SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
F 0 R M 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 25, 1997
COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New York
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
0-27618 16-0547600
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
140 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst, New York 14228-1197
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number including area code: (716) 689-5400
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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Item 5. Other Events
On October 25, 1997, the Board of Directors of Columbus
McKinnon Corporation, a New York corporation, (the "Company") declared a
dividend of one Right for each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock,
par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the
close of business on November 10, 1997, 1997. Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per
share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per unit of one
one-hundredth of a share, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between
the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. A Distribution Date will occur and the Rights
will separate from the Common Stock upon the earliest of (i) 10 days following a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
(an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding1 (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), (ii) 10 business days following the
commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person
or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common
Stock (unless such tender offer or exchange offer is an offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated
Directors who are not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders) and (iii)
the date the Board of Directors declares a person to be an "Adverse Person",
upon a determination by the Board that such Person, together with his affiliates
or associates, is or has become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock outstanding, and upon a determination by at least a
majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined below) who are not officers of
the Company, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, that (a) such
beneficial ownership by such person is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such person or to cause
pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a transaction or series of
transactions intended to
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1 Under the Rights Agreement, for purposes of calculating percentages of
Common Stock outstanding, shares of Common Stock outstanding shall
include all shares of Common Stock deemed to be beneficially owned by a
person and its affiliates and associates, even if not actually then
outstanding.
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provide such person with short-term financial gain under circumstances where
such Continuing Directors determine that the best long-term interests of the
Company and its shareholders would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time, or (b)
such beneficial ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material
adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships with
customers, impairment of the Company's ability to maintain its competitive
position or impairment of the Company's business reputation or ability to deal
with governmental agencies) on the business or prospects of the Company.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced
by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after
November 10, 1997 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.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on November 10, 2007, unless earlier
redeemed by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except (i) with respect to certain
shares of Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options
or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of certain securities of the Company, or (ii) as otherwise determined
by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) a person becomes the beneficial owner of
15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to
an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the
Directors who are not officers of the Company and who are not affiliates or
associates of such person determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders) or (ii) the Board of Directors
declares that a person is an Adverse Person (each such event, a "Flip-in
Event"), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value (based on a formula
set forth in the Rights Agreement) equal to
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two times the Purchase Price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing,
following the occurrence of the Flip-in Event, all Rights that are, or (under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially
owned by an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or by certain related
parties) will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following
the occurrence of the Flip-in Event until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per Right, each
Right not owned by an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or by certain
related parties) following a Flip-in-Event would entitle its holder to purchase
$160.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above)
determined pursuant to a formula set forth in the Rights Agreement, for $80.00.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $20.00 at such time (as
determined pursuant to such formula), the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase eight shares of Common Stock for $80.00.
In the event that, at any time following 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 or in which it
is the surviving corporation but its Common Stock is changed or exchanged (other
than a merger meeting certain conditions which follows an offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated
Directors who are not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders), or (ii)
50% or more of the Company's assets, earning power or cash flow is sold 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
payment of the Purchase Price, common stock of the acquiring company having a
value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth
in this paragraph and the Flip-in Event described in the second preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of units of one
one-hundredths of a share 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 cash
dividends not in excess of 200% of regular quarterly cash dividends) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than
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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 shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions of
one one-hundredth of a share, or integral multiples thereof) will be issued and,
in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors). Under certain circumstances set forth in
the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined below) who are not officers of
the Company. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the concurrence of such
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board
of Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of
the Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
affiliate or associate of any such person, or any representative of any of the
foregoing.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder 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 shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above, or are
redeemed as provided in the second preceding paragraph.
Other than certain provisions relating to the principal
economic terms of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may
be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution
Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board (in certain circumstances, with the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors) in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do
not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (other
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than an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or an affiliate or associate
thereof), 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.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. Exercise of the
Rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to
acquire the Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors.
The existence of Rights, however, should not affect an offer at a fair price and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as
determined by the Board of Directors. The Rights should not interfere with any
merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors since
the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time until ten days following
the Stock Acquisition Date redeem all but not less than all of the then
outstanding Rights at the $.01 redemption price.
The Rights Agreement between the Company and the Rights Agent
specifying the terms of the Rights, which includes as Exhibit B the Form of
Rights Certificate, the press release announcing the declaration of the Rights
and a letter to the holders of the Company's Common Stock (together with a
summary of the Rights attached thereto) are attached hereto as exhibits and are
incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Rights does
not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
exhibits.
