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Rights Agreement
SPEEDUS.COM
and
Equiserve Trust Company, N.A.
as Rights Agent
Dated as of January 12, 2001
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Table of Contents
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Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions.........................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.................................6
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates................................6
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.................................7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration...........................8
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates...............................8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights..............................................9
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates........11
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock..............11
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date................................13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights.................................13
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares..................................................21
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power...........................................21
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares....................23
Section 15. Rights of Action...........................................24
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders................................25
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.........25
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................26
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent...............................................26
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.....................................27
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.....................................29
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates........................30
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Table of Contents
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(Continued)
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Section 23. Redemption and Termination.................................30
Section 24. Exchange...................................................31
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events...................................32
Section 26. Notices....................................................33
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.................................33
Section 28. Successors.................................................34
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc.............................................34
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.................................35
Section 31. Severability...............................................35
Section 32. Governing Law..............................................35
Section 33. Counterparts...............................................35
Section 34. Descriptive Headings.......................................35
(ii)
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of January 12, 2001 between SPEEDUS.COM, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ------- Equiserve Trust
Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). ------------
W I T N E S S E T H
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WHEREAS, on January 11, 2001 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company
outstanding at the close of business on January 26, 2001 (the "Record Date"),
and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be
adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date,
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one unit (a "Unit")
with each such unit consisting initially of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights,
powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation,
Preferences and Rights attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject
to the conditions hereinafter set forth ("Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions.
-------------------
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
17% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any
Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (v) any member of the Hovnanian
Group (each of (i) through (v), an "Exempted Person"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, (i) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as a result of an
acquisition of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of
such shares then outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 17% or more of the outstanding Common
Stock, except that if such Person, after such share purchases by the Company,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock, such
Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person," and (ii) if the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would
otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently, and such
Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Stock
so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person then such Person
shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." The term "outstanding," when
used with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the
Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding
together with the number of such
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securities not then issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to
beneficially own hereunder.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
(d) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(e) "Associate" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(f) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or
(B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise
of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights
were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof ("Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof
in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response
to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by
such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such
Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
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not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph
(ii) of this paragraph (f)) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (f) shall cause a person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such
person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until
the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(g) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York, the State of
Delaware or the state in which the principal office of the Rights Agent is
located are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(h) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(i) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with
the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest
having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(j) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(k) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Agreement.
(l) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i).
(m) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
of this Agreement.
(n) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
of this Agreement.
(o) "Equivalent preferred stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) of this Agreement.
(p) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
(q) "Exchange Date" shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(r) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
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(s) "Excluded Person" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(f) of
this Agreement.
(t) "Exempted Person" shall have meaning set forth in Section 1(a) of this
Agreement.
(u) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) of
this Agreement.
(v) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) of this Agreement.
(w) "Hovnanian Group" shall mean Shant S. Hovnanian, Vahak S. Hovnanian
and any member of their respective families.
(x) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(i)
of this Agreement.
(y) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(z) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, and, to the extent
that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to
the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(aa) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) of
this Agreement.
(bb) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) of
this Agreement.
(cc) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause
of this Agreement.
(dd) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23 of
this Agreement.
(ee) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause of
this Agreement.
(ff) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Agreement.
(gg) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) of this Agreement.
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(hh) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in the "Whereas" clause of this Agreement.
(ii) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
(jj) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(kk) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) of this Agreement.
(ll) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) of
this Agreement.
(mm) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of the date of (i)
the 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 or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by the Company or an Acquiring
Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has become an Acquiring Person.
(nn) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at
least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(oo) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
(pp) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)
of this Agreement.
(qq) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) of
this Agreement.
(rr) "Transaction" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of assets
or earning power described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common
Stock of the Company which, without regard to any required approval of the
Company, would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person.
(ss) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
(tt) "Unit" shall have the meaning set forth in the "Whereas" clause of
this Agreement.
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Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.
