an Exempted Person,
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized, appointed
or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after
the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or 15% or more of the
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shares of Class A Common Stock then outstanding, unless the event causing the
15% threshold to be crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof
or is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on
terms determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
of the Company who are Continuing Directors and who are not officers of the
Company and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of
an Acquiring Person, after receiving advice from one or more investment banking
firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking into account
all factors which such members of the Board deem relevant, including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b)
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders (hereinafter
a "Qualifying Offer"), then, promptly following the occurrence of such event,
proper provision shall be made so that (A) each holder of a Class A Right
(except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Class A
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y)
dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter
be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of
this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Class A Common Stock on the date of such
first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Class A Adjustment Shares") and
(B) each holder of a Class B Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in
lieu of a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such
number of shares of Class B Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by (X) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, and (Y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence,
shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for
all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Class B Common Stock on the date
of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Class B Adjustment Shares"
and, together with the Class A Adjustment Shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
which are authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Class A Right or Class B Right, as the case may be (the "Current
Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof),
make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the
exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇
▇▇
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares,
or units of shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the
Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have essentially the same value
or economic rights as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock
being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the
Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in
the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have
made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within
thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption
pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to
herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Class A Common Stock or Class
B Common Stock, as the case may be, (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the
excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that it is likely that
sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty-day period set forth above may
be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after
the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
thirty-day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or
third sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such stockholder
approval for such authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and
to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the value of each Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price per share
of the Class A Common Stock or the Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, on
the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any
Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per
share of the Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be,
on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("equivalent
preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
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preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution
to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so
to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a
share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
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computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty
(30)consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth
above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly
adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the shares of such Common Stock are not listed or admitted
to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of such Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of such Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or
such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of such Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
such Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in such Common Stock, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall
be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided
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21
above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price
per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal
to 10,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Class B Common
Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current
Market Price per share of the Class B Common Stock. If neither the Class B
Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded,
Current Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value
per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this
Agreement, the Current Market Price of a Unit shall be equal to the Current
Market Price of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 10,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment
in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share
or one-hundred millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the 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 ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-ten
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millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one ten-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 (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon
the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one ten-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the
nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one ten-thousandth of a
share and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock 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 such number of one ten-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
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(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 until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ▇▇▇▇ or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
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 in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
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Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on
the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of
Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may
be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so
that:
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(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof,
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely
tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one ten-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying
the number of such one ten-thousandths of a share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection
with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that
the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably
may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in
such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if
the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been
continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under Section 12
of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of
another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person
is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common
Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal
Party" shall
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refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the
greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock, which have not been issued or reserved
for issuance, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event
that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Qualifying
Offer (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the
price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the
price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock
whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and
(iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares
of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of
consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be
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paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which
such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of
this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on
which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing
price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or,
in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are
listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any
such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors 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 shares
of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten- thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one ten- thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one ten-thousandth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this
Section 14(c), the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock shall
be the closing price of one (1) share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
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(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly
waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in such holder's own behalf and
for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting 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 Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the 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 or ruling issued by a court of
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competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder,
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at
any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor
shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises. In no case shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental or consequential loss
or damage.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
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.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from
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any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust or
shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the advice of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Vice
Chairman, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for
any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
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(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Vice
Chairman, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(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
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agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act,
default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss
to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct;
provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued
employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may, in its sole discretion, remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving
notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be either (a) a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the
United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal
or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent
a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of
such a corporation. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor
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Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred
Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or
awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any
other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights
in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the twentieth
day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all
but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"); provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses (i)
and (ii) below, then there must be Continuing Directors then in office and such
authorization shall require the concurrence of a majority of such Continuing
Directors: (i) such authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a
change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation or an action by written
consent of stockholders, whether or not made pursuant to, and in accordance
with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act) in a majority of the directors in office at the commencement of
such solicitation, or prior to such
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written consent, if any Person who is a participant in such solicitation, or who
signed such consent, has stated (or, if upon the commencement of such
solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has determined
in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or Associates) intends
to take, or may consider taking, any action which would result in such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person or which would cause the occurrence of a Triggering
Event unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such Person (or one or more of
its Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender offer pursuant to a
Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for all outstanding shares of Common Stock not beneficially owned by
such Person (or by its Affiliates or Associates). Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
Current Market Price, as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock
at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for
each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption
to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or
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any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case
of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as
practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Advanta Corp.