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Item 7. Exhibits
Exhibit Number Description
4 Rights Agreement, dated as of October 25,
1997, between Columbus McKinnon Corporation
and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
as Rights Agent
20 Letter to the holders of Columbus McKinnon
Corporation Common Stock, dated November 10, 1997
(including Summary of Rights)
99 Press Release, dated October 27, 1997
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
By: /s/Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
Name: Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President
Dated: October 27, 1997
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number Description Page
4 Rights Agreement, dated as of 10
October 25, 1997, between Columbus McKinnon
Corporation and American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company, as Rights Agent
20 Letter to the holders of Columbus 75
McKinnon Corporation Common Stock, dated
November 10, 1997 (including Summary of
Rights)
99 Press Release, dated October 27, 1997 82
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COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 25, 1997
<PAGE>
Table of Contents
Section Page
- - ------- ----
1 Certain Definitions.................................. 1
2 Appointment of Rights Agent.......................... 4
3 Issue of Rights Certificates......................... 4
4 Form of Rights Certificates.......................... 6
5 Countersignature and Registration.................... 7
6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Rights Certificates......................... 8
7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase
Price; Expiration Date of Rights................... 9
8 Cancellation and Destruction of
Rights Certificates................................12
9 Reservation and Availability of
Capital Stock......................................12
10 Preferred Stock Record Date..........................14
11 Adjustment of Purchase Price,
Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights...................................14
12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase
Price or Number of Shares..........................24
13 Consolidation, Merger or Sale
or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow
or Earning Power...................................25
14 Fractional Rights and Fractional
Shares.............................................27
15 Rights of Action.....................................29
16 Agreement of Rights Holders..........................29
17 Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed
a Shareholder......................................30
18 Concerning the Rights Agent..........................30
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Section Page
19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent...............................31
20 Duties of Rights Agent...............................32
21 Change of Rights Agent...............................34
22 Issuance of New Rights Certificates..................35
23 Redemption and Termination...........................36
24 Notice of Certain Events.............................37
25 Notices..............................................38
26 Supplements and Amendments...........................39
27 Successors...........................................39
28 Determinations and Actions
by the Board of Directors, etc.....................39
29 Benefits of this Agreement...........................40
30 Severability.........................................40
31 Governing Law........................................41
32 Counterparts.........................................41
33 Descriptive Headings.................................41
Exhibit A -- Certificate of Amendment of the
Certificate of Incorporation of
Columbus McKinnon Corporation..............A-1
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate.................B-1
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights to
Purchase preferred Stock...................C-1
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 25, 1997 (the "Agreement"),
between Columbus McKinnon Corporation., a New York corporation (the "Company"),
and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York banking corporation (the
"Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on October 25, 1997 (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, par value $.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business
on November 10, 1997 (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 one-hundredth 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 Amendment of the Certificate
of Incorporation of the Company attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "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 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan. For purposes of the foregoing and all other provisions of this
Agreement, in computing the percentage of the shares of Common Stock outstanding
at any time which are beneficially owned by a Person and its Affiliates and
Associates, the shares of Common Stock then outstanding shall be deemed to
include all shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person and its
Affiliates and Associates but not actually then outstanding, including the
shares of Common Stock, if any, then issuable to such Person and its Affiliates
and Associates upon the exercise of conversion
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rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options.
(b) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared to be an Adverse
Person by the Board of Directors of the Company, upon a determination by the
Continuing Directors who are not officers of the Company that the criteria set
forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, 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 (the "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
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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 not in writing), for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in
the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any
voting securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this
paragraph (c) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of
securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
securities acquired through such Person's participation in good faith in a firm
commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty days after the date of
such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "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.
(g) "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.
(h) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of such Board, who is
not an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person,
Adverse Person or any such Affiliate or Associate, and was a member of such
Board prior to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) any Person who subsequently
becomes a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, while such Person is
a member of such Board, who is not an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, or a
representative of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any such Affiliate or
Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or election to such Board is
recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
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(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm corporation,
partnership or other entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 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 $1.00 per share, of
the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(k) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof.
(l) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(m) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(n) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(o) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date (as
defined below) also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co- Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earliest 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 of Directors of the Company shall determine) after the
date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the
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Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding and (iii) the close of business on the day that
the Board of Directors of the Company determines, upon determination of the
Continuing Directors, pursuant to the criteria set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B)
hereof that a Person is an Adverse Person (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) 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). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more right 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 Right Certificates, the Company shall make
the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of
and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid
mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on
the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the
Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in
Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any
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certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have
been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury)
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall
also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following
legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Columbus
McKinnon Corporation (the "Company") and American Stock Transfer &
Trust Company dated as of October 25, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the 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, an Adverse Person or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date (as defined
below), the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially
in the 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
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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 one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein
at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one one-hundredth of a
share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable
upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject
to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section
22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an [Acquiring Person]
[Adverse Person] or an Affiliate or Associate of an [Acquiring Person]
[Adverse 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.
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(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by 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 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 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 principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section
14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and
at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights
Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder
to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the principal
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office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until
the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and
shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to
Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-hundredths 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 November
10, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
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(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $80.00,
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 one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one one-hundredths 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 one-hundredths 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 official bank check 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.
