MATRIA HEALTHCARE INC
S-8 POS, 1996-03-22
Previous: HOLLAND TRUST, N-1A EL/A, 1996-03-22
Next: MATRIA HEALTHCARE INC, 8-K, 1996-03-22



<PAGE>   1



    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MARCH 22, 1996
                                                   REGISTRATION NO. 333-________
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549

                         POST EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                  ON FORM S-8
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-4
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                             MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.              
             -----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                                     58-2205984        
 ----------------------------------        ------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   incorporation or organization)          
                                           
                                           
   1850 Parkway Place, 12th Floor          
            Marietta, Georgia                              30067   
- - ---------------------------------------                 -----------
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)



               1983 HEALTHDYNE, INC. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN;
                    HEALTHDYNE, INC. 1991 STOCK OPTION PLAN;
                    HEALTHDYNE, INC. 1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN;
             HEALTHDYNE, INC. 1985 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN;
           HEALTHDYNE, INC. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN;
               TOKOS MEDICAL CORPORATION 1985 STOCK OPTION PLAN;
                                      AND
        TOKOS MEDICAL CORPORATION 1995 STOCK OPTION/STOCK ISSUANCE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plans)

                       --------------------------------

                             J. Brent Burkey, Esq.
                                General Counsel
                            MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.
                         1850 Parkway Place, 12th Floor
                             Marietta, Georgia 30067                      
                    ---------------------------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)



                                   770-423-4500                          
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                         
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Title of securities to be       Amount to be        Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum          Amount of registration
 registered                      registered (1)      offering price per       aggregate offering        fee (3)
                                                     share                    price
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 <S>                             <C>                          <C>                       <C>             <C>
 Common Stock, par value $.01
 per share (together with
 associated common stock
 purchase rights)                2,860,895 shares             (2)                       (2)             $8,746
                                                                                                                         
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         (1)  In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of
1933, this registration statement also covers an indeterminate number of
additional shares which may be offered and issued to prevent dilution resulting
from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions as provided in the
plans described herein.

         (2)  All of the shares of Common Stock included in this post-effective
Amendment No. 1 have previously been registered and the applicable registration
fee paid.  Such shares consist of 2,860,895 shares of Common Stock which were
previously registered and included in the Registration Statement on Form S-4
(No. 333-00781) as originally filed with respect to shares issuable upon
exercise of options granted under the above-referenced plans and a registration
fee of $8,746 was paid in connection therewith.

         (3)  The required registration fees for all shares of Registrant's
Common Stock to be registered pursuant to this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 have been previously paid in connection with the prior registration of such
shares as described in Footnote 2 above.
<PAGE>   2

                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         Matria Healthcare, Inc. ("Registrant") hereby incorporates by
reference into this registration statement a copy of the following:

                 (a)      Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus of Healthdyne, Inc.
                 ("Healthdyne") and Tokos Medical Corporation (Delaware)
                 ("Tokos"), predecessors of the Registrant, filed as part of
                 Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No.
                 333-00781) dated February 8, 1996 (the "Joint Proxy
                 Statement"); and

                 (b)      the description of the Registrant's capital stock
                 contained in the Joint Proxy Statement as it may be amended by
                 any amendment or report filed subsequent to the date of this
                 registration statement for the purpose of updating such
                 description.

         In addition, all documents filed subsequent to the date of this
registration statement by the undersigned Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment hereto, which either
indicates that all shares of common stock offered hereby have been sold or
deregisters any shares of such common stock then remaining, shall also be
deemed to have been incorporated by reference into this registration statement.
Any statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein, or
in any other subsequently filed document that also is deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.


ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         The legality of the shares offered hereby is being passed upon for the
Registrant by Troutman Sanders LLP, Atlanta, Georgia.  Carl E. Sanders, a
director of the Registrant and the





                                      II-2
<PAGE>   3

Chairman of Troutman Sanders LLP, is the beneficial owner of 74,500 shares of
the Common Stock of the Registrant.


ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                 The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware ("DGCL")
permits a corporation to indemnify officers, directors, employees and agents
for actions taken in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be
in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and with respect
to any criminal actions, which they had no reasonable cause to believe was
unlawful.  The DGCL provides that a corporation may advance expenses of defense
(upon receipt of a written undertaking to reimburse the corporation if
indemnification is not appropriate) and must reimburse a successful defendant
for expenses, including attorney's fees, actually and reasonably incurred, and
permits a corporation to purchase and maintain liability insurance for its
directors and officers.  The DGCL provides that indemnification may not be made
for any claim, issue or matter as to which a person has been adjudged by a
court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to
be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent a court determines
that the person is entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems
proper.

                 The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation limits
Registrant's directors' liability for monetary damages to Registrant and its
stockholders for breaches of fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted
under the DGCL.  In addition, the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation
provides that Registrant shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
indemnify its directors and officers against any liability, losses or related
expenses which they may incur by reason of serving or having served as
directors and officers of Registrant.