Welsh and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Chairman
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
Overpeck Centre
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Stock Transfer Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the
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Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common
Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder (which lengthening or
shortening, following the first occurrence of an event set forth in clauses (i)
and (ii) of the first proviso to Section 23(a) hereof, shall be effective only
if there are not less than two Continuing Directors and shall require the
concurrence of a majority of such Continuing Directors), or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however, this Agreement may not
be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such
time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless
such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the
rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment
shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the
Purchase Price or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests
of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 27. Exchange.
(a) (i) The Company may, at its option, at any time after the Stock
Acquisition Date, upon resolution by the Board of Directors of the Company,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Class A
Common Stock per Class A Right and one share of Class B Common Stock per Class B
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date of this Agreement (such exchange
ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Section 27(a) Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not effect such exchange at any
time after any Acquiring Person
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becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 27(a)
to the contrary, the Company may not exchange any Rights pursuant to this
Section 27(a) unless (x) at the time of the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company approving the exchange, there are then in office not less than two
Continuing Directors and (y) such exchange is approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office.
(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 27 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 shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Section 27(a)
Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will
state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights
will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based
on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to
the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common
Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 27, the
Company shall make adequate provision to substitute, to the extent that there
are insufficient shares of Common Stock available (1) cash, (2) other equity
securities of the Company, (3) debt securities of the Company, (4) other assets
or (5) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value per Right
equal to the then current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) of the Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case
may be, multiplied by the Section 27(a) Exchange Ratio. To the extent that the
Company determines that any such substitution must be made, the Company shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such substitution shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current
market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a
share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d) hereof) for the Trading
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Day immediately prior to the date of the exchange pursuant to this Section 27.
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. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to
exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of
this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement
(including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board (with, where specifically
provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board or
the Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
twentieth day following
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the date of such determination by the Board of Directors. Without limiting the
foregoing, if any provision requiring a majority of the Board of Directors of
the Company to be Continuing Directors to act is held by any court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such
determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in
accordance with applicable law and the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such state.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
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40
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: ADVANTA CORP.
By:______________________ By:________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Attest: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES, L.L.C.
By:_______________________ By:________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
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Exhibit A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES
AND RIGHTS OF SERIES A JUNIOR
PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
ADVANTA CORP.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, the undersigned officers of Advanta Corp., a corporation organized and
existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"Corporation"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO
HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of
Directors on March 14, 1997 adopted the following resolution creating a series
of 40,000 shares of Class B Preferred Stock designated as Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Class B Preferred Stock of the
Corporation be and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount
thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional
and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 40,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) The holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to
the greater of (a) $0.001 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and 10,000 times the
A-1
42
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 Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Corporation (the "Class B Common Stock") since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after March 14, 1997 (the "Rights Declaration
Date") (i) declare any dividend on Class B Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Class B Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Class B Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating 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 Class B
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided
in Paragraph (A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution
on the Class B Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Class B
Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall
have been declared on the Class B Common Stock during the period between any
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $0.001 per share on the outstanding shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares
is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue
of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which
events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than thirty (30) days prior to
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43
the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to a number of votes, if any, on all matters submitted to a vote
of the holders of Class B Common Stock of the Corporation equal to the product
of 10,000 times the number of votes to which each share of Class B Common Stock
shall entitle the holder thereof. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Class B Common
Stock payable in shares of Class B Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Class B Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Class B Common Stock into
a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating 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 Class B
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Class B Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall ▇▇▇▇ the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, all
holders of Class B Preferred Stock (including holders of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall have the right to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised
initially at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this
Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that such voting right shall not be exercised
unless the holders of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Class B Preferred
Stock outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The absence of a
quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the
holders of Class B Preferred Stock of such voting right. At any meeting at which
the holders of Class B Preferred Stock shall exercise such
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voting right initially during an existing default period, they shall have the
right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such vacancies, if any, in
the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such
right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the
number which may be so elected at any special meeting does not amount to the
required number, the holders of the Class B Preferred Stock shall have the right
to make such increase in the number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit
the election by them of the required number. After the holders of the Class B
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect Directors in any
default period and during the continuance of such period, the number of
Directors shall not be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of
Class B Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any
equity securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Class B Preferred Stock shall,
during an existing default period, have previously exercised their right to
elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Class B Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of
series, may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Class B
Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon be called by the President, a
Vice-President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and
of any annual meeting at which holders of Class B Preferred Stock are entitled
to vote pursuant to this Paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of
record of Class B Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to such