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(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 Adverse Person or an
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate
or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to
or concurrently with the Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of
a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect
the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any
further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or an Adverse 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.
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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 exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"),
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
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which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date
of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may
be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition,
if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required
following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths 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
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one one-hundredths 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
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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 one-hundredths 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 shareholder 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
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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 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:
(A) any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), alone
or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the Beneficial owner of 15% or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, unless the event causing the 15%
threshold to be crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or
is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on
terms determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
of the Company who are not officers of the Company and who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of the Person making such
tender or exchange offer, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to shareholders (taking into
account all factors which such members of the Board of Directors of the Company
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 shareholders, or
(B) the Board of Directors of the Company shall
declare any Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination that such
Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, had, at any time
after this Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
as an exhibit to a filing under the Exchange Act, become the Beneficial Owner of
at least 15% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and a determination
by at least a majority of the Continuing Directors who are not officers of the
Company, after reasonable inquiry and
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investigation, including consultation which such Persons as such Continuing
Directors shall deem appropriate, that (a) such Beneficial Ownership by such
Person is intended to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock
beneficially owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take
action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions intended to provide
such Person with short-term financial gain under circumstances where such
Continuing Directors determine that the best long-term interests of the Company
and its shareholders would not be served by taking such action or entering into
such transactions or series of transactions at that time or (b) such Beneficial
Ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact
(including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships with customers,
impairment of the Company's ability to maintain its competitive position or
impairment of the Company's business reputation or ability to deal with
governmental agencies) on the business or prospects of the Company to the
detriment of the Company's shareholders,
then, promptly following the occurrence of any such event described in
(11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof, proper provision shall be 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 one-hundredths 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
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y)
dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter
be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of
this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
which are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a 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
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preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board of Directors of
the Company has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic rights as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as
"Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price),
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the
Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; 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 of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of
Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the
Rights, the thirty (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 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.
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(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 (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to
all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a cash dividend out
of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company not in excess of 200% of the
regular quarterly cash dividend), assets (other than a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than
Preferred Stock) or
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subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market
Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current Market
Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current Market
Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth
above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly
adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated
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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 ("NASDAQ") 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 of Directors of the Company. 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 of Directors of the Company 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 of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(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 100 (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 of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(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
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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 ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or
one-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 one-hundredths 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 one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one- millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths 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 one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
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<PAGE>
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the
nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths 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 one-hundredth of a
share and the number of one one-hundredth 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
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require
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<PAGE>
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 one-hundredths 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 one-hundredths 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, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(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, cash flow or earning
power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow 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,
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or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof
shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or
any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date,
it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) The failure by the Board of Directors of the Company to declare a
Person to be an Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such
Person is not an Adverse Person or limit the right at any time in the future of
the Board of Directors of the Company to declare such Person to be an Adverse
Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of
Common
24
<PAGE>
Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets, cash flow 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
tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
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 one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price
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<PAGE>
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in
such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets, cash flow 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
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<PAGE>
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, cash flow or earnings power mentioned in paragraph (a)
of this Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event
that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section
13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and
(y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which complies with
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any
such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in
such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to
all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to
such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being
offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in
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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 New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth 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 one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
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(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 are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in 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 hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates
are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent
if surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights
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Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully
executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. 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
one-hundredths 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 shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
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reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time
to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees
and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
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(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the 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
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 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
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Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible
for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual
notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to
make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock
or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
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.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, 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 and continued
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employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of any other
state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the State of New York), in good standing,
having a principal office in the State of New York, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
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surplus of at least $100,000,000. 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 Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the
Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the
Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold
pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities issued by the Company prior to
the Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and
(ii) to the extent that any adjustments in the Company's securities have been
made as a result of the issuance of Rights Certificates (including, without
limitation, adjustments to conversion ratios or other adjustments resulting from
the operation of anti-dilution provisions in convertible securities, stock
options or similar securities), the number of Rights, or fractions thereof,
issuable shall equal, and not exceed, the number necessary to enable the holder
to receive, upon such conversion, exchange or exercise of such security and
after exercise of such Rights, the
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number of shares of Common Stock such holder would have received if it had
converted, exchanged or exercised such security immediately prior to the
Distribution Date and had subsequently exercised the Rights issuable in respect
of such shares.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the 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");
provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses (x)
and (y) below, then there must be Continuing Directors then in office and such
authorization shall require the concurrence of a majority of such Continuing
Directors: (x) such authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, or (y) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a
change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in a majority of the
directors in office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who
is a participant in such solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement
of such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or
Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action which would
result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or which would cause the
occurrence of a Triggering Event unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such
Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender
offer pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for all outstanding shares of Common Stock
not beneficially owned by such Person (or by its Affiliates or Associates).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company may not
redeem any Rights following a determination made pursuant to section
11(a)(ii)(B) that any person is an Adverse Person. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
"current market price", as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common
Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
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Company.