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The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the
Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights
Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time
appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon
ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall
have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions
of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
----------------------------
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after
the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition
Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the Record Date),
(ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as the
Board shall determine) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any
Person is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a)
of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon
consummation thereof, such Person would become an Acquiring Person or (iii) the
Expiration Date (the earlier of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as
the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates
for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock
(which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates
for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). The Board of Directors of
the Company may defer the date set forth in clause (ii) of the preceding
sentence to a specified later date or to an unspecified later date, each to be
determined, by action of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will,
at the Company's expense, send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail,
to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each
share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the
event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has
been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the
Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate
rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable, the Company will send a copy of a Summary
of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary
of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the
Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which
are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date. Certificates representing such shares of
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Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights and shall
bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between
SPEEDUS.COM, Inc. (the "Company") and Equiserve Trust Company, N.A.
(the "Rights Agent"), dated as of January 12, 2001 (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of
the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge,
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor.
Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on
behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null
and void. The Rights shall not be exercisable, and shall be void so
long as held, by a holder in any jurisdiction where the requisite
qualification of the issuance to such holder, or the exercise by such
holder, of the Rights in such jurisdiction shall not have been
obtained or be obtainable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, registered holders of
Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and
the transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
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(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one ten-thousandth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and
the type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
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transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Affiliate or Associate)
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 a majority of 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 such
Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
---------------------------------
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually
or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or
a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be manually countersigned by an authorized signatory of the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to 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 an authorized
signatory of the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the
same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates
had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates
may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of
the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution
of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its office or offices designated as the appropriate place for
surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the
Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the
Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and
at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights
Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split
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up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering
Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case
may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled
such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office
or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until
the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment by the holder of a Rights Certificate 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 reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental
thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the
Rights Certificate, if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new
Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature
and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate
so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, along
with a signature guarantee and such other and further documentation as the
Rights Agent may reasonably request, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one ten-thousandths of a
share (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier
of (i) the close of business on January 26, 2011 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof, or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged (the "Exchange
Date") as provided in Section 24 hereof or (iv) the time at which the rights
expire pursuant to Section 13(d) hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii), (iii) or
(iv) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
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(b) The Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50.00, and shall
be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the
Purchase Price per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock
(or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such
shares) certificates for the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary
agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing
such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to
be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply
with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if
any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14
hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,
cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder
of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash,
if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the
Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the
Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to
require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise
of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person
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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 a majority of 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), 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 other Person as a result
of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person
or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action
with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall
have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of
the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
---------------------------------------------------
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any
of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the
Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the
Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such
cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate
of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
---------------------------------------------
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its
authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full
of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the
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exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange,
the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as
the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be
listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act with respect
to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of
the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no
longer exercisable for such securities, or (B) the date of the expiration of
the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate
under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of
the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The
Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed
ninety (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, and shall
give simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. In addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration
statement is required following the Distribution Date, the Company may
temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a
registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such
jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be
permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued, and fully paid and
non-assessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of any certificates for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number
of
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one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate
at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.
---------------------------
Each person in whose name any certificate for a number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional
shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered
and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date
upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as
the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall
be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or
otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding
Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior
to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or
other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be
entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as
provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights.