                 The Registrant's Bylaws provide that each person who is
involved in any actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of Registrant, or is or was
serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, will be
indemnified by the corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as
the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all costs, charges,
expenses, liabilities and losses reasonably incurred or suffered by such person
in connection therewith, and such indemnification will continue as to a person
who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and will inure to
the benefit or his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided,
however, that Registrant will indemnify any such person seeking indemnification
in connection with a proceeding initiated by such person only if such
proceeding was authorized by Registrant's Board of Directors.  The right to
indemnification will be a contract right and will include the right to be paid
by Registrant the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance
of its final disposition; provided, however, that if the DGCL so requires, the
payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the
final disposition of a proceeding will be made





                                      II-3
<PAGE>   4

only upon delivery to Registrant of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such
director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it will ultimately be
determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified.
Registrant may provide indemnification to employees and agents of Registrant
with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors
and officers.

                 The indemnification rights conferred by the Registrant's
Certificate of Incorporation are not exclusive of any other right to which a
person seeking indemnification may be entitled under any law, bylaw, agreement,
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.  Registrant may
maintain insurance on behalf of its directors, officers, employees and agents.
Additionally, the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 2, 1995, as
amended, by and among Tokos, Healthdyne and the Registrant requires such
insurance to be maintained by Registrant covering present and former officers,
directors, employees, trustees and agents of Tokos for a period of at least six
years from the Closing Date thereunder, subject to certain limitations.


ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                 Not applicable.


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 Exhibit
                 Number
                 ------
                 <S>              <C>
                 4(a)             Shareholder Rights Agreement dated as of January 30, 1996 between the Registrant and
                                  SunTrust Bank

                 5                Opinion of Troutman Sanders LLP

                 23(a)            Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

                 23(b)            Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

                 23(c)            Consent of Troutman Sanders LLP (contained in opinion filed in Exhibit 5).
</TABLE>





                                      II-4
<PAGE>   5


                 Exhibits listed above which have heretofore been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission and which were incorporated as noted
above are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof with
the same effect as if filed herewith.


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                 (a)      Rule 415 offerings.  The undersigned Registrant
                 hereby undertakes:

                          (1)     To file, during any period in which offers or
                          sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
                          this registration statement:

                                  (i)      To include any prospectus required
                                  by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
                                  1933;

                                  (ii)     To reflect in the prospectus any
                                  facts or events arising after the effective
                                  date of the registration statement (or the
                                  most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
                                  which, individually or in the aggregate,
                                  represent a fundamental change in the
                                  information set forth in the registration
                                  statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,
                                  any increase or decrease in volume of
                                  securities offered (if the total dollar value
                                  of securities offered would not exceed that
                                  which was registered) and any deviation from
                                  the low or high and of the estimated maximum
                                  offering range may be reflected in the form
                                  of prospectus filed with the Commission
                                  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
                                  the changes in volume and price represent no
                                  more than 20 percent change in the maximum
                                  aggregate offering price set forth in the
                                  "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
                                  the effective registration statement.

                                  (iii)    To include any material information
                                  with respect to the plan of distribution not
                                  previously disclosed in the registration
                                  statement or any material change to such
                                  information in the registration statement;

                          Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and
                          (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required
                          to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
                          paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by
                          the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
                          15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
                          incorporated by reference in the registration
                          statement.





                                      II-5
<PAGE>   6

                          (2)     That, for the purpose of determining any
                          liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
                          post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
                          registration statement relating to the securities
                          offered therein, and the offering of such securities
                          at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
                          fide offering thereof.

                          (3)     To remove from registration by means of a
                          post-effective amendment any of the securities being
                          registered which remain unsold at the termination of
                          the offering.

                 (b)      Filings incorporating subsequent Exchange Act
                 documents by reference.  The undersigned Registrant hereby
                 undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
                 under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
                 Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
                 Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and,
                 where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
                 annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities
                 Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
                 registration statement shall be deemed to be a new
                 registration statement relating to the securities offered
                 therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
                 shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                 (c)      Filing of registration statement on Form S-8.
                 Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
                 Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers
                 and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
                 foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been
                 advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
                 Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
                 expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the
                 event that a claim for indemnification against such
                 liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of
                 expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
                 controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense
                 of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
                 director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
                 securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
                 the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
                 controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
                 jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it
                 is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be
                 governed by the final adjudication of such issue.





                                      II-6
<PAGE>   7

                                   SIGNATURES

                 The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds
to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Marietta, State of
Georgia, on March 21, 1996.


                                        MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.




                                        By:      \s\Parker H. Petit          
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                 Parker H. Petit
                                                 Chairman of the Board





                                      II-7
<PAGE>   8
                                   SIGNATURES

                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robert F. Byrnes, Donald R.
Millard, and J. Brent Burkey and each of them, his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and to perform each
and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or would do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 Signatures                              Title                        Date
                 ----------                              -----                        ----
 <S>                                          <C>                               <C>
  /s/ Parker H. Petit                         Chairman of the Board             March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                    
 Parker H. Petit

                                              Chief Executive Officer,          March 21, 1996
  /s/ Robert F. Byrnes                        President, Director and
 ------------------------------------------   Secretary                       
 Robert F. Byrnes                             

                                              Senior Vice President and
  /s/ Donald R. Millard                       Chief Financial Officer           March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                    
 Donald R. Millard

  /s/ Craig T. Davenport                                Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                     
 Craig T. Davenport

                                                        Director                March ____, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                     
 Thomas Erickson

  /s/ David L. Goldsmith                                Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                    
 David L. Goldsmith

 /s/ Gene P. Guselli                                    Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                     
 Gene P. Guselli


  /s/ Carl E. Sanders                                   Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                    
 Carl E. Sanders

  /s/ Jackie M. Ward                                    Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                     
 Jackie M. Ward

                                                        Director                March ____, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                     
 Morris S. Weeden


  /s/ Frederick P. Zuspan, M.D.                         Director                March 21, 1996
 ------------------------------------------                                                    
 Frederick P. Zuspan, M.D.
</TABLE>





                                      II-8
<PAGE>   9

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit                                                                              Sequentially
Number   Description                                                                 Numbered Page
- - ------   -----------                                                                 -------------
<S>              <C>
4(a)             Shareholder Rights Agreement dated as of January 30, 1996 between
                 the Registrant and SunTrust Bank.