(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 of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of
such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address
as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common
Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made.
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets, cash flow 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, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer,
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liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock
whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then, in such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible
and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such
event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the
preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to
Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Columbus McKinnon Corporation
140 John James Audubon Parkway
Amherst, New York 14228-1197
Attention: President
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:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
40 Wall Street, 46th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
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,
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postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date
and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder (which lengthening or
shortening, following the first occurrence of an event set forth in clauses (x)
and (y) of the first proviso to Section 23(a) hereof, shall be effective only if
there are Continuing Directors and shall require the concurrence of a majority
of such Continuing Directors), or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
such Person); provided, this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to
lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating
to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then
redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the
purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained
in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made
which changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right is exercisable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of
the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Stock.
Section 27. 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 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
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Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including
for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares
of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
(with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing
Directors) shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to such
Board (with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors of
the Company (with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of
the Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of the Company or the
Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
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
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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 of the
Company.
Section 31. 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 New York 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 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of
the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for
convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or
construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
By:________________________ By:________________________________
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
& TRUST COMPANY
By:________________________ By:________________________________
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Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
(Under Section 805 of the Business Corporation Law)
The undersigned, Herbert P. Ladds, Jr. and Lois H. Demler,
being respectively the President and Secretary of COLUMBUS
McKINNON CORPORATION, hereby certify as follows:
1. The name of the Corporation is COLUMBUS McKINNON
CORPORATION. The name under which the Corporation was formed is
COLUMBUS McKINNON CHAIN CO., INC.
2. The original Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation was filed by the Department of State on September 23,
1929.
3. As authorized by paragraph FOURTH of the Certificate of
Incorporation, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized the
issuance of 250,000 shares of a series of preferred stock of the Corporation
entitled "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and has adopted
resolutions providing for the issuance of such series, including the number,
designation and relative rights, preferences and limitations of the shares of
such series.
4. The Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by the addition
of the following paragraph NINTH setting forth, in full, the number,
designation, relative rights, preferences and limitations of the foregoing
series of preferred stock of the Corporation:
"NINTH Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
Section 1. Number and Designation. There is hereby authorized for
issuance as a series of the Corporation's preferred stock, par value $1.00 per
share, two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) shares to be designated as "Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock".
Section 2. Dividends, Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
shares of any other class of capital stock not by its terms ranking on a parity
with, or junior to, the Series A Junior
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Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as
declared by the Board of Directors, out of the assets of the Corporation legally
available therefor, quarterly dividends payable in cash in an amount per whole
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock equal to the greater of
(1) 10% of the Purchase Price (the "Purchase Price"), as adjusted, per unit of
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent, dated
as of October 25, 1997 (so that, for example, if the Purchase Price, as
adjusted, were $80.00, the quarterly dividend amount per whole share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock would be $8.00), and (2) dividends payable
in cash on the payment date for each cash dividend (if any) declared on the
Common Shares in an amount per whole share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal
to the Formula Number then in effect times the cash dividends then to be paid on
each outstanding Common Share, payable on the date declared by the Board of
Directors for the payment of quarterly dividends on each of the outstanding
Common Shares, but in no event later than the fifteenth day of March, June,
September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as
a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred 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 addition, if the Company shall
pay any dividend or make any distribution on the Common Shares payable in
assets, securities or other forms of noncash consideration (other than dividends
or distributions payable solely in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the
Company shall simultaneously pay or make on each outstanding share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock a dividend or distribution in like kind, of
the Formula Number then in effect times such dividend or distribution on each of
the Common Shares. As used herein, the "Formula Number" shall be 100; provided,
however, that if at any time after October 25, 1997, the Corporation shall (i)
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or
make any distribution on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii)
subdivide (by a stock split or otherwise) the outstanding Common Shares into a
larger number of Common Shares or (iii) combine (by a reverse stock split or
otherwise) the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares,
then in each such event the Formula Number shall be adjusted to a number
determined by multiplying the Formula Number in effect immediately prior to such
event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares that
are outstanding immediately after such event
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<PAGE>
and the denominator of which is the number of shares that are outstanding
immediately prior to such event (and rounding the result to the nearest whole
number); and provided further that if at any time after October 25, 1997, the
Corporation shall issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification or
change of the outstanding Common Shares (including any such reclassification or
change in connection with a merger in which the Corporation is the surviving
corporation), then in such event the Formula Number shall be appropriately
adjusted to reflect such reclassification or change.
