EXHIBIT 4.1
GARTNER, INC.
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
AS RIGHTS AGENT
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 6, 2006
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the "AGREEMENT"), is
entered into as of November 6, 2006, by and between Gartner, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (f/k/a Gartner Group, Inc.) (the "COMPANY"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, a New York banking corporation, as successor Rights
Agent of Mellon Investor Services LLC (the "RIGHTS AGENT"), and amends and
restates the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2002,
as amended, by and between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New
Jersey limited liability company.
On February 9, 2000 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"), the Board of
Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend of one Class A
Preferred Share Purchase Right (a "CLASS A RIGHT") for each share of the
Company's Class A Common Stock outstanding as of the Close of Business (as
hereinafter defined) and one Class B Preferred Share Purchase Right (a "CLASS B
RIGHT") for each share of the Company's Class B Common Stock outstanding on
February 25, 2000 (the "RECORD DATE"), each Class A Right representing the right
to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, and each Class B Right representing the right to purchase one
one-thousandth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, and
further authorized and directed the issuance of one Class A Right and one Class
B Right with respect to each share of the Company's Class A Common Stock and
each share of the Company's Class B Common Stock, respectively, that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution
Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), and in
certain circumstances after the Distribution Date.
On August 31, 2002, the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as
successor rights agent of Fleet National Bank, entered into an Amended and
Restated Rights Agreement, which amended and restated the Rights Agreement,
dated as of February 10, 2000, as amended, by and between the Company and Fleet
National Bank (f/k/a Bank Boston, N.A.).
On June 30, 2003, the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC entered into
Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement.
On September 1, 2006, the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, as successor rights agent of Mellon Investor Services LLC, entered into
Amendment No. 2 to the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement.
Through an amendment and restatement of the Company's certificate of
incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July
6, 2005, the Company's Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock were
reclassified into a single class of Common Stock, with each share of Class A
Common Stock and each share of Class B Common Stock being reclassified into one
share of Common Stock (the "RECLASSIFICATION"). This Agreement is being entered
into in order to make each Class A Right and each Class B Right (which were
formerly applicable to the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock,
respectively), applicable to
the single class of the Company's Common Stock, such that each Class A Right and
each Class B Right (subsequent to the date hereof, each a "RIGHT") shall
represent the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, with each Right having the properties, rights and
preferences as set forth in this Agreement and the exhibits hereto.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises 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 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include any
Excluded Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) or any Excepted Person (as
such term is hereinafter defined) but in the case of an Excepted Person only for
so long as such Person continues to meet the definition of an Excepted Person,
as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in its good faith
discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall be deemed to be an
Acquiring Person as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company
which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall,
after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Shares of the Company (other than pursuant to a dividend or
distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in
Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common
Shares), then such Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person unless upon
becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares of the Company
such Person does not beneficially own 20% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the Company's
Board of Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be
an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation,
because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of
the Common Shares that would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of the Common Shares it beneficially
owned but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial
ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and if such Person divested or divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement; and
(ii) if, as of February 10, 2000, any Person was the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the Common Shares outstanding, such Person shall not be or become an
"Acquiring Person," as defined
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pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), unless and until
such time as such Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of additional Common
Shares (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the
Company on the outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split
or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares), unless, upon becoming the
Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares, such Person is not then the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; and (iii)
if after February 10, 2000 any Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding pursuant to (or as contemplated by) an agreement
that has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such
Person becoming an Acquiring Person, neither (i) such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates nor (ii) any transferee of such Person or such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, provided that in the case of this subclause
(ii) such transferee is not, either before or after giving effect to each such
transfer, the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Company's Common Shares
then outstanding, shall be or become an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to
the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), unless and until such time as
such Person or such Person's Affiliates, Associates or transferees shall become
the Beneficial Owner of additional Common Shares (other than pursuant to a
dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common
Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding
Common Shares), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional
Common Shares, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 20% of the
Company's Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) "ADJUSTMENT FRACTION" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(i) hereof.
(c) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and shall be
deemed to "BENEFICIALLY OWN" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, for purposes of Section
13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 thereunder (or any comparable or
successor law or regulation);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
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pursuant to this Section 1(d)(ii)(A) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, (1) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange,
or (2) securities which a Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates may be deemed to have the right to acquire pursuant to any merger or
other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more
of its Affiliates or Associates) if such agreement has been approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to there being an Acquiring Person; or
(B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, any security under this Section 1(d)(ii)(B) if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely
from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public
proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement
or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B))
or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that in no
case shall an officer or director of the Company be deemed (x) the Beneficial
Owner of any securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the
Company solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity
as officers or directors of the Company or (y) the Beneficial Owner of
securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the officer or director, by
reason of any influence that such officer or director may have over the voting
of the securities held in the plan.
(e) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
a day on which banking institutions in the States of New Jersey, New York or
Connecticut are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Connecticut time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Connecticut time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "COMMON SHARES" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the shares of Common Stock of the Company, par value at $0.0005 per share.
Common Shares when used with reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
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(h) "COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "COMPANY" shall mean Gartner, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
subject to the terms of Section 13(a)(iii)(C) hereof.