5                Opinion of Troutman Sanders LLP.

23(a)            Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23(b)            Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.

23(c)            Consent of Troutman Sanders LLP (contained in the opinion 
                 in Exhibit 5).
</TABLE>





                                     II-9

<PAGE>   1





                                  EXHIBIT 4(A)
<PAGE>   2
                                                                  EXHIBIT 4(A)
                            MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.

                                      and

                             SunTrust Bank, Atlanta
                                  Rights Agent





                                Rights Agreement

                          Dated as of January 30, 1996
<PAGE>   3

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECTION                                                                                                              PAGE
- - -------                                                                                                              ----
<S> <C>                                                                                                                <C>
1.  Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

2.  Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

3.  Issue of Rights Certificates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

4.  Form of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

5.  Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11

6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
    Certificates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12

7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13

8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16

9.  Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17

10.  Common Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19

11.  Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20

12.  Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  37

13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  38

14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  43

15.  All Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45

16.  Agreement of Rights Holders  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45

17.  Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46

18.  Concerning the Rights Agent  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  47

19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48

20.  Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
                                                                                                                         
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   4

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                                    <C>
21.  Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  52

22.  Issuance of New Rights Certificates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  54

23.  Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  54

24.  Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57

25.  Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59

26.  Notices  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61

27.  Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62

28.  Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  63

29.  Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  63

30.  Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  64

31.  Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65

32.  Governing Law  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65

33.  Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65

34.  Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65


Exhibit A        --       Form of Rights Certificate
</TABLE>





                                      -ii-
<PAGE>   5

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT


     RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of January 30, 1996 (the "Agreement"), between
MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and SunTrust
Bank, Atlanta, a Georgia banking corporation (the "Rights Agent").

                              W I T N E S S E T H

     WHEREAS, on January 30, 1996, the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized the issuance of one Right for each share of common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") issued pursuant to the
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 2, 1995, as amended as of
December 4, 1995, by and among the Company, Healthdyne, Inc. and Tokos Medical
Corporation (Delaware) (the "Merger Agreement"), 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 Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement)
(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 Common Stock of the Company, 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:
<PAGE>   6

         (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.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" either (i) as a result of the acquisition of
Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person; except that if (A) a Person would become an Acquiring Person but for
the operation of this subclause (i)) as a result of the acquisition of Common
Stock by the Company, and (B) after such share acquisition by the Company, such
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed an
Acquiring Person unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional
shares of Common Stock, such Person of less than 15% of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock, or (ii) if (A) within 8 days after such Person would
otherwise have become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this
subclause (ii)), such Person notifies the Board of Directors that such Person
did so inadvertently and (B) within 2 days after such notification, such Person
is the Beneficial Owner of less than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock.





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   7

         (b)     "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
         (c)     A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
                 (i)      which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
         or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire
         (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
         passage of time) 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
         issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence
         of a Triggering Event, or (B) 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





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   8

         "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under
         this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
         understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
         understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in
         response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
         and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules
         and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then
         reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or
         any comparable or successor report); or
                 (iii)  which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
         by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
         such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
         agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or 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.
    Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Owner to the
contrary, a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," (A) securities acquired by participation in good faith in a
firm commitment underwriting by a Person engaged in business as an underwriter
of securities until the expiration of forty days after the date of such
acquisition; (B) securities which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates may acquire, does or do acquire or may be deemed to
have the right to acquire, pursuant to any merger or other acquisition
agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of his Affiliates
or Associates) if such agreement has been approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors of the Company prior to such Person's becoming an
Acquiring Person; and (C)





                                      -4-
<PAGE>   9

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; nor shall any officer, director or
employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company be deemed, solely by
reason of such Person's status or authority as such, to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of any securities that are "beneficially owned" including, without
limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of such plan or by any other such officer,
director or employee of the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any
Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of such plan.
         (d)     "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Georgia are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
         (e)     "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Atlanta time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Atlanta time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
         (f)     "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01
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.





                                      -5-
<PAGE>   10

         (g)     "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board
of Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is
not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person,
or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, and was a member of the Board prior to the earlier to occur of (x) a
Triggering Event and (y) a Person becoming an Acquiring Person, or (ii) any
Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board, while such Person is a
member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or
of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or
election to the Board is recommended or approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors.
         (h)     "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership or other entity.
         (i)     "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) (A), (B) or (C) hereof.
         (j)     "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
         (k)     "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an
Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
         (l)     "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.