-------------------------------------------------------
The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares
of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares,
or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)
and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable
on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any
Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment
of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which,
if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a
time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he
would have
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<PAGE>
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to,
any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates
and Associates, shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing the 17%
threshold to be crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a)
hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a
tender offer or an exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common
Stock at a price and on terms determined by at least a majority of the
Board of Directors, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking
into account all factors which such members of the Board deem relevant
including, without limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved
if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to
realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders, then, promptly following the occurrence of
any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, proper provision shall
be promptly made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below
and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following
such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase
Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by
50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence
(such number of shares being referred to as the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which
are authorized by the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation but
not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full
of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this
Section 11(a), the Company, acting by resolution of a majority of the
Board of Directors shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), and (B) with
respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a
Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the
Board has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic rights as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to
as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5)
other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an
aggregate
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<PAGE>
value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any
reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board; provided,
however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption
pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being
referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then
the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price,
shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall
mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase
Price. If the Board determines in good faith that it is likely
that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (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 shareholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is
herein called the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that
action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of
this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to
Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to
all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek
such shareholder approval for such authorization of additional shares
and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant
to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of
any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer
in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any Common
Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per
share of the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45)
calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock
("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock
or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price
per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock) less than the Current Market Price per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
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<PAGE>
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall
be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent
preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall
not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if
such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation), of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent)
of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share
of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current
Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days
immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common
Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock
payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible
into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of
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such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of
the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period,
as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market
Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on
the Nasdaq National Market or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq National Market, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed
or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation System or such other system then in use, or, if on any
such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date no market
maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of
such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares
of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so
listed or traded, Current Market Price per share shall mean the fair
value per share as determined in good faith by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the
same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of
this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the
Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be
determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred Stock
is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described in
clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share
of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount
equal to 10,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for
such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations
with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this
Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock
is publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per
share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
Current Market Price of a Unit shall be equal to the Current Market
Price of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 1000.
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(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest hundred-thousandth of a share of Common
Stock or other share or one-ten-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time
to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a),
(b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall
apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon
exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one ten-thousandths of a share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the
adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date
may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted
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or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued,
shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement.
If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date
of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall
be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and
may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall
be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on
the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one ten-thousandth of a
share and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion
of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and non-assessable such number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill
or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence
of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price thereof, (iii) issuance
wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
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Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends, or (v) issuance of rights, options
or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to
holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or
other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken
itis reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated
with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
----------------------------------------------------------
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13
hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, the adjusted Purchase Price and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and
with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy
of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights
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Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a
certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be obligated
or responsible for calculating any adjustment nor shall it 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 the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any
Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the
Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or
merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or
any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise
transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons
(other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as
provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and
issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable shares of Common Stock
of the Principal Party, not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of
first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event
(or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one ten-thousandths of
a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such first occurrence), and (2) dividing that product
(which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the
date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event,
all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii)
the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party,
it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall
apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the
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provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably
may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section
13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no
securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to
such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved
for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form
10 under the Exchange Act.
(iii) use its best efforts to obtain any necessary regulatory
approvals in respect of the securities purchasable upon exercise of
outstanding Rights; and
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<PAGE>
(iv) use its best efforts, if such shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq
National Market or on another national securities exchange, to list
or admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the Nasdaq
National Market or such securities exchange, or, if the securities of
the Principal Party purchasable upon exercise of the Rights shall not
be listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq National Market or a
national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by such other
system then in use.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a
Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall
thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13
shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y)
of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which complies with
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof regarding the determination of a
majority of the Board of Directors, (ii) the price per share of Common Stock
offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common
Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer, and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
---------------------------------------
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq National
Market or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq
National Market, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ
or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not
quoted by any such
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<PAGE>
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is
making a market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be
used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the
timesuch Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
samefraction of the current market value of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value
of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one ten-thousandth
ofthe closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Current
Market Value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the Current Market Value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action.
----------------
All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of
action given to the Rights Agent, are vested in the respective registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, on
his own behalf and for his 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 right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations
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<PAGE>
hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of
the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.
---------------------------
Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the
Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms
and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate)
isregistered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
theCompany nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Rightor other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligationsunder this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction orother order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or bya governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or anystatute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by anygovernmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligations; provided, however, the Company must use its
best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
--------------------------------------------------
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate,
as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to
vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders
at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action,
or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders
(except as provided in Section 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.
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<PAGE>
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
---------------------------
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent such compensation as
shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent for all
services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the
Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross 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, without limitation, the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
costs and expenses of enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be
paid by the Company. The indemnification provided for hereunder shall survive
the expiration of the Rights and termination of this Agreement.