(j) "CURRENT PER SHARE MARKET PRICE" of any security (a "Security" for
purposes of this definition), for all computations other than those made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, shall mean the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security 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 Per Share Market Price
of any Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the ten (10) consecutive Trading
Days immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that
the Current Per Share Market Price of the Security is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (i) a dividend or
distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities
convertible into such shares or (ii) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of the applicable
thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the Current Per
Share Market Price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market
price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last sale price or, if such last sale price is not reported, 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
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of such
shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company (which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) shall be used. If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded,
the Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively
deemed to be (x) the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares as
determined pursuant to this Section 1(j), as appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof, multiplied by (y) 1,000. If the Security is not publicly held or so
listed or traded, Current Per Share Market Price shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
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(k) "CURRENT VALUE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(l) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall mean the earlier of (i) the Close of
Business on the tenth (10th) day after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the
tenth (10th) day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record
Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date) or (ii) the Close of Business on
the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action
of the Company's Board of Directors) after the date that a tender or exchange
offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any
Person or entity 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, assuming the successful consummation thereof, such Person
would be an Acquiring Person.
(m) "EQUIVALENT SHARES" shall mean Preferred Shares and any other
class or series of capital stock of the Company which is entitled to the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares.
(n) "EXCEPTED PERCENTAGE" applicable to any Excepted Person shall, at
any particular time, be a percentage of the then outstanding number of Common
Shares beneficially owned by such Person, which percentage shall be equal to the
sum of (a) the lesser of (i) the percentage of the outstanding Common Shares
beneficially owned by such Person on February 10, 2000 and (ii) the lowest
percentage of the outstanding Common Shares beneficially owned by such Person at
any time thereafter, plus (b) 1% of the outstanding Common Shares.
(o) "EXCEPTED PERSON" shall mean any Passive Investor that as of
February 10, 2000 was the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares; so long as such Passive Investor (i) continues to be a Passive
Investor, (ii) does not become the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares in excess
of the Excepted Percentage; and (iii) does not become the Beneficial Owner of
less than 19% of the then outstanding Common Shares.
(p) "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(q) "EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
(r) "EXCLUDED PERSON" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan.
(s) "EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
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(t) "EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean the earliest of: (i) the Close of
Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date, or (iii) the
time at which the Board of Directors of the Company orders the exchange of the
Rights as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(u) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean February 25, 2010.
(v) "INTERESTED PERSON" with respect to a Transaction shall mean any
Person who (i) is or will become an Acquiring Person if the Transaction were to
be consummated or an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person, and (ii) is, or
directly or indirectly proposed, nominated or financially supported a director
of the Company in office at the time of consideration of the Transaction in
question who was elected by written consent of stockholders.
(w) "NASDAQ" shall mean The Nasdaq Global Stock Market, Inc.
(x) "PASSIVE INVESTOR" shall mean a Person required by Rule 13d-1(a)
of Regulation D-G promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended to file a
statement on Schedule 13D in respect of such Person's beneficial ownership of
the Company's Common Shares, but who may, in lieu of filing such statement on
Schedule 13D, file a statement on Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or Rule
13d-1(c) of Regulation D-G.
(y) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(z) "POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(e) hereof.
(aa) "PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(e) hereof.
(bb) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
(cc) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.
(dd) "RECORD DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals at
the beginning of this Agreement.
(ee) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
(ff) "REDEMPTION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
(gg) "RIGHTS AGENT" shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, or its successor or replacement as provided in Sections 19 and 21
hereof.
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(hh) "RIGHTS CERTIFICATE" shall mean a certificate substantially in
the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT B.
(ii) "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.
(jj) "SECTION 11(A)(II) TRIGGER DATE" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(kk) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in clause (i),
(ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ll) "SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(mm) "SHARES 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;
provided that, if such Person is determined not to have become an Acquiring
Person pursuant to Section 1(a) hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be
deemed to have occurred.
(nn) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(oo) "SUBSIDIARY" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect a majority of
the directors or Persons having similar authority of such corporation or other
entity is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or any
corporation or other entity otherwise controlled by such Person.
(pp) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(qq) "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS" shall mean a summary of this Agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT C.
(rr) "TOTAL EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a) hereof.
(ss) "TRADING DAY" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which a referenced security is listed or admitted to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if a referenced security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day.
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(tt) "TRANSACTION" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of
assets described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares
which would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person.
(uu) A "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall be deemed to have occurred upon any
Person becoming an Acquiring Person.
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, upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of Sections 3(b) and 3(c) hereof) by the certificates
for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which
certificates shall also be deemed to be Rights Certificates) and not by separate
Rights Certificates and (ii) the right to receive Rights Certificates will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for
transfer of such certificates for Common Shares shall also constitute the
surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the
Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the
Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested
and provided with all necessary information, send) by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Rights Certificate evidencing one Right for each
Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event
that an adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made
pursuant to Section 11 hereof, then 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 the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates and may be
transferred by the transfer of the Rights Certificates as permitted hereby,
separately and apart from any transfer of Common Shares, and the holders of such
Rights Certificates as listed in the records of the Company or any transfer
agent or registrar for the Rights shall be the record holders thereof. The
Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of
the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company
shall confirm the same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next
following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent
may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not
occurred.
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(b) On the Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of the Summary of Rights by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company's transfer agent and registrar. With respect to certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the
holders thereof together with the Summary of Rights. Until the Distribution Date
(or, if earlier, the Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any
certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Unless the Board of Directors of the Company by resolution adopted
at or before the time of the issuance of any Common Shares specifies to the
contrary, Rights shall be issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof,
after the Distribution Date. Certificates representing such Common Shares 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 AN AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CORPORATION AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, AS THE RIGHTS
AGENT, DATED AS OF AUGUST 31, 2002 (AS AMENDED, SUPPLEMENTED OR OTHERWISE
MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME, THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE
HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT
THE CORPORATION's PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY
SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE.