holder at such holder's last address as the same appears on the books of the
Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than twenty
(20) days and not later than sixty (60) days after such order or request, or in
default of the calling of such meeting within sixty (60) days after such order
or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice by any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Class B Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting shall be
called during the period within sixty (60) days immediately preceding the date
fixed for the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Class A Common
Stock, and other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders
of Class B Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2)
Directors voting as a class, after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors
so elected by the holders of Class B Preferred Stock shall continue in office
until their successors shall have been elected by such holders or until the
expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors
may (except as provided in Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by
vote of a majority of the remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders
of the class of stock which elected the Director whose office shall have become
vacant. References in this Paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of
a particular class of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to
fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x)
the right of
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the holders of Class B Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Class B Preferred
Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such
number as may be provided for in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws of the Corporation irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the
provisions of Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject,
however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Corporation). Any vacancies in
the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the
preceding sentence may be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Class B Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any
corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Junior Participating
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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. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Class B Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Class B Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board
of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to $1,500,000 per share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, plus an amount equal to accrued
and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the
date of such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the
payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Class B Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common
Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A
Liquidation Preference by (ii) 10,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause
(ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the
Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Class B
Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock and holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall receive their ratable
and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio
of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and Class B Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to
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permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of Class B Preferred Stock, if any,
which rank on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution
or winding up) with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of Class B Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Class B Common Stock payable in
shares of Class B Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Class B Common
Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Class B Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment
Number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Class B
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Class B Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 10,000 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 Class B Common Stock is
changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Class B Common Stock payable
in shares of Class B Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Class B Common
Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Class B Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding
sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Class B Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Class B Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior
to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation
shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
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Section 10. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate and
do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this __th day of
March 1997.
ADVANTA CORP.
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Attest:
________________________
Secretary
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Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R[A][B](1)- _____Class
[A][B] Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER APRIL 11, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.](2)
Class [A][B] Rights Certificate
ADVANTA CORP.
This certifies that [ ], or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Class [A][B] Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of March 14, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Advanta Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on April 11, 2007 at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
ten-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $150.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate
(1) Wherever the designation [A][B] is used, the form A should be inserted for
Class A Rights and the form B should be inserted for Class B Rights.
(2) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
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duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and
the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth
above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of March 14, 1997 based on the Preferred Stock as constituted
at such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will
be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Class [A][B] Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time
period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
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Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. In addition, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Class [A][B] Common Stock, or
shares of preferred stock of the Company having essentially the same value or
economic rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company authorizing any such exchange, and without any further
action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not subject to
such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive
the shares issuable upon such exchange. Under certain circumstances set forth in
the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem the Rights shall require the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise
of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of __________ , ____
ATTEST: ADVANTA CORP.
By:________________________ By:_______________________
Secretary Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
By:__________________________
Authorized Signature
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_____________________________________________________________________
this Class [A][B] Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and
interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________
Attorney, to transfer the within Class [A][B] Rights Certificate on the books
of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________ , ____
__________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:_________ , ____
__________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: ADVANTA CORP.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______ Class [A][B]
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number __________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ___________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated:_________ ,____
_____________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by
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or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the
Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ________,____ ___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
On March 14, 1997, the Board of Directors of Advanta Corp. (the "Company")
adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan, providing that one Class A Right (a "Class A
Right") shall be attached to each share of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Company (the "Class A Common Stock") and one Class B Right (a
"Class B Right" and, together with the Class A Rights, the "Rights") shall be
attached to each share of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Company (the "Class B Common Stock" and, together with the Class A Common
Stock, the "Common Stock"). Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company a unit (a "Unit") consisting of one ten-thousandth of
a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $150.00 per Unit (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as
of March 14, 1997, between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Class A Rights will be attached to all Class A Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding and the Class B Rights will be
attached to all Class B Common Stock certificates representing shares then
outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificate will be distributed. The Rights
will separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the
earlier of (i) ten (10) days following a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired,
or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock or 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
Class A Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) ten (10) business
days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding
shares of Common Stock. The definition of Acquiring Person excludes any Exempted
Person (as defined below). Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only
with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding will
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificate.