                                      -6-
<PAGE>   11

         (m)     "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
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 earlier of (i)
the close of business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii)
the close of business on the tenth Business Day after the date that a tender or
exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii), as either of such periods may be
extended pursuant to the provisions of Section 27 hereof, 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





                                      -7-
<PAGE>   12

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
Rights Certificates, the Company may 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)     With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding
as of the Effective Time, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders
of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated
Rights.  Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as
such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates
representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of
Common Stock.
         (c)     Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued after the Effective Time 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:





                                      -8-
<PAGE>   13

         This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
    certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Matria
    Healthcare, Inc. (the "Company") and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta (the "Rights
    Agent") dated as of January 30, 1996, as amended from time to time
    (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
    by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the
    Company.  Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
    Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will
    no longer be evidenced by this certificate.  The Company will mail to the
    holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on
    the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written
    request therefor.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
    AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES
    AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
    ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON
    BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND
    VOID.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
    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 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,





                                      -9-
<PAGE>   14

the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the
Effective Time and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Common 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 or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and
any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon
transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate
referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend:
         The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
    beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an
    Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in
    the Rights Agreement).  Accordingly, this





                                      -10-
<PAGE>   15

    Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and
    void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.

    SECTION 5.  COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.  (a)  The Rights
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile
signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile
thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.  The Rights
Certificates shall be manually countersigned by 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.





                                      -11-
<PAGE>   16

    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 Common Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, full Common Stock, or other securities, cash or other assets,
as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase.
Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered
to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates
to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.  Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with
respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the
registered holder shall have completed and signed the Certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall
have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.  Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may
be, as so requested.  The Company may require payment





                                      -12-
<PAGE>   17

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
January 30, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which
the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the time at
which the Rights are





                                      -13-
<PAGE>   18

exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii) and (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
         (b)     The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $.61, 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 Common 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 Common 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 Common
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 Common 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 Common Stock as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the shares of Common 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





                                      -14-
<PAGE>   19

shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in
such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate.  The payment of the Purchase Price (as such
amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in
cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the
Company.  In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities
(including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other
property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other
property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.
         (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 Triggering Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of
an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and





                                      -15-
<PAGE>   20

receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise.  The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates
or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with
respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.
         (f)     Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall
have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election
to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered
for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity
of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
    SECTION 8.  CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.  All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if





                                      -16-
<PAGE>   21

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 Common 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
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 Common 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 or automated quotation system, 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 or system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.





                                      -17-
<PAGE>   22

         (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, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution
Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933 (the "Act"), with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the
date of the expiration of the Rights.  The Company will also take such action
as may be appropriate under, 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.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification
in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained.
         (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
Common Stock (and, following the





                                      -18-
<PAGE>   23

occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable.
         (e)     The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Common 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 Common 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 Common Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate
at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
    SECTION 10.  COMMON STOCK RECORD DATE.  Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Common Stock (or
full shares of 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 Common





                                      -19-
<PAGE>   24

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 Common
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 Common Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are open.  Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and
shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company,
except as provided herein.
    SECTION 11.  ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS.  The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
                 (a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
         date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Stock
         payable in shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
         Common Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
         number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a





                                      -20-
<PAGE>   25

    reclassification of the Common Stock (including any such reclassification
    in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
    continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this
    Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the
    time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
    subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
    shares of Common 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 Common 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 Common 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; provided, however,
    that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of
    one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of Common
    Stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right.  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 Acquiring Person or any Associate or
                 Affiliate of any Acquiring Person, at any time after the date
                 of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, (1) shall merge
                 into the Company or otherwise combine with the Company and the





                                      -21-
<PAGE>   26

                  Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
                  such merger or combination and the Common Stock of the
                  Company shall remain outstanding and unchanged, (2)
                  shall, in one transaction or a series of transactions,
                  transfer any assets to the Company or to any of its
                  Subsidiaries in exchange (in whole or in part) for shares of
                  Common Stock, for shares of other equity securities of the
                  Company, or for securities exercisable for or convertible
                  into shares of equity securities of the Company (Common Stock
                  or otherwise) or otherwise obtain from the Company, with or
                  without consideration, any additional shares of such equity
                  securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into
                  shares of such equity securities (other than pursuant to a
                  pro rata distribution to all holders of Common Stock), (3)
                  shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge,
                  transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of, in one
                  transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with (as
                  the case may be) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
                  assets on terms and conditions less favorable to the Company
                  than the Company would be able to obtain in arm's length
                  negotiation with an unaffiliated third party, other than
                  pursuant to a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof,
                  (4) shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge,
                  transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of in one
                  transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with (as
                  the case may be) the Company or any of the Company's
                  Subsidiaries (other than incidental to the lines of business,
                  if any, engaged in as of the date hereof between the Company
                  and such Acquiring Person or Associate or Affiliate) assets
                  having an aggregate fair market value of more than
                  $3,000,000, other than pursuant to a





                                      -22-
<PAGE>   27

                  transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, (5) shall
                  receive any compensation from the Company or any of the
                  Company's Subsidiaries other than compensation for
                  full-time employment as a regular employee at rates in
                  accordance with the Company's (or its Subsidiaries') past
                  practices, or (6) shall receive the benefit, directly or
                  indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder and
                  except if resulting from a requirement of law or governmental
                  regulation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or
                  other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax
                  advantage provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
                  or
                  (B)  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 Effective Time, become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
                  more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, other
                  than pursuant to any transaction set forth in Section 13(a)
                  hereof, or pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer
                  for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on
                  terms determined by the Board of Directors (including,
                  following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the
                  date on which a Person Becomes an Acquiring Person, at least
                  a majority of the Continuing Directors) to be (a) at a price
                  which is fair to stockholders (taking into account all
                  factors which such members of the Board deem relevant
                  including, without limitation, prices which could reasonably
                  be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an
                  orderly