THE CORPORATION WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE UPON RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST. 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 Shares represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for
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transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(d) In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common
Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights
associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that
the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the
Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
Common Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be
substantially in the form of 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 which do not affect the
rights, duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent and 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 or a national market system, on which
the Rights may from time to time be listed or included, 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 (or in
the case of Rights issued with respect to Common Shares issued by the Company
after the Record Date, as of the date of issuance of such Common Shares) and on
their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price
set forth therein (such exercise price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share being hereinafter referred to as the "EXERCISE PRICE" and the aggregate
Exercise Price of all Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of one Right being
hereinafter referred to as the "TOTAL EXERCISE PRICE"), but the number and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Exercise Price
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 Company's Board of Directors 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:
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THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED
HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION
7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
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 Chief Financial
Officer, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile
signature, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal (if any) or a facsimile thereof. The Rights Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the 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 on behalf of the Company had not
ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificate 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
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of
written notice of such Distribution Date and all necessary information, the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such
purposes, 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 Sections 7(e), 14 and 24 hereof, at
any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior
to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or,
following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights
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Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered
to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or
the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall,
subject to Sections 7(e), 14 and 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from a Rights holder of
a sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection
with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates. The
Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation under this Section 6 unless and
until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all such taxes and/or governmental
charges have been paid.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement
to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental
thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery
to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Exercise Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Sections 7(e), 23(b) and 24(b) hereof, the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date and prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date by
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on
the reverse side thereof duly and properly executed, to the Rights Agent at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of
the Exercise Price for each one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) as
to which the Rights are exercised.
(b) The Exercise Price for each one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
issuable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be Ninety Dollars
($90.00), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
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(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly and properly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price for the number of one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash
or other assets as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights
Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, the Rights Agent shall,
subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (a) requisition from any
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent
is the transfer agent for the Preferred Shares) a certificate or certificates
for the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) 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 one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following
a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be)
issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent,
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering
Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be), as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be)
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply
with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the
amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance
with Section 14 hereof, (iii) 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) when appropriate, after receipt thereof,
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Exercise Price (as such amount may be reduced
(including to zero) pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) and an amount equal
to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights
Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, may be made in cash or by
certified bank check, cashier's check or bank draft payable to the order of the
Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the
Company other than Preferred Shares, pay cash and/or distribute other property
pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements
necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply
with this Agreement. The Company shall provide the Rights Agent with written
instructions prior to the distribution of such securities.
(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 to the registered holder of such Rights Certificate or to
his or her duly authorized assigns, 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 Triggering 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
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any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such (a "POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE"), (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 Company's Board of Directors has determined
is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose
or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e) (a "PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE") or (iv)
any subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights from a Post-Event
Transferee or a Pre-Event Transferee, either directly or through one or more
intermediate transferees, shall become null and void without any further action
and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to
such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The
Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this
Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or any of such Acquiring Person's 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, in
addition to having complied with the requirements of Section 7(a) above, have
(i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in 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 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 Preferred Shares.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will use its best efforts
to cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
Preferred Shares not reserved for
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another purpose (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued Common Shares and/or other securities), the number of
Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of the Triggering Event, Common
Shares and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise
in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) If the Company shall hereafter list any of its Preferred Shares on
a national securities exchange, then so long as the Preferred Shares (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon exercise of the Rights may be listed
on such exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable (but only to the extent that it
is reasonably likely that the Rights will be exercised), all shares reserved for
such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance
upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights is described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the
case may be, a registration statement under the Securities 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
Securities 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 expiration of the
Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period 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, and notify
the Rights Agent in writing, that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and written notification
to the Rights Agent at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. The
Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure
compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in
connection with the exercisability of the Rights. Notwithstanding any provision
of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction, unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained, or an exemption therefrom shall be available, and until a
registration statement has been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or other securities of
the Company) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such securities (subject to payment of the Exercise Price),
be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable
shares.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all taxes and governmental charges which may be payable in
respect of the original
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issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or of any Preferred Shares (or
other securities of the Company) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge 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 certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Shares (or other securities of the Company) in a name other than that
of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificate evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or
depositary receipts for Preferred Shares (or other securities of the Company)
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been
paid (any such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Rights
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's or the Rights Agent's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or
charge is due.
Section 10. Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for a
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities of the
Company) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed
to have become the holder of record of Preferred Shares (or other securities of
the Company) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Total Exercise Price with respect to which the
Rights have been exercised (and any applicable taxes or governmental charges)
was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall
be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
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 holder of Preferred Shares (or other securities of the Company)
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 Exercise Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Exercise Price, the number and kind of shares or other property
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) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement
(A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Shares (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of
Preferred Shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11 and Section 7(e) hereof: (1) the Exercise Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date
of such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be adjusted so that
the Exercise Price thereafter shall equal the result obtained by dividing the
Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such time by a fraction (the
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"ADJUSTMENT FRACTION"), the numerator of which shall be the total number of
Preferred Shares (or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of
the Preferred Shares) outstanding immediately following such time and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of Preferred Shares outstanding
immediately prior to such time; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of such Right; and (2) the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share (or share of such other capital stock) issuable upon the exercise of each
Right shall equal the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or share
of such other capital stock) as was issuable upon exercise of such Right
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event described in clauses (A)-(D) of
this Section 11(a)(i), multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction; provided, however,
that, no such adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i) to the
extent that there shall have simultaneously occurred an event described in
clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) of Section 11(n) with a proportionate adjustment
being made thereunder. Each Common Share that shall become outstanding after an
adjustment has been made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i) shall have associated
with it the number of Rights, exercisable at the Exercise Price and for the
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital
stock) as one Common Share has associated with it immediately following the
adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i).
