NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
& TRUST COMPANY
RIGHTS AGENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED
PREFERRED SHARES RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 19, 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Section 1. Certain Definitions -1-
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent -7-
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates -7-
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates -9-
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration -10-
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates -11-
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Exercise Price;
Expiration Date of Rights -11-
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates -13-
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares -14-
Section 10. Record Date -15-
Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares
or Number of Rights -17-
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price
or Number of Shares -22-
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power -24-
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares -26-
Section 15. Rights of Action -27-
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders -28-
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder -28-
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent -28-
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name
of Rights Agent -29-
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent -29-
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent -31-
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates -32-
Section 23. Redemption -33-
Section 24. Exchange -33-
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events -35-
Section 26. Notices -35-
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments -36-
Section 28. Successors -37-
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the
Board of Directors, etc. -37-
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement -37-
Section 31. Severability -37-
Section 32. Governing Law -38-
Section 33. Counterparts -38-
Section 34. Descriptive Headings -38-
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C Summary of Rights
AMENDED AND RESTATED
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of July 19,
1999, by and between NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation, and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Agreement"), amending and
restating the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 27, 1997, by and between
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation, and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company.
On April 10, 1997 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"),
the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors") authorized and
declared a dividend of one Preferred Share Purchase Right (a "RIGHT") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the Close
of Business (as hereinafter defined) on June 15, 1997 (the "RECORD DATE"), each
Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series
A Participating Preferred Stock (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement), having the rights, preferences and privileges set
forth in the form of Certificate of Designations of Rights, Preferences and
Privileges of Series A Participating Preferred Stock attached hereto as Exhibit
A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and further
authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (as such number may be
adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) with respect to each
Common Share 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.
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 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall
not include 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. 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 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% 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 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the 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," 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," 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 the
date hereof, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common
Shares outstanding, such Person shall not be or become an "Acquiring Person,"
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 15% or more of the 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 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 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 New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean
5:00 P.M., New York time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(g) "COMMON SHARES" when used with reference to the
Company shall mean the shares of Common Stock of the Company, $0.001 par value.
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.
(h) "COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "COMPANY" shall mean NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES,
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. 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 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 the Current Per Share
Market Price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to this Section 1(k),
as appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof, multiplied by 1000. 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, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(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 day (or such later date as may be determined
by action of the Board of Directors) after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii)
the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors) 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) "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
(o) "EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 24(a) hereof.
(p) "EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 4(a) hereof.
(q) "EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean the earliest to
occur of: (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the
Redemption Date, (iii) consummation of any transaction contemplated by Section
13(f) hereof, or (iv) the time at which the Board of Directors orders the
exchange of the Rights as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(r) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean April 10,
2007.
(s) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System.
(t) "PERMITTED OFFER" shall mean a tender offer for
all outstanding Common Shares made in the manner prescribed by Section 14(d) of
the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; provided,
however, that such tender offer occurs at a time when the Board of Directors has
determined that the offer is both fair and otherwise in the best interests of
the Company and its stockholders (taking into account all factors that the Board
of Directors deems relevant).
(u) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or
otherwise) of such entity.
(v) "POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 7(e) hereof.
(w) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value,
of the Company.
(x) "PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(e) hereof.
(y) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(z) "RECORD DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.
(aa) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(bb) "REDEMPTION PRICE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(cc) "RIGHTS AGENT" shall mean American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company or its successor or replacement as provided in Sections
19 and 21 hereof.
(dd) "RIGHTS CERTIFICATE" shall mean a certificate
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(ee) "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE" shall have
the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.
(ff) "SECTION 11(A)(II) TRIGGER DATE" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(gg) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event
described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(hh) "SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended.
(ii) "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.
(jj) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(kk) "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.
(ll) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(mm) "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS" shall mean a summary of this
Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(nn) "TOTAL EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
(oo) "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.
(pp) "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 and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. 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 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,
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.
(b) On or about the Record Date, the Company sent 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 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 A RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN NEUROCRINE
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, AS THE
RIGHTS AGENT (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY
INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC., 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. NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC. WILL MAIL
TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR. UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED
TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON
OR 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 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 as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange 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 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:
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 Rights Agreement any such person
was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, 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 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 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 of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent
of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably 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 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 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
$51.75, 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.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly 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 transfer tax 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 transfer tax 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 appropriate.