                                      -23-
<PAGE>   28

                 basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in
                 the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, or
                          (C) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person,
                 there shall be any reclassification of securities (including
                 any reverse stock split), or recapitalization of the Company,
                 or any merger or consolidation of the Company with any of its
                 Subsidiaries or any other transaction or series of
                 transactions involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
                 other than a transaction or transactions to which the
                 provisions of Section 13(a) apply (whether or not with or into
                 or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person) which has the
                 effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing by more than 1%
                 the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class
                 of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
                 which is directly or indirectly beneficially owned by any
                 Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any
                 Acquiring Person,

then, promptly following five (5) days after the date of the occurrence
of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof and promptly following the
occurrence of any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (C) 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 of a Right at one hundred times 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 Common Stock, such number of full shares of Common
Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying (1)
one hundred times the then current Purchase Price by (2) the then number of one





                                      -24-
<PAGE>   29

    one-hundredths of a share of Common 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 articles of incorporation but not outstanding
    or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the
    Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
    accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
    Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment
    Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2)
    the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to
    each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
    Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
    reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
    securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
    of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company
    has deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of
    preferred stock, "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, where such aggregate value
    has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company





                                      -25-
<PAGE>   30

    (including, following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the
    date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, at least a majority of
    the Continuing Directors) based upon the advice of a nationally recognized
    investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company;
    provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
    deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
    following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
    Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant
    to Section 23 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.  If the Board of Directors of
    the Company (including, following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and
    (y) the date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring person, at least a
    majority of the Continuing Directors) shall determine 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 period, as it may be
    extended, the "Substitution Period").  To the extent that the Company
    determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or
    second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide,
    subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply





                                      -26-
<PAGE>   31

    uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability
    of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
    seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
    appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence
    and to determine the value thereof.  In the event of any such suspension,
    the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
    exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
    public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
    For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock
    shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
    hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date
    and the value of any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the
    same value as the Common Stock on such date.
         (b)     In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45)
calendar days after such record date) Common Stock (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Common Stock ("equivalent
common stock")) or securities convertible into Common Stock or equivalent
common stock at a price per share of Common Stock or per share of equivalent
common stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible
into Common Stock or equivalent common stock) less than the current market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common
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 Common Stock





                                      -27-
<PAGE>   32

outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Common Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Common
Stock and/or equivalent common 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 Common Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of Common Stock and/or equivalent common stock to
be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right
be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right.  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 Common 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 Common Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of





                                      -28-
<PAGE>   33

indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend
payable in Common Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than
Common Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to
in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Common 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
Common Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right.  Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed,
and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the 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 (as such





                                      -29-
<PAGE>   34

    term is hereinafter defined) 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 prior to the expiration of the
    requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set
    forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution,
    or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
    then, and in each such case, the "current 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 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





                                      -30-
<PAGE>   35

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.  For all
purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of one one-hundredth of
a share of Common Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one
share of Common Stock divided by 100.





                                      -31-
<PAGE>   36

                 (e)      Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
         adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
         adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one
         percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any 
         adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to 
         be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
         subsequent adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be
         made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of
         Common Stock. 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 Common
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 Common 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 Common 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 Common Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of
the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.





                                      -32-
<PAGE>   37

         (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 Common Stock (calculated to the nearest
ten-thousandth) 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 Common Stock purchasable upon
the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment
in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Common 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





                                      -33-
<PAGE>   38

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 to be so 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 Common 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-hundredths 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 Common 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





                                      -34-
<PAGE>   39

legally issue fully paid and non-assessable such number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Common Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
         (l)     In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Common 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 Common 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 Common Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Common Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for
cash of shares of Common Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common 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 Common Stock shall
not be taxable to such stockholders.





                                      -35-
<PAGE>   40

         (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 and has been approved by the Board of Directors (including,
following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the date on which a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors)), (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 and
has been approved by the Board of Directors (including, following the earlier
of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the date on which a Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, at least a majority of the Continuing Directors)), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof and has been approved by the Board of
Directors (including, following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y)
the date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, at least a majority of
the Continuing Directors)), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.





                                      -36-
<PAGE>   41

         (o)     The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
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 Effective Time 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 or in accordance with Section 22 hereof, shall
be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated
with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
    SECTION 12.  CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer





                                      -37-
<PAGE>   42

agent for the Common Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate,
and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate
(or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate
representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof.  The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
    SECTION 13.  CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.  (a) In the event that, during such time as there is an Acquiring
Person, 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 has been approved
by the Board of Directors (including, following the earlier of (x) a Triggering
Event and (y) the date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, at least
a majority of the Continuing Directors)), 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 and has been approved by the Board of Directors
(including, following the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the date on
which a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, at least a majority of the
Continuing Directors)) 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





                                      -38-
<PAGE>   43

or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any 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 and has been
approved by the Board of Directors (including, following the earlier of (x) a
Triggering Event and (y) the date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, at least a majority of the Continuing Directors)), then, and in each
such case, 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 one hundred times the then current
Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable
full 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 by one hundred the then current Purchase Price by the number of
one-hundredths of a share of Common 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-hundredths of a share for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event by one hundred times the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following
the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2)
50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) per share of the Common Stock of