(b) The Board of Directors shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph 2(a)
immediately prior to or at the same time it declares a dividend or distribution
on the Common Shares (other than a dividend or distribution payable solely in
Common Shares). The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be the same as the record date for any corresponding dividend or
distribution on the Common Shares.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from and after the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of original issue of
such Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; provided, however, that
dividends on such shares which are originally issued after the record date for
the determination of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and on or prior to the next succeeding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from and
after such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
dividends on shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock which are
originally issued prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment, shall be calculated as if cumulative from and after the date (if any)
declared by the Board of Directors for the payment of the quarterly dividend on
the outstanding Common Shares, but in no event later than the fifteenth day of
March, June, September and December, as the case may be, next preceding the date
of original issuance of such shares. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the 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.
(d) So long as any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock are outstanding, no dividends or other distributions shall be declared,
paid or distributed, or set
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<PAGE>
aside for payment or distribution, on the Common Shares unless, in each case,
the dividend required by this Section 2 to be declared on the shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have been declared, paid or
distributed.
(e) The holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall not be entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions
except as provided herein.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following
voting rights:
(a) Each holder of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to a number of votes equal to the Formula Number then in
effect for each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock held of
record on all matters on which holders of the Common Shares or shareholders
generally are entitled to vote.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein or by applicable law, the
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the
holders of Common Shares and any other class or series of voting stock shall
vote together as one class for the election of directors of the Corporation and
on all other matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
(c) Except as provided herein, in Section 10 of this paragraph NINTH or
by applicable law, holders of shares 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
Shares and any other class or series of voting stock as set forth herein) for
authorizing or taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 of this paragraph NINTH are in arrears, thereafter and until all
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(1) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(2) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
A-4
<PAGE>
distributions on any shares ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity shares on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
all such shares are then entitled;
(3) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or
otherwise acquire any of such parity shares in exchange for any shares of the
Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
or
(4) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares ranking on a parity with
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a
purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other
relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation
unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or
otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Liquidation Rights. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, no distribution
shall be made (a) to the holders of shares ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up) to the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received an
amount equal to the accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon,
whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, plus an amount equal to
the greater of (1) 50% of the Purchase Price per unit of one one-hundredth of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (so that if, for example,
the Purchase Price is $80.00, the liquidation amount would be $40.00 per whole
share), or (2) an aggregate amount per share equal to the Formula Number then in
effect times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of
Common
A-5
<PAGE>
Shares, or (b) to the holders of shares ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all other such parity stock in
proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are
entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Section 6. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the Common Shares are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities,
cash or any other property, then in any such case the then outstanding shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to the Formula
Number then in effect times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash or
any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for
which each of the Common Shares is exchanged or changed.
Section 7. No Redemption; No Sinking Fund.
(a) The shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
not be subject to redemption by the Corporation or at the option of any holder
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the
Corporation may purchase or otherwise acquire outstanding shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock in the open market or by offer to any
holder or holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(b) The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall not be
subject to or entitled to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund.
Section 8. Fractional Shares. The Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon exercise of the Rights issued pursuant to
the Rights Agreement in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one
one-hundredth (1/100th) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction. At
the election of the Corporation prior to the first issuance of a share or a
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, either (1)
certificates may be issued to evidence any such authorized fraction of a share
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or (2) any such authorized
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be
evidenced by depositary receipts pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Corporation and a depositary selected by the Corporation provided that such
agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have
all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
A-6
<PAGE>
entitled as beneficial owners of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock.
Section 9. 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 Preferred Shares, without designation as to series until
such shares are once more designated as part of a particular series by the Board
of Directors pursuant to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 10. Amendment. None of the relative rights, preferences and
limitations of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
this paragraph NINTH or elsewhere in this Certificate of Incorporation shall be
amended in any manner which would alter or change the relative rights,
preferences and limitations of the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting as though such series were
a separate class."
5. The foregoing Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation was authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation at a meeting thereof duly held on October 25, 1997, in accordance
with the authority vested in the Board of Directors by paragraph FOURTH of the
Certificate of Incorporation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have subscribed this Certificate of
Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and affirm the
statements herein contained as true under penalties of perjury this 25th day of
October, 1997.
Herbert P. Ladds, Jr., President
and Chief Executive Officer
Lois H. Demler, Secretary
A-7
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 10, 2007 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 OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS
MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON
WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT].1
Rights Certificate
COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
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 October 25, 1997
(the "Rights Agreement"), between Columbus McKinnon Corporation, a New York
corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on November 10, 2007 at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price (the "Purchase Price") of $80.00 per unit of one one-hundredth of
a share, upon presentation and
- - --------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only
if applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
<PAGE>
surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and
related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares 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 November 10, 1997, based on
the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right
to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a Person who, after such transfer,
became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof
shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence
of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the office of the Company and are
also available upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the shareholder services 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
B-2
<PAGE>
the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths 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 at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (a) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time
period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (b) the Final
Expiration Date. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement,
the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any right or rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
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<PAGE>
Dated as of ____________________, 19__
ATTEST: COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
_________________________ By:________________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
By:______________________
Authorized Signature
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<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: ________________________, 19___
--------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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<PAGE>
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person.