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that a
Triggering Event shall have occurred, then promptly following such Triggering
Event each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall
thereafter have the right to receive for each Right, upon exercise thereof in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the Total Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of the Triggering Event, in
lieu of a number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share, such number of Common
Shares of the Company as shall equal the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the
product obtained by multiplying (1) the Exercise Price in effect immediately
prior to the occurrence of the Triggering Event by (2) the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable (or would
have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred) immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, by (B) fifty percent (50%) of the
Current Per Share Market Price for Common Shares on the date of occurrence of
the Triggering Event; provided, however, that the Exercise Price and the number
of Common Shares of the Company so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be
subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e)
hereof to reflect any events occurring in respect of the Common Shares of the
Company after the occurrence of the Triggering Event.
(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if the Company's Board of Directors
determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the
interest of holders of Rights and, in the event that the number of Common Shares
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, or
if any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance has not been obtained by
the Company, the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the
Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "CURRENT VALUE")
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over (2) the Exercise Price (such excess, the "SPREAD") and (B) with respect to
each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for such Common Shares, upon
exercise of the Rights, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Exercise Price, (3)
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or
units of shares of any series of preferred stock which the Company's Board of
Directors has deemed to have the same value as Common Shares (such shares or
units of shares of preferred stock are herein called "COMMON STOCK
EQUIVALENTS")), except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any
necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (4) debt
securities of the Company, except to the extent that the Company has not
obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (5)
other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
the Company's Board of Directors based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Company's Board of Directors;
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 Triggering 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 Exercise Price, Common
Shares (to the extent available), except to the extent that the Company has not
obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal
to the Spread. If the Company's Board of Directors shall determine in good faith
that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized
for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights or that any necessary
regulatory approval for such issuance will be obtained, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares or take action to obtain such regulatory approval (such
period, as it may be extended, the "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD"). To the extent that
the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly
to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights
until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
authorization of additional shares, to take any action to obtain any required
regulatory approval 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, and notify the Rights Agent in writing, that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and
written notification to the Rights Agent at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
Common Shares shall be the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares
on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any Common Stock
Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such
date.
(b) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this
Agreement, fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to
all holders of Preferred Shares entitling such holders (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) to
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subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares or securities
convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares at a price per share (or
having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred
Shares or Equivalent Shares) less than the then Current Per Share Market Price
of the Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares on such record date, then, in each
such case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any) outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be,
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares or
Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, to be offered or issued (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities to be offered
or issued) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any)
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares
or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Company's
Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes on
the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares and Equivalent
Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Exercise Price shall be
adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this
Agreement, fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of
the Preferred Shares or of any class or series of Equivalent Shares (including
any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend, if any, or
a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights, options or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), then, in each such
case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Per Share
Market Price of a Preferred Share or an Equivalent Share on such record date,
less the fair market value per Preferred Share or Equivalent 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
which shall be conclusive for all purposes) 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 Preferred Share or Equivalent Share, as the case may
be, and the denominator of which shall be such Current Per Share Market Price of
a Preferred Share or Equivalent Share on such record date; provided, however,
that in no event shall the
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consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. 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 Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in
the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) of the Exercise Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(d)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-thousandth of a Common Share or other
share or one hundred-thousandth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(d), 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 requires such adjustment or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(e) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) 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 Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and, if required, the Exercise 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 Shares contained in
this Section 11, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect
to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(f) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(g) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(h), upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price as a result of the
calculations made in Section 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 Exercise Price, that number of Preferred Shares
(calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a share) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Shares covered by such Right immediately
prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior
to such adjustment of the Exercise Price, and (ii) dividing the product so
obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of
the Exercise Price.
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(h) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Exercise Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) or (c)
to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number
of Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights
outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable
for the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which the 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 hundred-thousandth) obtained by dividing
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Exercise
Price by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the
Exercise 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, with prompt
written notice thereof to the Rights Agent. This record date may be the date on
which the Exercise 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(h), 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 Exercise
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.
(i) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or
the number of Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Exercise Price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share and the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(j) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Exercise Price below the par or stated value, if any, of the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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 as
fully paid and nonassessable shares such number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share at such adjusted Exercise Price.