                                      -39-
<PAGE>   44

such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii)
such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
         (b)     "Principal Party" shall mean
                 (i)  in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
         (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
         issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
         Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no
         securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such
         merger or consolidation; and
                 (ii)  in the case of any transaction described in clause (z)
         of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
         receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
         transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided,
         however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
         is not at such time and has





                                      -40-
<PAGE>   45

         not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period
         registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
         direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of
         which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
         such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary,
         directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of
         two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal
         Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
         Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
         (c)     The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph
(a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
                 (i)  prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
         with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
         exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
         efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective
         as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective
         (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
         until the Expiration Date;





                                      -41-
<PAGE>   46

                 (ii)  use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights
         and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the
         blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
         appropriate; and
                 (iii)  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 has been approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Board of Directors
of the Company approves such transaction, then there must be Continuing
Directors then in office and such authorization shall require the concurrence
of a majority of such Continuing Directors or (ii)(A) 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)(B) hereof
(or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (B) 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 (C)
the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of





                                      -42-
<PAGE>   47

shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of
consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer.  Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
    SECTION 14.  FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.  (a)  The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the
Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.  In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right.  For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable.  The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting System
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the 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





                                      -43-
<PAGE>   48

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 Common Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Common Stock); provided, however, that in lieu of fractions of shares of Common
Stock which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Common
Stock, the Company may provide for the issuance of depositary receipts pursuant
to Section 7(c) hereof.  In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock that are
not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share 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 one-hundredth of a share of
Common Stock.  For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock shall be one one-hundredth of the
closing price of a 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.
         (c)     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.





                                      -44-
<PAGE>   49

    SECTION 15.  ALL RIGHTS OF ACTION.  All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common 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





                                      -45-
<PAGE>   50

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 STOCKHOLDER.  No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Common Stock or any other





                                      -46-
<PAGE>   51

securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of
the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.  This Section 17 shall also apply to holders, as such, of
Rights prior to the issuance of Rights Certificates.
    SECTION 18.  CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.  (a)  The Company agrees to pay
to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in
the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder.  The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any losses, expenses,
claims, damages or liabilities, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or
omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and
administration of this Agreement and performance hereunder, including, without
limitation, the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability
arising therefrom, directly or indirectly, and will promptly reimburse the
Rights Agent for any legal or other expenses





                                      -47-
<PAGE>   52

reasonably incurred in investigating or defending any such loss, expense,
claim, damage or liability.
         (b)     The Rights Agent shall be protected by the indemnity provided
by this Section 18 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





                                      -48-
<PAGE>   53

Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
         (b)     In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
    SECTION 20.  DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT.  The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:                
         (a)     The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be 
legal counsel for the Company), and the 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





                                      -49-
<PAGE>   54

conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant
Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
         (c)     The Rights Agent shall 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.
         (d)     The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity or legality of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or legality 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 to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when so
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable.





                                      -50-
<PAGE>   55

         (e)     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.
         (f)     The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable to the Company or the holder of any Rights
Certificate or any shareholder of the Company for any action taken or suffered
to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer.
         (g)     The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement.  Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
         (h)     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





                                      -51-
<PAGE>   56

such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care
was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
         (i)     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, in the sole judgment of the Rights Agent, reasonable grounds
for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against
such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
         (j)     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 or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
    SECTION 21.  CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT.  The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common 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, 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





                                      -52-
<PAGE>   57

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
Georgia 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 either the State of Georgia or the State of New York), in good
standing, having a principal office in either the State of Georgia or 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 surplus of at least $50,000,000.  After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and
transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it
hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or
deed necessary for the purpose.  Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the
Common 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





                                      -53-
<PAGE>   58

therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent,
as the case may be.
    SECTION 22.  ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.  Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such
form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon
the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the
Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by
the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustments shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
    SECTION 23.  REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.  (a)  The Board of Directors of
the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the
close of business on the tenth day (as





                                      -54-
<PAGE>   59

such period may be extended pursuant to the provisions of Section 27 hereof)
following the Stock Acquisition Date, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem
all but not less than all of 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"), such Redemption Price to be payable in cash, shares of Common Stock
(based on the "current market price," as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of
the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or such other form of consideration
as may be deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company;
provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses
(i) and (ii) below, then there must be Continuing Directors then in office and
such authorization shall require the concurrence of a majority of such
Continuing Directors: (i) such authorization occurs on or after the time a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or
after the date of a change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) 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 tender offer or exchange offer in compliance with Section
11(a)(ii)(B); provided further, however, that if following the occurrence of a
Stock Acquisition Date and following the expiration





                                      -55-
<PAGE>   60

of the right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (i) a
Person who is an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or otherwise disposed
of a number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or series of
transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering Event such
that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 5% or less of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (ii) there are no other Persons,
immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause (i), who
are Acquiring Persons, then the right of redemption shall be reinstated and
thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section 23.  Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such
time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder and under subsection (b) of
this Section 23 has expired.
         (b)     During the period commencing at the close of business on the
tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date and terminating on the earlier
of (i) the occurrence of a Triggering Event and (ii) the Final Expiration Date,
the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, redeem all but not
less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), provided that such redemption is
incidental to a merger, consolidation or other business combination involving
the Company or a reorganization or restructuring of the Company which a
majority of the Continuing Directors shall determine to be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders.
         (c)     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