(b) The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected and
shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed and 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.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no
event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential
loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such
loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action.
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 or shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at
that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in
the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and
in all
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<PAGE>
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 expressly imposed
by this Agreement, and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Rights Agent, 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) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, the Rights Agent
may consult with legal counsel of its selection (who may be legal counsel for
the Company), and the 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 opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "Current Market Price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company
and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization 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 only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not 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 (including
the Rights becoming
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<PAGE>
void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer 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 Agreement and the date on 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 ten Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually
received 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 subject to the
proposed action or omission and/or 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, however, reasonable care was
exercised in the selection thereof.
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<PAGE>
(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.
(l) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to
have any notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without
limitation, any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of
any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement
unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by
the Company of such fact, event or determination.
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. 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 Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty
(30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified
in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated
Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the
Company shall become the Rights Agent until a successor Rights Agent has been
appointed, and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.
Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a
court, shall be 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 shareholder
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 $50,000,000. 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 Common Stock and the
Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Rights
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<PAGE>
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, subject to Section 4 hereof,
issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved
by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property
purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date (other than
upon exercise of a Right) and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so
issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee
plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon
the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by
the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no
such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the
Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
--------------------------
(a) The Company may, by a resolution adopted by majority of the Board of
Directors, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the
Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close
of business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"). If, following the occurrence of a Stock
Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the Company's right of
redemption hereunder (i) a Person who is an Acquiring Person shall have
transferred or otherwise disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one
transaction or series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a
Triggering Event such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 15%
or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (ii) there are no other
Persons, immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause
(i), who are Acquiring Persons, and (iii) the Board, by a vote of a majority of
the Directors, shall so approve, then the Company's right of redemption shall be
reinstated and thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section 23.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
until such time as the
-30-
<PAGE>
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
Current Market Price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter
of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each
Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method
by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
--------
(a) The Company may (by a resolution of the Board), at its option, at any
time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any share
split, share distribution or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the exchange of any
Rights pursuant to subsection (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 shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such
Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such
exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by
which the exchange of shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and,
in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in
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<PAGE>
accordance with this Section 24, the Company shalltake all such action as may
be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock. For
the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole share
ofCommon Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
------------------------
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate and to the Rights Agent, to
the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is
to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or
the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In the event that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
-32-
<PAGE>
hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred
Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices.
-------
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company
shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights
Agent) as follows:
SPEEDUS.COM, INC.
140 58th Street, Suite 7E
Brooklyn, New York 11220
Attention: Thomas M. Finn
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Equiserve Trust Company, N.A.
150 Royal Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Client Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.
--------------------------
Prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the third to last sentence
of this Section 27, the Company may, by resolution of a majority of the Board
of Directors, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs and at the
expense of the Company, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of
Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the third to
last sentence of this Section 27, the Company may, by resolution of a majority
of the Board of Directors, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so
directs and at the expense of the Company, supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to
cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which, in the case of this clause (iv), shall not
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person);
-33-
<PAGE>
provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to
lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating
to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then
redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the
purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement
or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights
Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall
be made which changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the
Purchase Price or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
\interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights
and duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be effective against
the Rights Agent without the execution of such supplement or amendment by the
Rights Agent.
Section 28. Successors.
----------
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of
the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their
respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
---------------------------------------------------------
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares
of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and
to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret
the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed
necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement).
All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including,
for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing)
which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any
liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.
--------------------------
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other
than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the
Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of
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<PAGE>
the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the
Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability.
------------
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held
by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall
in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term,
provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be
invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from
this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement,
the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and
shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the
date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law.
-------------
This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder
shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware
and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts.
------------
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of
such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all
such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings.
--------------------
Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted
for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction
of any of the provisions hereof.
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<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
SPEEDUS.COM, INC.