(k) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer (with prompt written notice
thereof to the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event the
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issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of
the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that
the Company shall deliver to such holder a due ββββ or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
(fractional or otherwise) upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(l) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, prior
to the Distribution Date, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions
in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by
this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of
the Preferred or Common Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred
or Common Shares at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of Preferred or Common Shares or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred or Common Shares, (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 or Common
Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(m) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or
permit to be taken) any action if at the time such action is taken it is
reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(n) In the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Common Shares (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of
Common Shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof: (1) each Common Share
(or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of the Common
Shares) outstanding immediately following such time shall have associated with
it the number of Rights as were associated with one Common Share immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event described in clauses (A)-(D) above; (2) the
Exercise Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be
adjusted so that the Exercise Price thereafter shall equal the result obtained
by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such time by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately prior to the event described in clauses (A)-(D) above,
and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately after such event; provided, however, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
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than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of such Right; and (3) the number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital stock) issuable upon the
exercise of each Right outstanding after such event shall equal the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital stock) as
were issuable with respect to one Right immediately prior to such event. Each
Common Share that shall become outstanding after an adjustment has been made
pursuant to this Section 11(n) shall have associated with it the number of
Rights, exercisable at the Exercise Price and for the number of one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital stock) as one Common Share
has associated with it immediately following the adjustment made pursuant to
this Section 11(n). If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(n) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided
for in this Section 11(n) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to,
any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment
and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such
certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity of such
adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment or statement contained therein and shall have no duty or
liability with respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) In the event that, following a Triggering Event, directly or
indirectly:
(i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state of
incorporation of the Company and which complies with Section 11(m) and 11(n)
hereof);
(ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with
and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such merger,
all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person (or of the Company); or
(iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating fifty percent (50%) or more of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its
-24-
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions, each of which individually (and together) complies with Section
11(m) hereof), then, concurrent with and in each such case,
(A) each holder of a Right (except as provided in Section
7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at a price equal to the Total Exercise Price applicable immediately
prior to the occurrence of the Section 13 Event in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as
hereinafter defined), free of any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal
or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by dividing
such Total Exercise Price by an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the
Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party on
the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event, provided, however, that the
Exercise Price and the number of Common Shares of such Principal Party so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e) hereof;
(B) 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;
(C) 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;
(D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares)
in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary
to ensure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly
as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights; and
(E) upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect
of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to
receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Total Exercise Price as
provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other
property which such holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder,
at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Shares of the Principal Party
receivable upon the exercise of such Right pursuant to this Section 13(a), and
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to,
reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent
exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash,
shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(F) For purposes hereof, the "earning power" of the Company
and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good faith by the Company's Board of
Directors on the basis of the operating earnings of each business operated by
the Company and its Subsidiaries during the
-25-
three fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the case of
any business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary during three full
fiscal years preceding such date, during the period such business was operated
by the Company or any Subsidiary).
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall
mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or
(ii) of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is the issuer of the
securities into which the Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common
Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to
the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one
such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate
market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party
to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the
merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from
the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii) of
Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions, or, if more than one Person that is a party to such transaction
or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred and each such portion would, were it not for the other equal
portions, constitute the greatest portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred, or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or
earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time or
have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2)
if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, the term "Principal
Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares
having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such
Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly by the same Person, the
rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners
having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture
was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party
in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the
Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized Common Shares that
have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the
Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement confirming that such Principal Party shall, upon
-26-
consummation of such Section 13 Event, assume this Agreement in accordance with
Sections 13(a) and 13(b) hereof, that all rights of first refusal or preemptive
rights in respect of the issuance of Common Shares of such Principal Party upon
exercise of outstanding Rights have been waived, that there are no rights,
warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would
eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights and that such transaction shall not result in a default by such Principal
Party under this Agreement, and further providing that, as soon as practicable
after the date of such Section 13 Event, such Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause
such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and similarly comply with applicable
state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of)
the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a
national securities exchange or to meet the eligibility requirements for
quotation on Nasdaq and list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on Nasdaq; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for such Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the
Exchange Act.
In the event that at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
some or all of the Rights shall not have been exercised at the time of a
transaction described in this Section 13, the Rights which have not theretofore
been exercised shall thereafter be exercisable in the manner described in
Section 13(a) (without taking into account any prior adjustment required by
Section 11(a)(ii)).
(d) In case the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(b) hereof
has provision in any of its authorized securities or in its Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws or other instrument governing its corporate affairs,
which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to
issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to Section 13 hereof), in
connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a Section 13 Event,
Common Shares or Equivalent Shares of such Principal Party at less than the then
Current Per Share Market Price thereof or securities exercisable for, or
convertible into, Common Shares or Equivalent Shares of such Principal Party at
less than such then Current Per Share Market Price, or (ii) providing for any
special payment, tax or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the
Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13
hereof, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of
Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto
the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the
Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question
of such Principal
-27-
Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized
securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no
effect in connection with or as a consequence of, the consummation of the
proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, effect or permit to occur any Section 13 Event, if
(i) at the time or immediately after such Section 13 Event 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, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such Section 13 Event, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or
would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(b) hereof
shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or
any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii) the form or nature of organization
of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
(f) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or
to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable, as determined pursuant to the second sentence of
Section 1(j) hereof.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Interests in
fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of 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 a Preferred Share. For purposes
of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be
(x) one thousand multiplied by (y) the closing
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price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of
Section 1(j) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares
upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional Common
Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of a Common Share. For purposes
of this Section 14(c), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 1(j) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of a Right.
Section 15. Rights of Action.
(a) All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the
rights of action given to the Rights Agent under 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 Shares); and any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Shares), may, in his or her own behalf and for his or her own benefit,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against
the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his or her 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 by the Company of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations by the Company of, the obligations of any Person subject
to this Agreement.
(b) 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, judgment, decree or ruling (whether interlocutory or
final) issued by a court or by a governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided,
however, that the Company must use all reasonable efforts to have any such
injunction, order, judgment, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as
soon as possible.