Dated: ____________, 19___
- - --------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: COLUMBUS McKINNON CORPORATION
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
and delivered to: Please insert social security or other identifying number
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: Please insert social
security or other identifying number
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: _________________, 19__
- - ----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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<PAGE>
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of such Person.
Dated:____________, 19___ ___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-8
<PAGE>
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-9
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On October 25, 1997, the Board of Directors of Columbus McKinnon
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend of one Right for each
outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the close of business on November
10, 1997. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per unit of one one-hundredth of a share,
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. A Distribution Date will occur and the Rights will separate from
the Common Stock upon the earliest of (i) ten days following a public
announcement that a Person or group of affiliated or associated Persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding1 (the
"Stock Acquisition Date"), (ii) ten business days following the commencement of
a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a Person or group
beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
(unless such tender offer or exchange offer is an offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated Directors who are
not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders) or (iii) the date the Board of
Directors declares a person to be an "Adverse Person", upon a determination by
the Board that such Person, together with his affiliates or associates, is or
has become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding, and upon a determination by at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors (as defined below) who are not officers of the Company, after
reasonable inquiry and investigation, including
- - --------
1 Under the Rights Agreement, for purposes of calculating percentages of Common
Stock outstanding, shares of Common Stock outstanding shall include all shares
of Common Stock deemed to be beneficially owned by a person and its affiliates
and associates, even if not actually then outstanding.
C-1
<PAGE>
consultation with such persons as such Directors shall deem appropriate, that
(a) such beneficial ownership by such person is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such person or to cause
pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a transaction or series of
transactions intended to provide such person with short-term financial gain
under circumstances where such Continuing Directors determine that the best
long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders would not be served by
taking such action or entering into such transactions or series of transactions
at that time, or (b) such beneficial ownership is causing or reasonably likely
to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of
relationships with customers, impairment of the Company's ability to maintain
its competitive position or impairment of the Company's business reputation or
ability to deal with governmental agencies) on the business or prospects of the
Company.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common
Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after November 10,
1997 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.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on November 10, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except (i) with respect to certain
shares of Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options
or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of certain securities of the Company, or (ii) as otherwise determined
by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) a Person becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to an offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the Directors who
are not officers of the Company and who are not affiliates or associates of such
Person determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best interests of the
Company and its shareholders), or (ii) the Board of Directors declares, upon the
determination by at least a majority of the Continuing Directors who are not
officers of the Company, that a person is an Adverse Person (each such event, a
"Flip-in Event"), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
(based on a formula set
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<PAGE>
forth in the Rights Agreement) equal to two times the Purchase Price of the
Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the
Flip-in Event, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in
the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person (or by certain related parties) will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the Flip-in Event until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
For example, at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following a Flip-in
Event would entitle its holder to purchase $160.00 worth of Common Stock (or
other consideration, as noted above) determined pursuant to a formula set forth
in the Rights Agreement, for $80.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per
share value of $20.00 at such time (as determined pursuant to such formula), the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase eight (8) shares of
Common Stock for $80.00.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date or
the date on which a Person is determined to be an Adverse Person, (i) the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation or in which it is the
surviving corporation but its Common Stock is changed or exchanged (other than a
merger meeting certain conditions which follows an offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated Directors who are
not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets, earning power or cash flow is sold 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 payment of the Purchase Price,
common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph and the
Flip-in Events described in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as
the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of units of one
one-hundredths of a share 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 cash
dividends not in excess of 200% of regular quarterly cash dividends) or of
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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 shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions of one
one-hundredth of a share, or integral multiples thereof) will be issued and, in
lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per
Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors). Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors who are not officers of the Company. The Company may
not redeem the Rights if the Board of Directors has previously declared a Person
to be an Adverse Person. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the concurrence of such
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any Person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such Person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
affiliate or associate of any such Person, or any representative of any of the
foregoing.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder 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 shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above, or are redeemed as
provided in the second preceding paragraph.
Other than certain provisions relating to the principal economic terms
of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board
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(in certain circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in
order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the
interests of holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person or an affiliate or associate thereof), 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.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. Exercise of the Rights
will cause substantial dilution to a Person or group that attempts to acquire
the Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The
existence of Rights, however, should not affect an offer at a fair price and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as
determined by the Board of Directors. The Rights should not interfere with any
merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors since
the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time until ten days following
the Stock Acquisition Date or until a Person has been determined to be an
Adverse Person redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at the $.01 redemption price.