By: /s/ Shant S. Hovnanian
-------------------------------------
Name: Shant S. Hovnanian
Title: Chief Executive Officer,
President and Chairman of
the Board
EQUISERVE Trust Company, N.A.
as Rights Agent
By: /s/ Tyler H. Haynes
-----------------------------------
Name: Tyler H. Haynes
Title:
January 16, 2001
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<PAGE>
Exhibit A
---------
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS
OF SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
SPEEDUS.COM., INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
I, Shant S. Hovnanian, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of
the Board of SPEEDUS.COM, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Corporation"), in
accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of this Corporation, the Board of
Directors on January 11, 2001, adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 4,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be
andit hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the
votingpowers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
specialrights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations
andrestrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
----------------------
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 4,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
---------------------------
(A) Subject to the superior rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock ranking superior to the shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive,
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per
share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount of
all cash dividends
A-1
<PAGE>
and 10,000 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, par
value $.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common
Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Junior 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 on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
noncumulative and no sums in later years shall be paid to the holders of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to any prior years or
years when dividends were not paid. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled
to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
-------------
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting
rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 10,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders
of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes
per share to which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
A-2
<PAGE>
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not
be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of
Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
-----------------
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any
manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any
--------------------------------------
liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation the holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the
aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common
Stock. Following the payment of the foregoing, holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall
receive their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be
distributed.
(B) In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), or (iii) combine
the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such
case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, were entitled immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 6. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall ente
--------------------------
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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 10,000 times the aggregate
amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind),
as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is
changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with
respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A
A-3
<PAGE>
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 7. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior Participating
-------------
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 8. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
-------
shallrank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock which
maybe hereafter issued and on a parity with the Common Stock as to the payment
ofdividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series
ofthe Corporation's Preferred Stock shall provide otherwise.
Section 9. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation as amended, of the
---------
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock voting separately as a class.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
-----------------
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and subscribed this
Certificate and does affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of
perjury this ____ day of January __, 2001.
-------------------------------------
A-4
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
---------
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- Rights
------
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JANUARY 26, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM
IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS
MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]* THE RIGHTS SHALL NOT BE
EXERCISABLE, AND SHALL BE VOID SO LONG AS HELD, BY A HOLDER IN ANY JURISDICTION
WHERE THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATION TO THE ISSUANCE TO SUCH HOLDER, OR THE
EXERCISE BY SUCH HOLDER, OF THE RIGHTS IN SUCH JURISDICTION SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN
OBTAINED OR BE OBTAINABLE.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
SPEEDUS.COM, INC.
This certifies that , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the
number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof,
subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated
as of January 12, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), between SPEEDUS.COM, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Equiserve Trust Company, N.A. (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 at any
time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on January 26, 2011 at the office
or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors
as Rights
---------------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
<PAGE>
Agent, one ten-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at
a purchase price of $50 per one ten-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certification duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of January 26, 2001, based on the
Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights
Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities, which may be purchased upon the exercise of the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are eneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of ny such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or
Associate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right
with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued
upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
B-2
<PAGE>
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-3
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officer of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of ___________ __, ____
SPEEDUS.COM, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
Equiserve Trust Company, N.A.
as Rights Agent
By
-------------------------------
Authorized Representative
B-4
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
---------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest
therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ,
------------------ ----
--------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer
Association, Inc.
B-5
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
Certification
--------------
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 Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:
---------------, --------- ----------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker,
dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a
medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
NOTICE
--------
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certification must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Certificate) and such Assignment
will not be honored.
B-6
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: SPEEDUS.COM, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise Rights represented by
this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any
other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and
requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated:
-------------, ------ -------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company,
broker, dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good
standing of a medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer
Association, Inc.
B-7
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate (continued)
Certification
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 Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:
---------------, ----------- --------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company,
broker, dealer, or other eligible institution which is a member in good
standing of a medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer
Association, Inc.
NOTICE
------
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certification must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed, the
Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Certificate) and such Election to
Purchase will not be honored.