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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 the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office 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; and
(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate)
is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary.
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 to be the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any 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 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements incurred in the administration, preparation, delivery,
amendment 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, damage, judgment, fine,
penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without
limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct as determined by a final,
non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent
jurisdiction on the part of the
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Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its
duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall survive the termination
of this Agreement and the exercise, termination and the expiration of the Rights
and the removal of the Rights Agent. The Company shall pay the costs and
expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification. Anything to the
contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for
special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage. Any liability
of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be limited to the amount of fees
paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur
no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with, its acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the
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 Person 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 the 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
Rights Agent 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
-31-
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only the
duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied
duties) 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 or an employee of the Rights Agent), and the advice or
opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it and in accordance with
such advice or 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 Per Share Market Price) be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such fact
or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete authorization and
protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct
as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a
court of competent jurisdiction.
(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 (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any liability or
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 or liable 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 or liable for any change in
the exercisability of the Rights or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights
(including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Sections 3,
-32-
11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt by the Rights Agent of a
certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12 describing such change or
adjustment, upon which the Rights Agent may rely); nor shall it by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares
will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and such instructions shall be full
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and it shall not be liable for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
those instructions. The Rights Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in
relying upon the most recent instructions received by any such officer. Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the
date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or suffered or such
omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken or suffered by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a
proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five (5) Business Days after the
date any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any
such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior
to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission),
the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken, suffered or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, Affiliate, officer
or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
the Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent or any such stockholder, Affiliate, director, officer or employee from
acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
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(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 (through
its directors, officers and employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents,
and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act,
default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss
to the Company or any other Person resulting from any such act, default, neglect
or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as
determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a
court of competent jurisdiction, in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against
such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares known to the Rights
Agent by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (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 Preferred Shares and the Common Shares 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
or her Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (i) a
Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of
any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such
laws to exercise stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $25
million or (ii) an Affiliate of a Person described in (i). After appointment,
the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
-34-
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 Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares, 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 Exercise 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 Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the
redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to
Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
under any employee plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of other securities of the Company outstanding at the date hereof 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 and this
sentence shall be null and void ab initio if, and to the extent that, such
issuance or this sentence would create a significant risk of or result in
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued or would create a significant risk of or
result in such options' or employee plans' or arrangements' failing to qualify
for otherwise available special tax treatment 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.
(a) The Company may, at its option and with the approval of the Board
of Directors of the Company, at any time prior to the Close of Business on the
earlier of (i) the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors
and publicly announced by the Company) and (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, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being herein referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE") and the
Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares
(based on the Current Per Share Market Price thereof at the time of redemption)
or
-35-
cash. Such redemption of the Rights by the Company may be made effective at
such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of
the Company in its sole discretion may establish. The date on which the Board of
Directors of the Company elects to make the redemption effective shall be
referred to as the "REDEMPTION DATE."
(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.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption (with a
copy of the notice given to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within ten (10) days after the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company 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 their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may
redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other
than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and
other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the
Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, and subject to
subsection 24(c) below, the Company may, at its option, by action of the Board
of Directors of the Company, at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange
ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "EXCHANGE RATIO"). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Acquiring Person, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of
the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection 24(a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall give public notice of any such exchange with prompt written
notice thereof to the
-36-
Rights Agent; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in,
such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company 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 Common Shares for Rights will be
effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which
will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the
number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and 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 Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with Section 24(a), the Company shall
either take such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common
Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights or alternatively, at the option
of the Board of Directors of the Company, with respect to each Right (i) pay
cash in an amount equal to the Current Value (as hereinafter defined), in lieu
of issuing Common Shares in exchange therefor, or (ii) issue debt or equity
securities or a combination thereof, having a value equal to the Current Value,
in lieu of issuing Common Shares in exchange for each such Right, where the
value of such securities shall be determined by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by majority vote of the Board of Directors of
the Company, or (iii) deliver any combination of cash, property, Common Shares
and/or other securities having a value equal to the Current Value in exchange
for each Right. For purposes of this Section 24(c) only, the Current Value shall
mean the product of the Current Per Share Market Price of Common Shares on the
date of the occurrence of the event described above in subparagraph (a),
multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which the Right otherwise would be
exchangeable if there were sufficient shares available. To the extent that the
Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to clauses (i), (ii)
or (iii) of this Section 24(c), the Board of Directors of the Company may
temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to sixty
(60) days following the date on which the event described in Section 24(a) shall
have occurred, in order to seek any authorization of additional Common Shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to the
above provision 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, with prompt written
notice thereof to the Rights Agent.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In
lieu of such fractional Common Shares, there shall be paid to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common
Shares would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a whole Common Share (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 1(j) hereof).
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(e) The Company may, at its option, by majority vote of the Board of
Directors of the Company, at any time before any Person has become an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding Rights for rights of
substantially equivalent value, as determined reasonably and with good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of one or more
nationally recognized investment banking firms.
(f) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection 24(e) of this Section 24 and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of rights in exchange therefor as has been
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with
subsection 24(e) above. The Company shall give public notice of any such
exchange and shall provide the Rights Agent with a copy of such notice;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company 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 transfer agent for the Common Shares
of the Company, with prompt written notice thereof to 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 Rights will be effected.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose to effect or permit to occur any
Triggering Event or Section 13 Event, the Company shall give notice thereof to
the Rights Agent and to each holder of Rights in accordance with Section 26
hereof at least twenty (20) days prior to occurrence of such Triggering Event or
such Section 13 Event.