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. 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-5
<PAGE>
Dear Shareholder:
The Board of Directors of Columbus McKinnon Corporation has announced the
adoption of a Shareholders Rights Plan. The Plan provides for a dividend of
Rights to purchase shares of a new series of Preferred Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, Common Stock or other consideration), exercisable upon the
occurrence of certain events.
We believe that the Plan protects your interests in the event that the Company
is confronted with coercive or unfair takeover tactics. The Plan contains
provisions to protect you in the event of an unsolicited offer to acquire the
Company. Although we are not aware of any such potential offers, the Plan offers
protection from offers that do not treat all shareholders equally, acquisitions
in the open market of shares constituting control without offering fair value to
all shareholders and other coercive or unfair takeover tactics that could impair
the Board's ability to represent your interests fully.
The Plan will not affect an offer at a fair price and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders as determined by its Board of
Directors. The Rights Plan will not interfere with a merger or other business
combination transaction that the Board of Directors approves as fair and as
constituting a recognition of full value to the shareholders.
The Rights would become exercisable to purchase shares of Preferred Stock (or,
in certain circumstances, Common Stock) only if (i) a person acquired 15% or
more of the Company's Common Stock, (ii) a person commenced a tender or exchange
offer for 15% or more of the Company's Common Stock, or (iii) the Board of
Directors determined that the beneficial owner of at least 15% of the Company's
Common Stock intended to cause the Company to take certain actions adverse to it
and its shareholders or that such ownership would have a material adverse effect
on the Company. In circumstances described in clauses (i) and (iii) above,
holders of Rights would be entitled to purchase, in lieu of Preferred Stock,
Common Stock of the Company at a 50% discount from market value. Moreover, in
the event that the Company were to enter into certain merger or asset sale
transactions, after the occurrence of circumstances described in clauses (i) or
(iii), holders would be entitled to exercise the Rights for common stock of the
acquiring entity.
<PAGE>
The acquiring or adverse persons described in clauses (i) and (iii) would not be
entitled to exercise Rights.
The issuance of Rights does not in any way weaken the financial strength of the
Company or interfere with its business plans. The issuance of the Rights has no
dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings per share and will not change
the way in which you can currently trade shares of the Company's Common Stock.
A summary of the Plan is enclosed. The Plan is complex, and we
urge you to read this summary carefully. Its premise, however, is
straightforward: to serve and protect the interests of the
Company's shareholders.
Sincerely,
Herbert P. Ladds, Jr.,
President and Chief Executive Officer
November 10, 1997.
2
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On October 25, 1997, the Board of Directors of Columbus McKinnon
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend of one Right for each
outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the close of business on November
10, 1997. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per unit of one one-hundredth of a share,
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. A Distribution Date will occur and the Rights will separate from
the Common Stock upon the earliest of (i) ten days following a public
announcement that a Person or group of affiliated or associated Persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding1 (the
"Stock Acquisition Date"), (ii) ten business days following the commencement of
a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a Person or group
beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
(unless such tender offer or exchange offer is an offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated Directors who are
not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders) or (iii) the date the Board of
Directors declares a person to be an "Adverse Person", upon a determination by
the Board that such Person, together with his affiliates or associates, is or
has become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding, and upon a determination by at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors (as defined below) who are not officers of the Company, after
reasonable inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such persons
as such Directors shall deem
- - --------
1 Under the Rights Agreement, for purposes of calculating percentages of Common
Stock outstanding, shares of Common Stock outstanding shall include all shares
of Common Stock deemed to be beneficially owned by a person and its affiliates
and associates, even if not actually then outstanding.
<PAGE>
appropriate, that (a) such beneficial ownership by such person is intended to
cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such
person or to cause pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a
transaction or series of transactions intended to provide such person with
short-term financial gain under circumstances where such Continuing Directors
determine that the best long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders
would not be served by taking such action or entering into such transactions or
series of transactions at that time, or (b) such beneficial ownership is causing
or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not
limited to, impairment of relationships with customers, impairment of the
Company's ability to maintain its competitive position or impairment of the
Company's business reputation or ability to deal with governmental agencies) on
the business or prospects of the Company.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common
Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after November 10,
1997 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.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on November 10, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except (i) with respect to certain
shares of Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options
or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of certain securities of the Company, or (ii) as otherwise determined
by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) a Person becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to an offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the Directors who
are not officers of the Company and who are not affiliates or associates of such
Person determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best interests of the
Company and its shareholders), or (ii) the Board of Directors declares, upon the
determination by at least a majority of the Continuing Directors who are not
officers of the
2
<PAGE>
Company, that a person is an Adverse Person (each such event, a "Flip-in
Event"), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value (based on a formula
set forth in the Rights Agreement) equal to two times the Purchase Price of the
Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the
Flip-in Event, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in
the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person (or by certain related parties) will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the Flip-in Event until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
For example, at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following a Flip-in
Event would entitle its holder to purchase $160.00 worth of Common Stock (or
other consideration, as noted above) determined pursuant to a formula set forth
in the Rights Agreement, for $80.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per
share value of $20.00 at such time (as determined pursuant to such formula), the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase eight (8) shares of
Common Stock for $80.00.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date or
the date on which a Person is determined to be an Adverse Person, (i) the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation or in which it is the
surviving corporation but its Common Stock is changed or exchanged (other than a
merger meeting certain conditions which follows an offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated Directors who are
not officers of the Company determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets, earning power or cash flow is sold 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 payment of the Purchase Price,
common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph and the
Flip-in Events described in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as
the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of units of one
one-hundredths of a share 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
3
<PAGE>
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 cash
dividends not in excess of 200% of 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 shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions of one
one-hundredth of a share, or integral multiples thereof) will be issued and, in
lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per
Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors). Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Continuing Directors who are not officers of the Company. The Company may
not redeem the Rights if the Board of Directors has previously declared a Person
to be an Adverse Person. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the concurrence of such
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any Person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such Person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
affiliate or associate of any such Person, or any representative of any of the
foregoing.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder 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 shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above, or are redeemed as
provided in the second preceding paragraph.