                                      -56-
<PAGE>   61

without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.  Promptly
after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent
and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all
such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock.  Any notice which is mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice.  Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
    SECTION 24.  EXCHANGE.  (a)  The Board of Directors of the Company may, at
its option and with the approval of at least a majority of the Continuing
Directors, at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, exchange all
or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include
Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof)
for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").  Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or  any entity holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and





                                      -57-
<PAGE>   62

Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
         (b)  Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio.  The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice
shall not affect the validity of such exchange.  The Company promptly shall
mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights
Agent.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice
of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common
Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange,
the number of Rights which will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be
effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have
become void  pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.
         (c)  In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common
Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.  In the event
the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action
as may be





                                      -58-
<PAGE>   63

necessary to authorize such additional shares of Common Stock, the Company
shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon
exchange of a Right, a number of shares of Common Stock or fraction thereof
such that the current per share market price of one Common Share multiplied by
such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one
Common Share as of the date of issuance of such shares of Common Stock or
fraction thereof.
         (d)  The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock.  In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a
whole Common Share.  For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market
value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
    SECTION 25.  NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.  (a)  In case the Company shall
propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of Common Stock or to make any
other distribution to the holders of Common 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 Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe
for or to purchase any additional shares of Common Stock or shares of stock of
any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Common Stock (other than a reclassification





                                      -59-
<PAGE>   64

involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Common 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 and has been approved by the Board of Directors (including, following
the earlier of (x) a Triggering Event and (y) the date on which a Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, at least a majority of the Continuing Directors)),
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 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof and has been
approved by the Board of Directors (including, following the earlier of (x) a
Triggering Event and (y) the date on which a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, at least a majority of the Continuing Directors)), 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 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the shares of Common 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 Common 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





                                      -60-
<PAGE>   65

the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier.
         (b)     In case any Triggering Event shall occur, then, in any such
case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall
specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 hereof as applicable, and (ii) all references
in the preceding paragraph to Common Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer
to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
    SECTION 26.  NOTICES.  Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing
with the Rights Agent) as follows:

         Matria Healthcare, Inc.
         [ADDRESS OF MATRIA HEALTHCARE]
         Attention: Corporate Secretary

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:

         [NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT]
         [ADDRESS OF RIGHTS AGENT]
         Attention: Manager, Corporate Trust Department





                                      -61-
<PAGE>   66

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
    SECTION 27.  SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS.  Subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27 and with the consent of the Rights Agent, this
Agreement may be supplemented or amended at the times and for the purposes set
forth below; provided, however, that no proposed supplement or amendment to
this Agreement shall be effective unless (i) there are Continuing Directors and
(ii) a majority of such Continuing Directors, at a meeting of Directors duly
called and held, votes in favor of the adoption of such proposed supplement or
amendment.  Prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the first and
penultimate sentences of this Section 27, 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 first and penultimate sentences of this Section 27, 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, 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





                                      -62-
<PAGE>   67

Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) subject to Section 31, 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
the common equity of the Company, including the holders of Rights.  Upon the
delivery of a certificate that is signed by a Continuing Director and which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption
Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Common Stock or other securities or assets 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 28.  SUCCESSORS.  All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
    SECTION 29.  DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common
Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and
Regulations





                                      -63-
<PAGE>   68

under the Exchange Act.  The Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and
to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board (with,
where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing
Directors) or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement).  All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board or the Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders
of the Rights.
    SECTION 30.  BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT.  Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).





                                      -64-
<PAGE>   69

    SECTION 31.  SEVERABILITY.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this  Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction  or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing
the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23
hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on
the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors.
    SECTION 32.  GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Georgia and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and to be performed entirely within such State.
    SECTION 33.  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
    SECTION 34.  DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS.  Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.





                                      -65-
<PAGE>   70

    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 date and year first above written.


Attest:                                    MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.
                                           

/s/ Robert J. Byrnes                       By: /s/ Parker H. Petit
- - -----------------------------                 ---------------------------
Name: Robert J. Byrnes                        Name: Parker H. Petit
Title: President and Chief                    Title: Chairman of the Board
       Financial Officer


Attest:                                            [RIGHTS AGENT]


/s/ Ronald C. Painter                      By: /s/ T.J. Donaldson
- - -----------------------------                 ---------------------------
Name: Ronald C. Painter                       Name: T.J. Donaldson
Title: Vice President                         Title: Group Vice President





                                      -66-
<PAGE>   71

                                                                       Exhibit A





                          [Form of Rights Certificate]


Certificate No. R-                                          _______ Rights


NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER _________________, 2006 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR
EXCHANGED BY THE COMPANY.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION
OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]*


                               Rights Certificate

                            MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.



    This certifies that ___________________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of __________________, 1996, as amended from
time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between Matria Healthcare, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ______________________, a [GEORGIA]
banking





__________________________________

     *The portion of the legend in brackets shall be included only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
<PAGE>   72

corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time
prior to 5:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on ___________________, 2006 (unless
earlier redeemed by the Company as provided in the Rights Agreement) 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 Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price
of $.61 per one one- hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed.  The Purchase Price shall be
paid in cash.  The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and
the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth
above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and
Purchase Price as of _________________ ___, 19___, based on the Common Stock as
constituted at such date.
         Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right
with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section
11(a)(ii) Event.
         As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of Common 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





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   73

happening of certain events, including Triggering Events (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement).
         This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
         This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Common 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 (i) the tenth day following the Stock





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   74

Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.  After the Expiration of the
redemption period, the Company's right of redemption may be reinstated if an
Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial ownership to 5% or less of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock in a transaction or series of transactions
not involving the Company.  In addition, the Company may redeem the Right's
after the above ten day period and prior to a Triggering Event, incidental to a
merger or other business combination involving the Company or reorganization or
restructuring of the Company which the majority of "Continuing Directors" (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) concurs is in the best interest of
stockholders.
         No fractional shares of Common 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 Common 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 Common
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or





                                      -4-
<PAGE>   75

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 officer of the Company and
its corporate seal.