(b) In case any Triggering Event or Section 13 Event shall occur,
then, in any such case, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give
to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance
with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall
specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Sections 11(a)(ii) and 13 hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any 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:
Gartner, Inc.
ββ βββ βββββββ ββββ
ββββββββ, βββββββββββ βββββ
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
-38-
with a copy to:
Gartner, Inc.
ββ βββ βββββββ ββββ
ββββββββ, βββββββββββ βββββ
Attn: General Counsel
and
ββββββ βββββββ ββββββββ & ββββββ
Professional Corporation
βββ ββββ ββββ ββββ
ββββ ββββ, ββββββββββ βββββ-ββββ
Attention: βββββ βββββββ, Esq.
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
ββ ββββββ ββββ
βββ ββββ, βββ ββββ βββββ
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
with a copy to:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
ββ ββββββ ββββ
βββ ββββ, βββ ββββ βββββ
Attention: General Counsel
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the occurrence of a
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect without the
approval of any holders of Rights and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so
directs, execute such supplement or amendment. From and after the occurrence of
a Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to (i) cure any
ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement
-39-
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or
(iv) change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner that the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the
interests of the Rights Agent or the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, 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
(other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the
Company and, if requested by the Rights Agent, an opinion of counsel, that
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 27 and such supplement or amendment does not affect the Rights
Agent's own rights, duties, immunities, liabilities or obligations, the Rights
Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Shares.
Section 28. 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 Common Shares
or any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Common Shares 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 shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board of Directors of the Company, or 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
of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificates
and all other parties and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the
holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent is entitled always to assume the
Company's Board of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully protected
and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
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,
successors to such parties and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
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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, the Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and 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 to
be made and performed entirely within such State; provided, however, that all
provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
"COMPANY" GARTNER, INC.
By: /s/ βββββββββββ ββββββ
------------------------------------
Name: βββββββββββ ββββββ
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
-41-
"RIGHTS AGENT" AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ βββββββ ββββββ
------------------------------------
Name: βββββββ ββββββ
Title: Vice President
-42-
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, PREFERENCES AND PRIVILEGES OF SERIES A
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF GARTNER, INC.
The undersigned, ββββββ β. ββββ and βββββ β. ββββββββ, do hereby certify:
1. That they are the duly elected and acting Chief Executive Officer, and
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, of Gartner, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "CORPORATION").
2. That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors of the Corporation on September 7, 2006 adopted the following
resolutions creating a series of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand (250,000) shares
of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
"RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of the Corporation by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of
Directors does hereby provide for the issue of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock of the Corporation and does hereby fix and herein state and
express the designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special
rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of such series of
Preferred Stock as follows (all terms used herein which are defined in the
Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be deemed to have the
meanings provided herein):
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock"). The Series A Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.01
per share, and the number of shares constituting such series shall be Two
Hundred and Fifty Thousand (250,000).
Section 2. Proportional Adjustment. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time after the issuance of any share or shares of Series A Preferred Stock
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock of the Corporation ("COMMON STOCK")
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the Corporation shall simultaneously effect a
proportional adjustment to the number of outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 3. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior right of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the 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 Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to 1,000 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) above immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock).
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue on outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date
of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend
and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated
pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 4. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of
the Corporation.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock
shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) Except as required by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required
(except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as
set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
-2-
Section 5. Certain Restrictions.
(a) The Corporation shall not declare any dividend on, make any
distribution on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Common Stock after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock unless concurrently therewith it shall declare
a dividend on the Series A Preferred Stock as required by Section 3 hereof.
(b) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 3 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on,
or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on, or make any other distributions
on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the
total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock of
the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in
writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights
and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(c) 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 5,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 6. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become
-3-
authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of
a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of
the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance
set forth herein and in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as then
amended.
Section 7. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share equal
to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of
shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends
on such shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 8. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged.
Section 9. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not
be redeemable.
Section 10. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all
other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends
and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series shall
provide otherwise.
Section 11. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preference or special rights of the Series A
Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of
the holders of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.
Section 12. Fractional Shares. Series A 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 Preferred Stock.
-4-
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Chief Executive Officer or any Vice President
and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation be, and they
hereby are, authorized and directed to prepare and file a Certificate of
Designation of Rights, Preferences and Privileges in accordance with the
foregoing resolution and the provisions of Delaware law and to take such actions
as they may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of the
foregoing resolution."
We further declare under penalty of perjury that the matters set forth in
the foregoing Certificate of Designation are true and correct of our own
knowledge.
Executed at Stamford, Connecticut on November __, 2006.
----------------------------------------
Chief Executive Officer
----------------------------------------
General Counsel and Secretary
-5-
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- _________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EARLIER OF (i) FEBRUARY 25, 2010, (ii) THE DATE
TERMINATED BY THE COMPANY OR (iii) THE DATE THE COMPANY EXCHANGES THE
RIGHTS PURSUANT TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. 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 OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF
AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE 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
RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]*
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
GARTNER, INC.