4
<PAGE>
Other than certain provisions relating to the principal economic terms
of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board (in certain circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing
Directors) in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person or an affiliate or associate thereof), 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.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. Exercise of the Rights
will cause substantial dilution to a Person or group that attempts to acquire
the Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The
existence of Rights, however, should not affect an offer at a fair price and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as
determined by the Board of Directors. The Rights should not interfere with any
merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors since
the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time until ten days following
the Stock Acquisition Date or until a Person has been determined to be an
Adverse Person redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at the $.01 redemption price.
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. 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.
5
<PAGE>
Contact: Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
(716) 689-5400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBUS MCKINNON ADOPTS SHAREHOLDERS RIGHTS PLAN
Amherst, N.Y., October 27, 1997, -- Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCO)
announced today that its Board of Directors has adopted a Shareholders Rights
Plan designed to deter coercive or unfair takeover tactics and to prevent an
acquiror from gaining control of the corporation without offering a fair price
to all shareholders.
According to President and Chief Executive Officer, Herbert P. Ladds, Jr., the
action is being taken in accordance with Columbus McKinnon's goal of building
long-term value for its public shareholders; Columbus McKinnon is not aware of
any effort being contemplated to acquire control of the corporation.
Details of the Shareholders Rights Plan are outlined in a letter which will be
mailed to all Columbus McKinnon shareholders. Under the Plan, Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights will be distributed as a dividend at the rate of one Right for
each share of Common Stock held as of the close of business on November 10,
1997.
The Rights will expire at the close of business on November 10, 2007.
Each Right will entitle the holder to buy one one-hundredth of a newly-issued
share of Columbus McKinnon Corporation Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock at an exercise price of $80.00.
The Rights will detach from the Common Stock and will initially become
exercisable for such shares of Preferred Stock if a person or group acquires
beneficial ownership of, or commences a tender or exchange offer which would
result in such person or group beneficially owning, 15% or more of Columbus
McKinnon's Common Stock, except through a tender or exchange offer for all
shares which the Board determines to be fair and otherwise in the best interest
of Columbus McKinnon and its shareholders. The Rights will also detach from the
Common Stock if the Board determines that a person holding at least 15% of
Columbus McKinnon's Common
<PAGE>
Stock intends to cause the corporation to take certain actions adverse to it and
its shareholders or that such holder's ownership would have a material adverse
effect on Columbus McKinnon.
If any person becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of Columbus McKinnon's
Common Stock (except through such an offer which the Board determines to be
fair) and the Board of Directors does not within 10 days thereafter redeem the
Rights, or if such a 15% holder is determined by the Board to be an adverse
person, each Right not owned by such person or related parties will then enable
its holder to purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, Columbus
McKinnon Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances as determined by the Board,
a combination of cash, property, common stock or other securities) having a
value of twice the Right's exercise price.
Under certain circumstances, if Columbus McKinnon is acquired in a merger or
similar transaction with another person, or sells more than 50 percent of its
assets, earning power or cash flow to another entity, each Right that has not
previously been exercised will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's
then-current exercise price, common stock of such other entity having a value of
twice the Right's exercise price.
Columbus McKinnon will generally be entitled to redeem the Rights at $.01 per
Right at any time until the 10th day following public announcement that a 15%
position has been acquired, or until the Board has determined a 15% holder to be
an adverse person. Prior to such time, the redemption period may be extended by
the Board of Directors.
Columbus McKinnon Corporation, headquartered in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst,
New York, designs, manufactures and sells a variety of productivity enhancing,
lifting and positioning products.
<PAGE>