(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 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 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), have (i) 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 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 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, that the exercisability of
the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and
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 federal and state transfer taxes and
charges which may be payable in respect of the original 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 transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer
or delivery of Rights Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of 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 shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the
holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. 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 transfer taxes) 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 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 "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 a
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 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 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 result obtained
by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the occurrence
of the Triggering Event by 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, and dividing that product by 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii), the right to buy Common Shares of the
Company pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall not arise as a result of any
Person becoming an Acquiring Person through an acquisition of Common Shares
pursuant to a Permitted Offer.
(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in
accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if the 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") 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 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 Board of Directors based upon the advice of a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors; provided, however,
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 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 that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the value of 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 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 Board of
Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights. 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, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of
the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a 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
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 1% in 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 ten-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 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 Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), 11(g), 11(h), 11(i), 11(j),
11(k) and 11(l), 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 a
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.
(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 a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of
record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number
of Rights (calculated to the nearest one 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. 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 until the
occurrence of such event the 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 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 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 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 contained therein 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)
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 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 50% or more of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company 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 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 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 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 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) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 13(a) if: (i) such transaction is consummated
with a Person or Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted
Offer (or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the
price per share of Common Shares offered in such transaction is not less than
the price per share of Common Shares paid to all holders of Common Shares whose
shares were purchased pursuant to such Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of Common Shares pursuant
to such transaction is the same form as the form of consideration paid pursuant
to such Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated
by this Section 13(f), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
(g) 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(k) 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 one thousand times the closing price
of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 1(k)
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(k) 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. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
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 of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of 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 principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed; 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 and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises. In no event will the Rights Agent be liable for
special, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever, even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility of such
loss or damage.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall
incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
by it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon
any Rights Certificate or certificate for 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 reasonably 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 corporation into which the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated,
or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of 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
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the written advice or opinion of
such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such written 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 or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial
Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered
to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the
Company and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by
reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement
or in the Rights Certificates (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
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any 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, 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); 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 it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting
for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written
instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth
in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under
this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be
taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable
for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a
proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five (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 or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of
the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either
itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not
be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the
Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise
of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise 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 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 a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United
States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stockholder services powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor 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, 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, at any time prior to (i) the Shares
Acquisition Date and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less
than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 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 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 in its sole discretion may establish.
The date on which the Board of Directors elects to make the redemption effective
shall be referred to as the "REDEMPTION DATE."
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors 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; 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 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 the Board of Directors, 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 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 Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors 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 a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such exchange. The Company 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 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 a majority of the Board of Directors, 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, 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 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.
(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(k) hereof).
(e) The Company may, at its option, by majority vote
of the Board of Directors, 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, 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 in accordance with
subsection 24(e) above. The Company shall give public notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company 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. 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 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 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:
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
ββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββ
βββ βββββ, ββββββββββ βββββ
Attention: ββββ β. βββββ
with a copy to:
ββββββ & βββββββ
βββ ββββ βββββ ββββββ, βββββ ββββ
βββ βββββββ, ββββββββββ βββββ-ββββ
Attention: βββββββ β. ββββββββ
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or
demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
ββββ ββββ ββββββ, βββ βββββ
ββββββββ, ββ βββββ
Attention: βββββ βββββ
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, 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, 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 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) to 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 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 that states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. 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 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 shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board, 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 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 of Directors to any liability to the
holders of the Rights. All determinations and actions requiring the vote of, or
permitted to be taken by, the Board of Directors shall be by the affirmative
vote of a majority of such Board of Directors to be valid and binding.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the 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 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.
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"
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By:
Name: ββββ βββββ
Title: CEO
"RIGHTS AGENT"
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By:
Name: βββββββ β. ββββββ
Title: Vice President
A-5
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF RIGHTS, PREFERENCES AND
PRIVILEGES OF SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES,
INC.
The undersigned, ββββ β. βββββ and ββββββββ-Valeur-ββββββ do
hereby certify:
1. That they are the duly elected and acting President and
Secretary, respectively, of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "CORPORATION").
2. That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors by the Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on April 10, 1997 adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 50,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A 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 a series of
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:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK." The Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share, and
the number of shares constituting such series shall be 50,000.