This certifies that ______________________________, or registered assigns,
is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of November 6, 2006,
(the "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), between Gartner, Inc., a Delaware corporation (f/k/a
Gartner Group, Inc.) (the "COMPANY"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, a New York banking corporation, as successor Rights Agent of Mellon
Investor Services LLC (the "RIGHTS AGENT"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Connecticut time, on
----------
* The portion of the legend in bracket shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
February 25, 2010 at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth (1/1,000)
of a fully paid and non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "PREFERRED SHARES"), of the
Company, at an Exercise Price of Ninety Dollars ($90.00) per one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (the "EXERCISE PRICE"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate
duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and
the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon
exercise hereof) set forth above are the number and Exercise Price as of the
date hereof based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price and the number and kind of
Preferred Shares 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.
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 principal executive offices of
the Company.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company, at its option, at a
redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged by the Company in
whole or in part for Common Shares, substantially equivalent rights or other
consideration as determined by the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the office 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
amount of securities as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
No fractional portion of less than one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby but in
lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the 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
-2-
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.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________, _____.
ATTEST: GARTNER, INC.
By:
------------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Secretary
Its:
-----------------------------------
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
as Rights Agent
By:
---------------------------------
Its:
--------------------------------
-3-
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _______________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers
unto
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: _______________, ____
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
-----------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are
not acceptable.
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated: _______________, ____
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
-----------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are
not acceptable.
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE -- CONTINUED
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Rights Certificate)
To: ___________________________
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _____________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of such Rights
and requests that certificates for such number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: _______________, ____
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
-----------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are
not acceptable.
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Person.
Dated: _______________, ____
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
-----------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Guarantees by a notary public are
not acceptable.
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE -- CONTINUED
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
conform to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
EXHIBIT C
RIGHTS PLAN
GARTNER, INC.
Summary of Rights
Distribution and Transfer The Board of Directors of Gartner, Inc. (the
of Rights, Rights "Company") has declared a dividend of one Right
Certificate: for each share of Common Stock (the "Rights")
outstanding. Prior to the Distribution Date
referred to below, the Rights will be evidenced
by and trade with the certificates for the
Common Stock. (You will not receive a new
certificate evidencing the Rights). After the
Distribution Date, the Company will mail Rights
certificates to the Company's stockholders and
the Rights will become transferable apart from
the Common Stock.
Distribution Date: Stockholders who own in excess of 20% of the
Common Stock outstanding on February 10, 2000
will not cause the Rights to become exercisable
based on their current ownership.
Preferred Stock Purchasable After the Distribution Date, each Right will
Upon Exercise of Rights: entitle the holder to purchase for $90, one
one-thousandth of a share of the Company's
Series A Preferred Stock with economic terms
similar to that of one share of the Company's
Common Stock.
Flip-In: If an "Acquiring Person" (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) obtains 20% or more of the
Common Stock outstanding, then each Right
(other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person
or its affiliates) will entitle the holder
thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a
number of corresponding shares of the Company's
Common Stock having a then current market value
of twice the Exercise Price. For example, if
the Common Stock is trading at a price of
$30.00 per share, the Right will enable the
holder to purchase $180.00 of stock (or 6
shares) for the $90.00 exercise price.
Alternatively, the board of directors may elect
to exchange Rights held by persons other than
the proposed acquirer for Common Stock.
Flip-Over: If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 20% or
more of the Common Stock outstanding, (a) the
Company merges into another entity, (b) an
acquiring entity merges into the Company or (c)
the Company sells more than 50% of the
Company's assets or earning power, then each
Right (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring
Person or its affiliates) will entitle the
holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise
Price, a number of shares of Common Stock of
the Person engaging in the transaction having a
then current market value of twice the Exercise
Price. For example, if the stock is trading at
a price of $30.00 per share, the Right will
enable the holder to purchase $180.00 of stock
(or 6 shares) for the $90.00 exercise price.
Alternatively, the board of directors may elect
to exchange Rights held by persons other than
the proposed acquirer for Common Stock.
Exchange Provision: At any time after the date an Acquiring Person
obtains 20% or more of the Common Stock
outstanding and prior to the acquisition by the
Acquiring Person of 50% of the outstanding
Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the
Company may exchange the Rights (other than
Rights owned by the Acquiring Person or its
affiliates), in whole or in part, for shares of
Common Stock of the Company at an exchange
ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).
Redemption of the Rights: Rights will be redeemable at the Company's
option for $0.001 per Right at any time on or
prior to the tenth day (or such later date as
may be determined by the Board of Directors)
after public announcement that a Person has
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% of the
Common Stock outstanding.
Expiration of the Rights: The Rights expire on the earliest of (a)
February 25, 2010, (b) exchange or redemption
of the Rights as described above.
Amendment of Terms of Rights: The terms of the Rights and the Rights
Agreement may be amended in any respect without
the consent of the Rights holders on or prior
to the Distribution Date; thereafter, the terms
of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be
amended without the consent of the Rights
holders in order to cure any ambiguities or to
make changes which do not adversely affect the
interests of Rights holders (other than the
Acquiring Person).
Voting Rights: Rights will not have any voting rights.
Anti-Dilution Provisions: Rights will have the benefit of certain
customary anti-dilution provisions.
Taxes: The Rights distribution should not be taxable
for federal income tax purposes. However,
following an event which renders the Rights
exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights,
stockholders may recognize taxable income.
-2-
The foregoing is a summary of certain principal terms of the Stockholder
Rights Plan only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
terms of the Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of November
6, 2006, between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (as
successor Rights Agent of Mellon Investor Services LLC).
-3-