B-8
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
---------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On January 11, 2001, the Board of Directors of SPEEDUS.COM, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
Company. The dividend is payable to stockholders of record at the close of
business on January 26, 2001 (the "Record Date") and with respect to the Common
Stock issued thereafter until the Distribution Date (defined below) and, in
certain circumstances, with respect to the Common Stock issued after the
Distribution Date. Except as set forth below, each Right, when it becomes
exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit
consisting initially of one ten-thousandth of a share (a "Unit") of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred
Stock"), of the Company, at a Purchase Price of $50.00 per Unit, subject to
adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights are
set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of January
12, 2001, between the Company and Equiserve Trust Company, N.A., as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and no separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be distributed. The Rights
will separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the
earlier of (i) ten (10) days (or such later date as the Board of Directors
shall determine) following public disclosure that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons has become an "Acquiring Person" (as defined
below), or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later date as the Board shall
determine) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that
would result in a person or group becoming an "Acquiring Person". Except as
set forth below, an "Acquiring Person" is a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons who has acquired beneficial ownership of 17% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock. The term "Acquiring Person" excludes
(i) the Company, (ii) any subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any person or
entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan, and (v) Shant S. Hovnanian, Vahak S. Hovnanian and
any member of their respective families.
Until the occurrence of the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and
only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates
issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any
certificates for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon
any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole
shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
C-1
<PAGE>
As soon as practicable after the occurrence of the Distribution Date,
Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as
of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate
Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except in certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement or as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the occurrence of the Distribution
Date and until the Rights no longer are redeemable. The Rights will expire at
the close of business on January 26, 2011, unless extended or earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below.
In the event that, at any time following the Distribution Date, a person
becomes the beneficial owner of more than 17% of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock (except pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common
Stock at a price and on terms determined to be fair to, and in the best
interests of, the stockholders by at least a majority of the Board of
Directors), becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company)
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event set
forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring
Person will be null and void and nontransferable and any holder of any such
right (including any purported transferee or subsequent holder) will be unable
to exercise or transfer any such right. For example, at an exercise price of
$35 per Right, each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain
related parties) following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would
entitle its holder to purchase $70 worth of Common Stock (or other
consideration, as noted above) for $35. Assuming that the Common Stock had a
per share value of $5 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase fourteen (14) shares of Common Stock for $35.
In the event that, at any time following the date on which there has been
public disclosure that, or of facts indicating that, a person has become an
Acquiring Person (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), (i) the Company is acquired in
a merger or other business combination transaction in which the Company is not
the surviving corporation (other than a merger which follows an offer described
in the preceding paragraph), or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold, mortgaged or transferred, each holder of a Right (except
Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. There is an
exception for a merger that is approved by a majority of the Board of Directors
at a price which is fair to, and otherwise in the best interests of, the
stockholders and in which all stockholders of the Company receive equal
consideration. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
At any time after a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights for shares of Common Stock (other than Rights owned by such person or
group which have become void), in
C-2
<PAGE>
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per
Right (subject to adjustment).
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights
or warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment
in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the
last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the value of the one ten-thousandth interest in a share of
Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one share of Common Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock
will be entitled to a quarterly dividend payment of 10,000 times the dividend
declared per share of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, each share of
Preferred Stock will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 10,000 times the
aggregate payment made per share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock
will have 10,000 votes, voting together with the shares of Common Stock. These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price (the
"Redemption Price") of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors) by resolution of a
majority of the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights may be made
effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon such action of
the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.
Following the termination of the Company's right of redemption, the
Company's right of redemption may be reinstated (with the concurrence of the
majority of the Directors) if an Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial
ownership to 15% or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a
transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company and there are
no other Acquiring Persons.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights
C-3
<PAGE>
become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors prior to the
Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of
Directors in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person or its affiliates or associates), or to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no
amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at such
time as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
January 16, 2001. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