Section 2. Proportional Adjustment. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after the issuance of any share or shares of
Series A Participating 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 Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
be entitled to receive when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the last day of January, April, July and October in each year (each such date
being referred to herein as a "QUARTERLY DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE"), commencing on
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred
Stock.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or
distribution on the Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior
to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series
A Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and
before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the
total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares
shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating 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
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Each share of Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock and the holders
of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) Except as required by law, holders of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
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 Participating Preferred Stock unless
concurrently therewith it shall declare a dividend on the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock as required by Section 3 hereof.
(b) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends
or distributions payable on the Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any
other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on, 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 Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Participating 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
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation
in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the
acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become
authorized but unissued shares of 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 Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an
aggregate amount per share equal to 1000 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 Participating
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 Participating 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 Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 10. Ranking. The Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 12. Fractional Shares. Series A Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the
holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting
rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit
of all other rights of holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the President or any Vice President and
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of this 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 _______________ on ________________, 1999.
/s/ ββββ β. βββββ
ββββ β. βββββ, President
/s/ ββββββββ Valeur-ββββββ
ββββββββ Valeur-ββββββ, Secretary
B-3
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R - Series A Preferred Purchase Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EARLIER OF (i) APRIL 10, 2007 (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 $0.01 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.]1
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, 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 Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as
of July 19, 1999, (the "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), by and between NEUROCRINE
BIOSCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company ( 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., New York time, on April 10, 2007 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
non-assessable share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, no par value,
(the "PREFERRED SHARES"), of the Company, at a Exercise Price of $51.75 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 April 10, 1997 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 and the above-mentioned office of the Rights
Agent.
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 $0.01 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 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 _______________, 19____.
ATTEST:
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By: ββββββββ Valeur-ββββββ
Its: Secretary
COUNTERSIGNED:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Rights Agent
By: ______________________________
Its: _____________________________
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: _______________, 19____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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: _______________, 19____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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: _______________, 19____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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: _______________, 19____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
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.
C-2
EXHIBIT C
STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
Summary of Rights
Distribution and Transfer of Rights: The Board of Directors
has declared a Transfer of Rights dividend of one Right for Rights Certificate:
each share of NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC. Common Stock outstanding. Prior to
the Distribution Date referred to below, the Rights will be evidenced by and
trade with the certificates for the Common Stock. After the Distribution Date,
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC. (the "COMPANY") will mail Rights certificates to
the Company's stockholders and the Rights will become transferable apart from
the Common Stock.
Distribution Date: Rights will separate from the Common Stock
and become exercisable following (a) the tenth day (or such later date as may be
determined by a majority of the Board of Directors) after a person or group
acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Company's Common Stock or
(b) the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board
of Directors) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer, the
consummation of which would result in ownership by a person or group of 15% or
more of the Company's Common Stock.
Preferred Stock Purchasable Upon Exercise of Rights: After the
Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase for $51.75
(the "EXERCISE PRICE"), a fraction of a share of the Company's Preferred Stock
with economic terms similar to that of one share of the Company's Common Stock.
Flip-In: If an acquiror (an "ACQUIRING PERSON") obtains 15% or
more of the Company's Common Stock (other than pursuant to a tender offer deemed
adequate and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders by the
Board of Directors (a "PERMITTED OFFER")), 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 the Company's Common
Stock having a then current market value of twice the Exercise Price.
Flip-Over: If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 15% or more
of the Company's Common Stock, (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 (unless the transaction satisfies certain conditions and is
consummated with a person who acquired shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer, in
which case the Rights will expire).
Exchange Provision: At any time after the date an Acquiring
Person obtains 15% or more of the Company's Common Stock and prior to the
acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% of the outstanding Common Stock, a
majority of the Board of Directors 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 Rights: Rights will be redeemable at the
Company's option for $0.01 per Right at any time prior to a public announcement
that a Person has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Company's
Common Stock (the "SHARES ACQUISITION DATE").
Expiration of the Rights: The Rights expire on the earliest of
(a) ten years after the date of adoption of the Plan, (b) exchange or redemption
of the Rights as described above, or (c) consummation of a merger, consolidation
or asset sale resulting in expiration of the Rights as described above.
Amendment 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.
The foregoing is a summary of certain principal terms of the
Plan only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed terms of
the Preferred Shares Rights Agreement between the Company and the Rights Agent.
--------
1 The portion of the legend in bracket shall be inserted only if applicable and
shall replace the preceding sentence.
1 This Summary of Rights has been revised to conform to the Amended and Restated
Rights Agreement; as the Company intends to file a Form 10-Q regarding the
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, this revised Summary of Rights will not
be re-distributed to
the Company's stockholders.