Any person who, together with all affiliates and associates of such
person, is the beneficial owner of Common Stock, options and/or warrants
exercisable for shares of Common Stock representing 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock outstanding or 15% or more of the shares of Class A Common Stock
outstanding on the date the Board of Directors authorizes the rights dividend
(the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), will be an "Exempted Person." In
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addition, any person who, together with all affiliates and associates of such
person, becomes the beneficial owner of Common Stock, options and/or warrants
exercisable for shares of Common Stock representing 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding, or 15% or more of the shares of Class A Common
Stock then outstanding, in either case as a result of a purchase by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries of shares of Common Stock will also be an "Exempted
Person." However, any such person will no longer be deemed to be an Exempted
Person and will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person if such person, together
with all affiliates and associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner,
at any time after the date such person became the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock or Class A Common Stock, of
additional securities representing 1,000 or more shares of Common Stock, except
if such additional securities are acquired (x) pursuant to the exercise of
options or warrants to purchase Common Stock outstanding and beneficially owned
by such person as of the date such person became the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock or Class A Common Stock or
as a result of an adjustment to the number of shares of Common Stock or Class A
Common Stock for which such options or warrants are exercisable pursuant to the
terms thereof, or (y) as a result of a stock split, stock dividend or the like.
A purchaser, assignee or transferee of the shares of Common Stock (or options or
warrants exercisable for Common Stock) from an Exempted Person will not thereby
become an Exempted Person, except that a transferee from the estate of an
Exempted Person who receives Common Stock as a bequest or inheritance from an
Exempt Person shall be an Exempt Person so long as such transferee continues to
be the beneficial owner of the requisite percentage of shares.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on April 11, 2007 unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below. At no time will the Rights have any voting power.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that an Acquiring Person, other than an Exempted Person,
becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock or 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Class A Common
Stock (unless such acquisition is made pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
for all outstanding shares of the Company, at a price determined by a majority
of the independent directors of the Company who are Continuing Directors (as
defined below) and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or
Associates of an Acquiring Person to be fair and otherwise in the best interest
of the Company and its stockholders after receiving advice from one or more
investment banking firms (a "Qualifying Offer")), each holder of a Class A Right
will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Class A Common Stock
(or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the
Company) and each holder of a Class B Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon
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exercise, Class B Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or
other securities of the Company), having a value equal to two times the Exercise
Price of the Right. The Exercise Price is the Purchase Price times the number of
Units associated with each Right (initially, one). Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this
paragraph (the "Flip-In Events"), all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable
following the occurrence of any of the Flip-In Events set forth above until such
time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
In the event that following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company
engages in a merger or business combination transaction in which the Company is
not the surviving corporation (other than a merger consummated pursuant to a
Qualifying Offer); (ii) the Company engages in a merger or business combination
transaction in which the Company is the surviving corporation and the Common
Stock is changed or exchanged; or (iii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights
which have previously been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, common stock of the acquiring
company having a value equal to two times the Exercise Price of the Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after the Stock Acquisition Date and prior to the acquisition
by the Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common
Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than
Rights owned by an Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio
equal to one share of Class A Common Stock per Class A Right (subject to
adjustment) and one share of Class B Common Stock per Class B Right (subject to
adjustment). Any such exchange shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors (as defined below).
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001
per Right. Under certain
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circumstances, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors. Immediately upon the action of the Board
of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption
price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of Directors
of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the adoption of the Rights
Plan and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if such person is
recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, but shall not
include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring
Person, or any representative of the foregoing entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company as set
forth above or in the event the Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board (in certain circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing
Directors) in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the
Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are not
redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
Summary of Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
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