Dated as of _____________________, 1996

ATTEST:                                            MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC.


______________________________    By:_________________________
   Secretary                         Title:___________________



Countersigned:

[RIGHTS AGENT]


By:___________________________
    Authorized Signature





                                      -5-
<PAGE>   76

                  [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:





                                      -6-
<PAGE>   77

                                  Certificate

         The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
         (1)     this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned
and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
         (2)     after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring 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.





                                      -7-
<PAGE>   78

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                      (To be executed if holder desires to
                       exercise Rights represented by the
                              Rights Certificate.)


To:      MATRIA HEALTHCARE, INC:
    The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Common 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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
                                       



                                      -8-
<PAGE>   79

         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:


                                  Certificate

         The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
         (1)     the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ]
are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);





                                      -9-
<PAGE>   80

         (2)     after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Dated:__________________, 19___   ___________________________________
                                  Signature


Signature Guaranteed:





                                      -10-
<PAGE>   81

                                     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.





                                      -11-

<PAGE>   1





                                   EXHIBIT 5
<PAGE>   2

                                                                       Exhibit 5
                              TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
                           600 Peachtree Street, N.E.
                         Suite 5200, NationsBank Plaza
                          Atlanta, Georgia 30308-2216
                                 (404) 885-3000



                                 March 21, 1996


Matria Healthcare, Inc.
1850 Parkway Place
12th Floor
Marietta, Georgia 30067

Gentlemen:

                 We have examined a copy of the registration statement on Form
S-8 proposed to be filed by Matria Healthcare, Inc. (the "Company"), with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), relating to the
registration pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), of 2,860,895 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, along with associated Common Stock purchase
rights (the "Common Stock"), reserved for issuance upon exercise of options
under the 1983 Healthdyne, Inc. Incentive Stock Option Plan, Healthdyne, Inc.
1991 Stock Option Plan, Healthdyne, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan, Healthdyne,
Inc. 1985 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, Healthdyne, Inc. Non-Employee
Director Stock Option Plan, Tokos Medical Corporation 1985 Stock Option Plan,
and Tokos Medical Corporation 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan (the
"Plans").  The options were assumed in connection with the merger of Tokos
Medical Corporation (Delaware), a Delaware corporation ("Tokos"), and
Healthdyne, Inc., a Georgia corporation ("Healthdyne") with and into the
Company pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
October 2, 1995, as amended as of December 4, 1995 and January 31, 1996, by and
among Tokos, Healthdyne and the Company.  In rendering this opinion, we have
reviewed such documents and made such investigations as we deemed appropriate.

                 We are of the opinion that, subject to compliance with the
pertinent provisions of the Act and to compliance with such securities or "Blue
Sky" laws of any jurisdiction as may be applicable, when certificates
evidencing the Shares have been duly executed, countersigned, registered,
issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Plans and the
respective agreements thereunder, the Shares will be duly and validly issued
and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the
Company.

                 We are members of the Bar of the State of Georgia.  In 
expressing the opinions set forth above, we are not passing on the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Georgia, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Federal law of the United
States of America.

                 We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion or copies
thereof as an exhibit to the registration statement referred to above.

                                                   Very truly yours,

                                                   /s/ Troutman Sanders LLP

                                                   TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
                                                                       

<PAGE>   1





                                 EXHIBIT 23(A)
<PAGE>   2

                                                                   Exhibit 23(a)

                              ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT





The Board of Directors
Matria Healthcare, Inc.


We consent to incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form
S-8 of Matria Healthcare, Inc. of our reports dated February 21, 1995, relating
to the consolidated balance sheets of Tokos Medical Corporation (Delaware) and
subsidiaries (predecessor of Matria Healthcare, Inc.) as of December 31, 1994
and 1993, and the related consolidated statements of earnings (loss),
shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year
period ended December 31, 1994 and related schedule, which reports appear in
the December 31, 1994 annual report on Form 10-K of Tokos Medical Corporation
(Delaware).




                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Orange County, California
March 18, 1996

<PAGE>   1





                                 EXHIBIT 23(B)
<PAGE>   2

                                                                   Exhibit 23(b)

                              ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT



The Board of Directors
Matria Healthcare, Inc.

We consent to incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form
S-8 of Matria Healthcare, Inc. of our reports dated February 17, 1995, relating
to the consolidated balance sheets of Healthdyne, Inc. and subsidiaries
(predecessor of Matria Healthcare, Inc.) as of December 31, 1994 and 1993, and
the related consolidated statements of earnings (loss), shareholders' equity
and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December
31, 1994 and related schedule, which reports appear in the December 31, 1994
annual report on Form 10-K of Healthdyne, Inc.

                                                       /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

                                                           KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP





Atlanta, Georgia
March 19, 1996


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission